“Stay at home.” It is what we’ve been instructed to do during this pandemic, and many of us are realizing this is easier said than done. While working from home can keep our minds busy, it is the newfound free time after the work is finished that many of us are struggling with. I have challenged myself personally to look at this time not as a challenge, but as an opportunity – an opportunity to get tasks done that I often put aside, to learn something new, to maybe even get a start on the spring cleaning I didn’t know how I‘d get done just a week ago. What about you?
If you’re grappling with what your next few weeks at home will look like, maybe you will be inspired by these ideas.
Spring Cleaning
Amidst all that is going on, you may have forgotten that for many of us, today is the first day of spring. Regardless of where you are located in the world, you can be inspired by this tradition of decluttering your home and getting to those chores you never seem to have time for. In addition to the dusting and scrubbing, start to organize, discard, or set aside donation items that you’re hanging onto unnecessarily. Check out this list of “60 Things to Toss Out in the Next 60 Days” on Pinterest that I plan to utilize myself. I also love the popular “KonMari Method” that you’ve likely read about and not yet had the time to dive into.
Virtual Book, Movie, or Craft Clubs
As a book worm, I really like borrowing the philosophy of many book clubs to find a current best-seller, or even a classic, and reading it simultaneously with a friend or family member. You can find some great reads here and order them to your home. Once you decide on the book, you’ll then have virtual meetings with talking points and questions. It’s all about connecting and getting that much needed social interaction while adding another great read to your collection.
Also, while many local library locations are closed, the Libby App (for iOS and Android) offers the ability for library card holders to check out their favorite titles electronically and read with a favorite device for no cost.
Not much of reader? You could easily make this a movie, recipe, or craft club. Speaking of crafts, how fun would it be to make this craft club with your family? Check out these ideas for crafts you can do at home.
Get Moving
While your local gym or spin class may be closed, there are so many great resources to stay active at home, and we all know this is a key factor in our health. No equipment? No problem. Check out these free workouts you can do at home with or without equipment.
Remember to Rest
For many of us, rest falls to the bottom of our list as we balance robust work, home, and social lives. With many of our activities and outdoor events canceled or postponed, it is a good idea to hit the reset button. Rest looks different for everyone. This may be toning down your training regimen, taking a 30-minute nap after work, journaling, unplugging from social media, or meditating. Rest is extremely beneficial to our bodies and minds as it helps us prepare for the days ahead. Take advantage of your time to practice rest.
Learn Something New
We all have skills we would love to develop or goals we would someday like to achieve, such as learning a new language, becoming a better cook, or my personal goal, learning a new design program! For many of us it was difficult to find time to do these, but now may be a perfect opportunity to start. Get inspired with these 101 New Skills you can start learning today.
While this is a challenging and unexpected time, it’s important to keep a sense of positivity. We hope that these few tips inspire you.
“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change” – Wayne Dyer