I know this last week was tough for most of the country, including myself. Even as we are days out from what happened, I find myself still struggling to find normalcy, during a time when absolutely nothing is normal. The crazy thing is, I’d been trying to avoid social media since the holidays because I was focusing on my GOALS! Ha!
I was thinking the other day about how everyone copes differently. For some, sitting in front of the TV might be a way to cope. For others, shutting everything off and picking up a book is how they cope. There is no wrong answer here, but I thought I’d offer up some ideas for things to do if you’re looking to put down your phone and get distracted.
ENTERTAINMENT
- Podcasts. I love a good podcast and have been listing recommendations here for the last few years. Here’s where you can access all of my podcast recs!
- TV shows. I am a TV junkie and have recently been enjoying “PEN15” on Hulu and “The Windsors” on CNN. I watched the entire “Saved by the Bell” reboot on Peacock and it was fantastic. A friend also told me I should binge “Scandal”, so I just might!
- Movies. It’s the perfect time to watch your favorite movies or ones you haven’t seen yet. Some of my favorites are “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”, “500 Days of Summer”, “Moonrise Kingdom”, “The Breakup” and “Now and Then.”
- Books. I think reading is the PERFECT thing to do right now — it’s whatever kind of escape you want it to be. I have quite a hefty reading list for 2021 that I’m tackling. You can find ALL of my reading recommendations over the years right here.
- Games. If you’re quarantined (yep, we’re still in a pandemic) with a partner or other family, you can always resort to games! My favorite is Catch Phrase and Mancala. If you’re by yourself, you can still play trivia; I like Sex & The City trivia.
- Music. I make all sorts of playlists, but my Patio Playlist has been the one I listen to the most, especially when I’m hanging around the house. I also like finding new jazz playlists on Spotify to listen to while I’m reading.
Fitness
- Take a walk outside if it’s not too chilly where you live!
- Search online for free workouts, yoga videos and personal training. I actually just bought some Bala workout equipment and they have a huge video archive of free workouts.
- Practice a plank every day and work up to holding it for 1-3 minutes.
- Create your own workouts using basic equipment. I have a set of resistance bands, a weighted jump rope and boxing gloves.
Food
- Now could be a good time to scour that stack of cookbooks for recipes to try or organize old recipe collections.
- Try a meal delivery service. I use Green Chef and Daily Harvest. I have a code for $25 off Green Chef, $25 off Daily Harvest.
- Make a new recipe. I recently got ingredients to make Creamy Pappardelle Primavera along with Refried Bean and Cheese Melts. Yum!
Self-Care
- Give yourself a mani/pedi.
- Take a long soak in the tub.
- Create and manage a bedtime routine, and allow yourself time to sleep an extra hour.
- Journal.
- Balance your checkbook and put money into a savings account.
- Do something that brings you joy.
- Create a personal mantra: here’s how.
- Meditate. I like to use the Calm app for guided meditation and sleepy time stories.
Crafts & DIY
- If you’re anything like me, you’ve got craft supplies all over the place. This is the perfect time to organize them, toss what you’re not going to use, or start a new project.
- Make a succulent atrium — here’s how I made one!
- Work on a cool cross-stitch; The Stranded Stitch has tons of cheeky ones.
- Sign up for a crafty subscription box — here’s some to choose from.
- Put together a puzzle.
- Color. I have the Golden Girls coloring book and it’s so much fun!
- Organize photos or make a scrapbook. You can print photos from your phone on the cheap using the FreePrints app.
Home Improvement
- Clean out your closet. You can print a free shipping label and box up your unwanted items to ThredUp to make extra cash and help the planet.
- Get an early start on spring cleaning.
- Rearrange pictures and wall hangings for a fresh look.
- Clean out your car and give it a good wash.
Self-Improvement
- Start a blog!
- Take an online course; Udemy has a course for just about anything you can think of!
- Clean out your email inbox.
- Start that project you’ve been putting off.
- Book a Creative Session with me! I work with clients around the globe on blogging, SEO, web writing, social media, you name it. If you’re looking to start a blog or spruce up an existing one, I’d love to do a virtual session and use this time to get things going for you. Email me or book a session today.
Helping Others
- We are still in a pandemic. People are isolated and also dealing with political stress. Check on your friends, family and neighbors.
- Donate to a cause you care about. It doesn’t have to be political, but donating helps a cause, and it’ll boost your spirits, too.
- Educate yourself. Have conversations about what happened with people you trust.
- Shop small. Businesses are still hurting. When you do shop, pick a local place that’s got good values.
Ta-da! If you have things you’re doing right now that have been helping you cope, let me know in the comments. We could all use some joy in 2021, and we cannot let terrorists take it from us.
Stay safe out there. I love you all! Enjoy the rest of your weekend 🙂
The Bitter Lemon 
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