Hey y’all! I’m sure everyone is getting into those eerie stages of boredom and asking themselves, ‘what should I do?’. I’m in the same boat with y’all but I cannot stand the thought of wasting my days away on mindless things. Yes, I’m hooked on Animal Crossing, but is there more to life than it? I thought back to the late days of Summer growing up, when you’re kind of ready for school to start but not really at the same time, and what I would be doing to escape the boredom. Well… I found a few answers!
1. The most obvious, go walking or running!
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know why I suggested this. I’ve been going walking at least 3 times around my neighborhood just to escape my house. The pro: I’ve become more familiar with my area than I ever have before. And surprisingly, my legs have toned up a teensy bit more from walking up all the hills! Everyone needs a breath of fresh air, so if you can, why not!
2. Learn new recipes
You’re not out and about anymore and don’t have the excuse you’re on a time crunch to eat. Since you’re at home anyways, might as well learn a new recipe! I’ve been relying on Pinterest for all kinds of different recipes, easy or challenging! You can take a look at my board here. I also have a couple of cookbooks I love opening every once in awhile. My favorite restaurant in NYC is Jack’s Wife Freda, so I love making my versions of their recipes from their adorable book!
3. Finish those home or decor projects that you never got to
I’ve even running around like a crazy woman doing these! I always have so many DIY home projects in my mind that never get executed since I’m always busy. Well, now that we have all the time in the world, it’s time to get to them! Once again, I refer to Pinterest for a little home inspo or I check out room ideas on Target, Anthropologie, or West Elm. More than likely, you can find some expensive item you want and dupe it for way cheaper. There’s also probably a YouTube video out there to guide you along the way too!
4. Speaking of home upgrading, fix up your yard or plant some plants!
This may be harder if you’re living in an apartment or renting a space, but if you have your own property, you can do some yard work improvement! It’s a great way to get outside and make your outdoor space look cute. I personally redid by flower bed with new mulch and added a brick border and planted a couple of fruit trees in my backyard. If you don’t have your own yard, you can always pick up some good indoor or outdoor plants and find some cute planters to add a little greenery in your life. Trust me, even adding one plant to your space can brighten up your mood x100!
5. Establish an at home work out routine
Speaking of extra time, what about that work out plan we’re always having such a hard time committing to? As much as I try to go to the gym, work out classes, or even working out at home, going out would sometimes drain me and let’s face it, your couch + Netflix sounds so much better. Now that we can eliminate seeing friends, going to bars, running errands, etc. from our routine, it makes the perfect excuse to commit. I’m sure you’re just as tired as I am with sitting on the couch for 12 hours because you have no where else to go.
I’ve found myself lacking motivation and energy some days to work out, since I’m getting trapped in the lazy day routine, so I definitely would suggest doing simple exercises throughout the day to keep you active. Maybe every 2 hours you challenge yourself to do 20 squats or you get an energy spike to do lunges across the living room. All I’m saying is, you need to keep moving to avoid getting stagnant.
My workout routines involve a lot of Blogilates, going out and playing various sports (especially tennis), using at home equipment for reps, or following fitness bloggers on Instagram.
My super cute set below is from Outdoor Voices (top here, bottom here). You can snag it now for only $104 with my 20% off code, here!
6. Pick up a creative hobby
Ever walk into an arts and crafts store and tell yourself ‘wow, I want to do this, this and this?’. Well you found the perfect time! There’s so many creative outlets such as painting, drawing, crafting a diy project, scrapbooking, sewing, the options are endless. Your inspiration may be a little limited due to your contained surrounding, but at least there’s google! You can also make these creative outlets into something productive. For example, I’ve been sewing a bunch of old clothes that have rips and tears in them. Time to expand my closet! Also, if you need supplies, Joanne’s and Michael’s are currently offering curbside pickup with online orders, which is a great excuse to get out of the house.
7. Go through your closet
Tired of looking at the clothes you never wear anymore? Me too. It’s so hard for me to let stuff go, but sometimes you’re literally just wasting space. If you’re that attached, you can put old clothes that you don’t wear into storage bins and save it for when you actually have the opportunity to wear it! I also do this with seasonal clothes. When are you going to wear your 20 sweaters in 90 degree weather? Time to pack ’em up! And better yet, once you clear your closet up, you have an excuse to buy more clothes!
8. Learn something new!
There are so many things you can discover and learn on the internet, including those that could help your personal or professional development. From YouTube videos to Lynda online courses, there’s bound to be something interesting to you! I have two things I’ve always wanted to learn that I’ve put off for some time, graphic design and real estate. Graphic design (and any coding/tech based knowledge) is all over the internet, which makes it possible to learn on your own! If not, and for something like Real Estate, there are plenty of online courses to take to let you learn what you want.
9. Catch up with friends or family you’ve fell out of touch with
I’m superrrr guilty for not reaching out to friends and family like I should. It’s so easy to get wrapped up into your everyday life and not consistently know what everyone is up to. Thankfully, this time allows us to take a step back and care for each other. I’m 99% positive we all have that one friend who we miss and would love to catch up with. Send the awkward ‘hey, it’s been awhile’ text and get chatting! You’ll quickly wonder why you don’t talk more often.
10. Get some well deserved TLC
The thing I’m most thankful for, throughout all of this, is getting more in touch with myself. I’m a busy body, always looking for something new to do. Take this time to listen to what your body needs and let your mind wander and rest. This can be anything from physical relaxing to mental reflection. I love the app Headspace because it allows you to sit still and just feel. It’s also great to discover things that you may have been missing to make yourself happy. I’ve signed up for the online course, The Science of Well-Being, from Yale University and I can’t wait for all I will discover of myself and my current state of happiness. It’s currently free to take through Coursera.
xx, Rachelle
