Nothing to Do? Part II
It has now been 8 weeks since I have gone into self-isolation, and other than some very infrequent (and much needed) trips to the grocery store, I basically have not done anything. Okay, I take that back, I do plenty, but just do not really ‘go’ anywhere. Unlike many people, during these difficult times, I find myself in a surprisingly lucky position in that I have an online job and pretty seamlessly transitioned to working from home full-time, but that is not without its own set of complications. For starters, there are times when the distinction between my ‘day’ job blurs and spills over into my ‘free’ time, making for rather long workdays, and a seemingly endless list of tasks I want to accomplish in whatever spare time I have…
Right now, my focus is all about balance and not taking things too seriously. Everything that I need to do will get done, so I think it is perfectly fine to cut myself some slack, and find ways of unwinding and de-stressing. I think we can all agree that prioritizing our mental health, and not sweating the small stuff, is essential to avoid bouts of stir-craziness whilst self-isolating.
In my last post of activities to do when you have “Nothing to Do,” I focused on things you can ‘do’ to fight off boredom. This post, however, is all about relaxing and improving your living environment, after all, we are certainly spending plenty of quality time at home right at the moment. Why not take advantage of this time and do some things that makes you happy? Here is my list of ‘relaxing’ suggestion, enjoy!
“Bee” silk screen print, by Sarah C. Crane, circa 2010
Craft Something
There is a relaxing craft out there for everyone. Seriously. For some people it is knitting or crocheting, others might like jewelry making, and still others might have gotten sucked into the ‘diamond’ painting craze… No matter what your preferences, and expertise, I am sure there is a craft for you. I happen to be quite partial to origami, but in those times when I just do not feel quite up to crafting myself, I do enjoy a good crafting show. You never know where your next bit of inspiration will come from, particularly while watching shows like Making It! (2018-Present) or Project Runway (2004-Present), as some of the outlandish tasks the contestants face might just inspire your next crafting project…
Turn Up the Music
When was the last time you turned up the music and danced around your house like no one was watching? Its been a while, right? Music can be such a powerful mood changer, it can amp you up or even lull you to sleep, so why not take some time to revisit some of your favorite tunes, crank up the volume, and (try not to) annoy the neighbors? Not sure what to listen to? Might I suggest: “Cabin Fever” from Muppet Treasure Island (1996), because who does not love a conga line?
Start Spring Cleaning
I know, this might seem counter-intuitive to a post about ‘relaxing,’ but hear me out on this one. If your home is untidy and you are stressed about cleaning, take some time, and tackle smaller tasks that you do not mind doing. Now, I am not an advocate of completely de-cluttering your house, from top to bottom, Marie Kondo style (check out her show on Netflix, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, 2019, to see what I’m talking about), but if something is bugging you, or unorganized, take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour (or two) to clean, sort, and organize your space, just to make you feel good. I have done this a couple of times over the past few weeks with a bookcase, closet, and kitchen storage cart, and could not be happier with the results. A little sorting, cleaning, and re-organizing can go a long way in making you more comfortable at home.
Have a Spa Day
If you are like me, you probably have an odd assortment of beauty products that you have not tried yet hanging around in your bathroom. From random free samples, to subscription beauty boxes (I’ve tried Birchbox, Ipsy, and FabFitFun over the years), and the occasionally impulse purchase, there is bound to be some sort of sheet mask or scrub lurking in the back of my vanity. Now, I’m not talking spa day, a la the seaweed wrap scene at the “Golden Springs Spa” in Legally Blonde (2001), or the beauty parlor in One Fine Day (1996), where Rita (Holland Taylor) seems to spend an inordinate amount of time and must be tracked down by reporter Jack (George Clooney) as he tries to get a scoop on his latest story, but rather whatever time you need to feel just a little extra pampered. No random sheet mask, no problem! Plenty of common household staples can be turned into ‘do it yourself’ beauty treatments, don’t believe me, simply Google “DIY sea salt scrub” and you will get over 2-million pages of results… Staying home and self-isolating is the perfect excuse to treat yourself to a ‘spa day.’
Enjoy Nature
Whether you go for a walk, do some light yard work, or simply find some space to relax and soak up some vitamin D outdoors, getting outside and enjoying nature is a must. I feel fortunate to have a small backyard with an abundance of wildlife roaming around, from deer, to chipmunks, to a plethora of songbirds, and even to the occasional domesticated housecat passing through, there is always something to watch and enjoy right outside my window. If being outside isn’t your ‘thing’ (because, you know, bugs…) then there are plenty of adventurous nature themed options that you could watch to make you feel closer to nature. From iconic films like Dances with Wolves (1990), to more recent nature epics like Wild (2014) or The Revenant (2015), there are plenty of movies that will allow you to enjoy nature from afar…
Read a Book
Lucyfur, always watching with her critical eye…
To me there is nothing quite so relaxing as curling up with a good book and a nice cup of tea or cocoa (bonus points given if a you have a fur baby to snuggle with, although my Lucyfur rarely snuggles)… At any given time, I am usually reading several books at once, switching back and forth between texts depending upon my mood. Currently, my ‘reading’ stack includes: Outlander (1991), by Diana Gabaldon (recently turned into a TV series on Starz, which just concluded its fifth season); Gods Like Us – On Movie Stardom and Modern Fame (2012), by Ty Burr; Six Screenplays by Robert Riskin (1997), edited by Pat McGilligan; and The Secret Adversary (1922), by Agatha Christie (the characters of Tommy and Tuppence having inspired many page to screen adaptations, including the recent BBC TV series Partners in Crime, 2015). Whatever your taste and preferred reading format (I am especially fond of old-school, hold-in-your-hand, paper books), there is bound to be some story that will capture your attention and make you forget about the chaos going on in the world right now, if just for a little while, or until your cup of tea or cocoa is gone…
What are you doing to relax and unwind while self-isolating? What do you think of my suggestions? What shows and movies are you currently watching? What books are you reading? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and, if you need a good laugh, make sure to watch Saving Grace (2000) our May Film Club Pick!
Copyright © 2020 Sarah Crane
