And other times you are stranded on a desert island
Recent events have highlighted fact that our fantasy of ‘not having anything to do for once’ may be shortsighted in times when we no longer have our many things to do. Working parents who are used to juggling childcare and extracurricular schedules, planning birthday parties, walking dogs, feeding cats and figuring out what to do for dinner are suddenly landlocked and face to face with their partners and offspring for 24 HOURS A DAY! And now the question arises: “Are we really living with people we like?”
Despite telecommuting and e-learning, a sudden onslaught of massive amounts of togetherness, or conversely isolation if you live alone, can be a painful adjustment. So what can be done?
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Structure, structure, structure
Structure you day. From everything to sleep and eating to exercise and downtime, you, your brain and your relationships will benefit when everyone and everything knows what to expect. Rise and go to bed at the same time. Get school/homework/e-learning on the schedule. Schedule social connection time.
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Exercise
You don’t need a $20,000 home gym to keep up with your body training. A couple of bands, yoga block, a doorway chin-up bar, a couple of hand weights and/or kettlebells will give you lots of flexibility in your home strength training exercises. Don’t forget, pushups and stairs are free and other exercises can be enhanced with a weight, like sit-ups and squats.
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Play
This is a great time to reconnect with non-electronic fun. Board games, card games, arts and crafts, taste tests and bake-offs…there is a lot to be learned and shared with a little creativity and thought. Children learn math and improve complex attention (good for driving and working in busy environments) when playing cards. Gin Rummy anyone? Consider if this pandemic had occurred pre-internet or cable…how would you pass the time?
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Vegetation
Allow time for everyone to have time alone, to decompress, read, journal, or post crazy silly YouTube videos to entertain the rest of us while we are bored at home.
