30 Things You Can Do To Keep From Going Crazy

30 Things You Can Do!

If you are doing what we are all supposed to be doing (which is staying home) then you may develop “Cabin Fever.” That was my mother’s term for when you’ve been inside so long you just HAVE to get out. In light of COVID-19 and social distancing, going out is probably not a good idea unless you go some place where there aren’t other people

Stay Busy

Here are 30 things you can do while we are all cooped up like chickens in a hen house! Maybe some of the things on my list will appeal to you! If they don’t make up your own list and share it with us! We want to know what you are doing to keep busy.

1. Puzzles. I have lots of memories of my grandmother working on puzzles every winter. I never had the patience to sit still very long, but she enjoyed working puzzles and I loved just sitting and talking to her while she worked on them.
2. Clean out a closet. Not a fun idea but I bet you have one somewhere in your house that could use a good cleaning out.
3. Walk your dog. It’s good exercise for you and for Fido. I walked two down our driveway and back yesterday 3 different times. It’s a good break from writing!
4. Give your dog a bath. Save some money by grooming Fido yourself. Be prepared for a mess in your bathroom!
5. Bake cookies, (or make no bake ones) divide into zip lock bags and deliver to your neighbors. Ring the doorbell and wave as you drive off or leave a note letting them know where the cookies came from.
6. Write a note or send a card to someone you love. I love the letters my mom wrote to me while I was in college. Even though she’s been gone 30 years I love re-reading them. There’s simply no substitute for a handwritten note.
7. If you have a musical instrument in your house, teach yourself how to play it. YouTube has lessons for all kinds of instruments. Dust off that guitar or piano and make some music!
8. Dance. Push the furniture back and turn the music up. Dancing is great exercise and with no one to see you, you can cut loose and shine!
9. Make a craft or piece a quilt. Grandma Layne and my mom pieced one every winter. Now I have a collection of beautiful handmade quilts that I treasure. All of us start things and don’t finish. Look around in your attic. I bet there’s something somewhere you started and didn’t have time to finish. Now you do, so go for it!
10. Get your family photos out, label them and fix photo albums. I can’t tell you how many photos I have that my mother and grandmother didn’t label so now I have no idea who the people are. Don’t let future generations wonder who the people in your pictures are!
11. Record videos of you singing, talking, telling jokes, reading a children’s book, whatever and send to your grandchildren. They will love it!
12. Purge. This is sort of like cleaning out your closet but on a bigger scale. Take it one room at a time and go ballistic! Less is more!
13. Read. I keep a stack of books by my bed and if I finish those I can download more on my Kindle. My latest favorite is The Guardians by John Grisham.
14. Try new recipes. I love finding new tasty dishes on Pinterest. (Click on the word Pinterest for my recipe board)
15. Follow NanaHood on Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. I know not everyone is as into social media as I am, but y’all there are some really cool things I share there! Why not check it out?
16. Call your neighbors. Especially is you have any who are elderly. Everyone needs at least one phone call a day from someone who cares!
17. Exercise. Find some Yoga apps on your phone and do some Yoga. It’s great for stretching and balance.
18. Drink water. Wash your hands. Take your vitamins.
19. Clean out your refrigerator or pantry. Check dates to make sure everything is current.
20. Netflix. If you haven’t watched Justified yet and you don’t mind violence….it’s awesome. Definitely not appropriate for children.
21. Give yourself a pedicure. If you can’t reach your toes go back to number 17 and repeat until you can touch your toes!
22. Go on a dust bunny search. Everyone has them. Get your mop out and attack!
23. Learn how to do something new. Google something you have always wanted to do and learn about it.
24. Bird watching. Obviously, this depends on where you live and if you have binoculars but I live on a farm and the number of birds I can identify is shamefully low. Now is a good time to learn about them!
25. Read about bees. Honestly, there is no creature more fascinating than bees. My husband dabbled in bee keeping and it was fascinating. Wash a couple of windows every day and before you know it your spring cleaning is over!
26. Visit some of my friend’s blogs. They are awesome and y’all will love them! Lisa at Grandma’s Briefs. Christine at GRANDmagazine. Joan at Gramcrackercrumbs. Joyce at What Happens at Grandmas Stays at Grandmas. Ken and Brock at GrandkidsMatter.
27. Take a nap. I love a good power nap!
28. Soak in the tub. If you are like me usually the best I can manage is a quick shower. Take a long, hot, steamy bath with some good smelling stuff in it, then towel dry and lotion your skin with moisturizer. You will smell and feel delicious!
29. Wash a couple windows every day and pretty soon you will have them all clean!
30. Count your blessings. Write them down and post them on your refrigerator. It will remind you of how much you have to be thankful for!