Are you struggling to occupy yourself too?
Although I have the school run to do twice a day, the dog to walk and work to do, I am still finding myself with too much time where I am feeling bored, lonely and a bit hopeless at the whole situation. So I thought I would be pro-active and create a brilliant list of things to keep busy and stop myself from feeling overwhelmed by everything. Hopefully, it helps you too!
1. Read A Book
I have ordered myself some new books from Waterstones and although I find it difficult to sit down and read when I have work to do, I’m going to try and spend a little time each day switching off.
If you don’t have access to new books, Borrowbox is a brilliant app that links to your library card and lets you borrow books and Audiobooks. If you have an Amazon account, they often have great deals on there for books to read on your device.
2. Do Something Creative
Whether you are into painting, drawing, knitting, crochet, sewing, cross-stitch, collage making or playing an instrument, spend some time doing something simply because it makes you feel happy.
No matter what you choose being creative can unlock a whole other ideas and plans that you can do on other days and find something that is a more in depth task.
You can find a number of different things you can make and do for free from using materials you already have at home or some things only require some supplies. I also like to try a craft that only requires a few items to get started as it is easier to do, gives you a better chance of having them or being able to get them and complete the craft.
3. Exercise
Everyone has different levels of their ability to exercise so find something that suits you. I run and I work out with a personal trainer every week and I also walk the dog but that is difficult for lots of people so find something that suits you.
There are a number of online platforms that you can use to find workouts, classes and exercise plans to follow. Find a workout theme that works for you and work through some workouts to find a couple that suits you.
A gentle walk around the block, some stretches at home, a yoga video, a PE with Joe, whatever gets you a little breathless!
4. Learn A New Recipe
Something that is always fun and takes up a little more time is learning a new recipe, head online or into one of your cook books and find a recipe you would like to try. If you have a family or children you can choose together and even make it together.
Print it out and pull the ingredients together and really get yourself into the project. Finding recipes that take a little more preparation and time are great as you can really take your time to make the recipe and do each step thoroughly. Another great thing about learning a new recipe is that you can try something you have always wanted to make but not had the time prior.
5. Write Someone A Letter
This is such a lost art and it’s lovely to do and lovely to receive so win win! It also gets you a little fresh air when you go out and post it. You can buy stamps online to avoid the queues at the Post Office.
This serves a great purpose as you occupy yourself and someone else at the same time. Everyone loves to receive something in the post so this is perfect for anyone who loves to draw pictures or write letters.
6. Start A Bullet Journal
I put off doing this for ages but once I got started I’ve really enjoyed having a creative way to organise myself. Journalling is a great way of getting your thoughts, plans and goals out of your head onto something long-lasting. Journalling is a fantastic idea for people who struggle to separate the days and want to have more of a idea of their achievements everyday.
Journalling can give you a focus on something positive and something to enjoy each day, it can also be a catchall for everything you want to remember, keep or store for a rainy day.
You can use it to track your mood, your health, tv shows you enjoy, literally anything, you can customise it however you like!
7. Watch A TV Series From The Start
Find an old tv series that you really enjoyed and rewatch it from the start. It’s a nice trip down memory lane, a great way to pass time and you might be surprised at what you had forgotten/how differently you view something with age.
You can find so many great box sets on all different platforms to keep you fully entertained. Create a list of the ones you like the look of or want to watch and slowly make your way through the list, that way when you see on you want to watch you won’t forget what it is when you go back to watch it later on.
8. Home Makeover
It doesn’t have to be anything drastic but find an area of your house that you can change/make improvements to. Changing your surroundings will give you a really fresh and new feel and you will feel a sense of pride and achievement at the end of it.
Even buying some brightly coloured throws and cushions to revamp your sofa will give you something else to look at! I have some hideous tiles that I’ve hated since we moved in and I’ve bought some white paint to cover them up! You can occupy yourself for hours this way as you can move on and start a new little project when you are done!
9. Have A Sort Out
Although not the most exciting on the list, having a good sort through and declutter can really help with anxiety and stress.
Sorting through some of your items and unused clutter can really help transform your space, give yourself a fresh look on your room and give you something to get you up and your mind thinking. No matter what you choose to sort out you can instantly feel the benefits as you see clear or more organised spaces.
Instead of looking at the room as a whole, perhaps pick a dresser or drawer and really go through it, sorting things for recycling, rehoming (when the charity shops can reopen) or selling online. You might even make some money out of it!
10. Learn A New Skill
Learning a new skill can be highly entertaining and something that you can really get stuck into each day instead of something that only lasts one day.
You can learn a whole host of new skills that are free or have some initial costs included. Depending on what you enjoy or what you are interested in might determine that skill you choose to learn. Whether you like cooking and have always wanted to learn how to make your own bread or woodwork and wanted to make your own wooden toys.
You can find a number of online platforms that have courses, tutorials and videos for free or paid that can help you get started.
11. Become A Gardener
Something that can really help lift your mood and give you something to focus on each day if having a plant or plants to look after. Especially during spring/summer having a collection of plants in your garden or even in your house can be great for giving you something to work towards.
Focussing on the plants needs and how to best look after the plant can give you something to work towards each day. Plants are also great for us as they produce oxygen and they can create a brighter and more positive atmoshere in our house and enviroment.
Having plants in your garden can create a great sense of achievement and create a new and calming enviroment for you to sit in and enjoy.Try growing some plants from seeds and watch the progress develop to give yourself a real focus each day and you could even document it in your journal.
12. Rearrange Your Living Spaces
If you are finding yourself feeling a little stuck and fed up with your space you might want to look at moving around your furniture or items within your home to create a new space. I find that moving even the smallest of items around the home can help make your space and enviroment feel new and exciting.
Try moving around some of your furniture or small decorative items in a space you use and want to make feel fresh or new. This is great as you don’t have to redecorate, spend any money or do any major changes especially if you are working on a budget or can’t get any materials.
Rearranging your living space such as your living room, office or bedroom cab create great benesits as it refreshes your space, mind and can unlock some new creative ways to work within your space and make it work for you.
13. Do Those Tasks You Have Been Putting Off
We all have something or a couple of somethings that have been on our ‘to do’ list for a while but have never got done. No matter the reason why they haven’t got done, sit down with a notepad and pen and start working out what jobs you have wanted to do but just haven’t got round to.
To make these tasks more achievable look at writing down what you want to achieve with each task, if you need any materials or tools, how long you think it might take and if you need a second person or not. This way you can easily pick a task that takes 30 minutes and get it done.
Because you have mentally broken down the task and what it takes to get it finished you can just get started, as you will have figured out all the nitty gritty before hand. This will make each of your tasks easier to get done and make you feel much better as they are no longer looming over you.
14. Do Something Fun For Someone Else
While we all need to think of ourselves we often find that we can have the energy and time to do something for someone we love or care about. If you are feeling a little down and uninspired look at doing something for someone you care about. Whether it is a friend, partner, your children, someone elses children, neighbour or family member there is someone you can do something for.
Things like making a den for your children can be super fun as you can really spend the time on the project and enjoy the fruits of your labour afterwards. If you are looking at making something for someone you can create a greetings card online and send via email so you don’t have to use up a stamp.
If your partner, roommate or friend are out working or busy through the day you could look at creating a home theatre in yoru living space, pull together some tasty snacks and create an in house movie night for yourselves. Going the extra mile to create an experience within your own home can really help give you a focus for the day and spark new ideas for other days.
15. Set Yourself A Challenge
While this may seem vague, you can set any type of challenge. As everyone is different you can find something you want to try and challenge yourself to do it for 5 days, 10 days or 30 days etc. Alternatively, if you have something you enjoy, for example you enjoy journalling, try journalling for 30 days and see what the results are like.
Push yourself to try something new or take the next step in something you are already doing with your days. This can range from eating healthier, drinking more water, exercise, learning a new skill or just getting yourself dressed each day. No matter how big or small your challenge is to yourself, give it a try.
16. Create An In House Competition
If you live with a number of other people whether they are your family, children or roommates something fun you can do in create an in house competition. You could be the host and master of the competition and create the questions or tasks ready for everyone else to take part in.
This can be a great way of making the most out of your time at home, bringing a new upbeat and exciting atmosphere to the house and getting everyone involved.
You could also do this across households using a group chat where everyone has to submit their entry at the end of the day. This is a great idea to bring everyone together and give everyone you love a focus too.
So there you have it! Hopefully, some of these will help if you are also struggling to occupy yourself at the moment. It’s so important to keep happy and focused on positive things.
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