It’s not easy to have your way of life taken away in a flash. One second, you’re going to work, making plans with friends, planning trips, and the next second, you’re adjusting to being stuck at home, telecommuting, and fighting for rolls of toilet paper. Despite the sudden turn of events, I have been impressed by how quickly we all adapted to this new normal. But that doesn’t mean it has been easy.
For me, my feelings wax and wane, as I am sure yours do too. Some days I feel like I can handle it and other days I want to jump out of my skin. Each time it feels a little harder, I find some new ways to keep myself going. In today’s post, I am sharing nine ways to make being stuck at home can be more bearable.
Nine Things That Make Being Stuck at Home More Bearable
#1 Reading, Learning Something New, and Challenging Your Mind
I love to read but getting lost in a new book had fallen by the wayside to other interests, like knitting or just being busy. With the economic slowdown, the last thing I wanted to do was spend money on books for my e-reader, especially at the clip that I have been reading them, so I started borrowing them from my library using the Libby app. You don’t even need a current library card to get access to your local library. It takes seconds to sign up for a card virtually and after that, you have a ton of free books at your fingertips for free.
This week alone, I read The Testaments by Margaret Atwood, Educated by Tara Westover, Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichi, and just started All My Puny Sorrows by Miriam Toews. After I started reading again, I said to my husband, “now I know why prisoners read so much. You can escape to another place through a book.”
If it’s not a mental escape through reading, you can use this time to challenge your brain to learn something new, like a new language with the Duolingo app, taking a Masterclass, and or getting into some podcasts. I am just about through Dr. Death and found the Podcast Root of Evil to be the most shocking and disturbing story I have ever heard.
#2 Fitness
Workout equipment is up there with hair color as the new hard to find items. With gyms closed, people are trying to figure out how to stay in shape. Taking long walks only goes so far and some simple equipment, like hand weights and Therabands can make a difference. Many gym instructors are broadcasting their workouts via Zoom.
#3 Comfortable Clothes
Comfort has been key to surviving this pandemic lockdown. The focus of my posts since the world has shut down has been this and how to feel human while also maintaining comfort. You can get caught up with them here.
Comfortable clothes when life is stressful can feel like a warm bowl of soup on a cold day.
#4 Haircare
I got a notification on my phone that I needed to leave for my cut and color appointment to make it on time. I hadn’t deleted the pre-scheduled appointment from my phone so when the reminder appeared, I felt myself crying inside. I’m lucky. I fortuitously got a cut and color two days before New York shut down, but now, seven weeks in, I’m trying hard not to pick up a box of box dye at the drugstore.
I have resorted, for now, to root touch up powder, which is hard to find for redheads and even hard to find now that the pickings are slim. If you have resorted to dying your own hair, want to touch up your roots or are just trying to keep you hair in check, here are some products I found.
#5 Ambiance and Wellness
Like comfortable clothing, what we surround ourselves with can make a huge impact. A lovely mug, a comfortable throw, nice lighting are little things that go a long way. You have one place to be right now, home. Don’t you want it to be a place you want to be?
#6 Balms and Potions
A lot of women in my Facebook Group have been inquiring about skincare. Some are noticing skin outbreaks and others are just looking for ways to calm their skin from stress or how to remove gel manicures that have long overgrown or tweeze their own eyebrows. To avoid looking like a neanderthal once the world is back up and running, there are plenty of at-home products to save you.
#7- Games and Distractions
Friends of my husband’s and mine set up a weekly game night with friends and have a great form of entertainment and fun. We played a virtual game of Cards Against Humanity using the site called PlayingCards.io and Insider shared 17 of the best online activities to keep you connected while you’re away from family and friends to get you started with some ideas.
#8- Organization and Order
This is a great time to get home in order. I shared a post on creating closet edit goals to help you get started. Of course, I have done absolutely nothing on the organization front, which I am sure I will regret when we’re all back up and running again. Here are some great storage and organization solutions for the closet and laundry.
#9- Connection
This weekend, my husband set up a Zoom call with some of his closest friends, all who live spread out around the country. Despite he having headphones on and me not being able to hear much over a podcast I was listening to with my own headphones while in the kitchen, I was warmed by the raucous laughter I couldn’t help but hear coming from Frank. The last time Frank and his friends were in the same room was at our wedding nearly 13 years ago. They are now planning weekly virtual get togethers.
Every Saturday, I hold a get together with Facebook Group members on Zoom for a one hour chat which I call a knitting bee, something I never would have thought to do before this. It’s like we all never realized how important human connection was until it was taken away. and how people have figured out how to connect while being so isolated has been one of the beautiful silver linings of this whole thing.
What about you? What have you done or found helpful for survival during this lockdown? I’d love to hear!
If you have been getting great ideas during this pandemic lockdown, consider support by buying me a coffee.
