Hey friends! I wanted to take today’s post as an opportunity to share with y’all some ideas for getting through this time. A lot of us aren’t used to being home this much and might not be used to tackling our daily obligations as we normally do. In turn, we can become bored and unmotivated and maybe even a bit lost as to how to do this new life. While I’m aware that a lot of us are also still working or dealing with kiddos being home from school, if you are searching for things to fill any spare time – or things to lift your mood – I thought I’d share ten ways we can take advantage of this time! Some I’ve come up with, some have been sent to me by friends or sweet readers, and some I’ve complied from social media. I’m definitely trying some out myself and hope that you will join me!

Get lost in a good read

For me, reading only ever happens right before bed, and I won’t lie … usually doesn’t last too long … ha! Right now, though, the idea of getting lost in a good read, maybe in the middle of the day, sounds nice! Personally, with all the info swirling, fiction sounds good, but if you’re up for learning or are more of a non-fiction girl, do your thing.

Here are a few recommendations from you guys via Instagram:

There are more linked in my ‘Bookworm’ shop on Amazon! I’ve sent myself a few of these to take advantage of this down time.

Learn a new skill

How many times have you said to yourself that you wish you had the time or opportunity to learn a new skill? I know I have! I actually really miss the learning aspect that came with school … anyone else?! Well … now is a great time, especially as we’re stuck at home. Here are some ideas for new skills:

Dust off a cookbook – I love ‘A Defined Dish’! Or create some recipes yourself if you’re already experienced in the kitchen.

Bake something yummy – I’ve docked me and John’s cooking adventures in a highlight on my IG profile. I’ll be sharing our banana bread recipe on IGTV over the weekend!

Learn a new language – the app Babbel is great for this!]

Share your own skills via Skillshare

Start a blog or website

Learn how to play that instrument that’s been sitting in your closet for years

Paint or draw

Finally learn a game your spouse loves – whether a card game, board game or a sport on TV by watching reruns. I’m sure John would love to explain all the rules of football [aka soccer] to me right about now 🙂 He actually suggested we play a PS4 video game together, which he doesn’t even do regularly. I thought that actually might be fun as I haven’t played a video game in YEARS, hah! Any game suggestions? I love Mario games but I don’t think those are available on PlayStation.

Practice ‘at home’ beauty

You know that messy beach wave tutorial you’ve been wanting to master? Now is the time. The same goes for a salon-inspired manicure, an at-home facial, a new makeup look, etc. On top of learning beauty skills that you might be able to do at home in the future, take this time to extend the time you’re spending on yourself self and beauty-wise. Dig into that deep conditioning treatment and spend a few extra minutes in the shower. Exfoliate your body with a yummy scrub. Find a skincare routine that you’re excited about. Love yourself a little bit extra, ladies! This is always a guaranteed mood booster and relaxer for me!

I’ll personally be tackling my long-time struggle to perform at home manicures and pedicures. I’ll share the journey over the weekend on my IG stories! I also shared some hair styling inspo with my hair accessory line with Scunci over on IGTV last night.

Get introspective

This is something I’m really excited about because it’s one of those things I put at the very bottom of my list sometimes. In fact, it’s something I rarely get to because I’m always “too busy”. But as I start a new life here in London, and, without a doubt, life will feel different after this social distancing, now is the ideal time to focus internally. My friend Brighton shared this self-reflection exercise recently and I bookmarked it even before social distancing was in place. If you aren’t sure where to start on getting introspective, this guide is very helpful. It essentially lets you focus on things without being on auto-pilot. Hard questions you’ve been avoiding, space to dream up new ideas and action plans, ways to reprioritize your life … sounds nice, doesn’t it? It’s how I came up with and nailed down the things I want to do different in 2020.

And, unless you’re new around here, you know I’m a big fan of the Enneagram system. It’s a beautiful, helpful and interesting look at the different personalities between people and I’ve spent countless hours researching my own. For more info on how to get started and why I think it’s such a great personal tool, check out this post.

Organize

With the move to London, I’m a bit ahead of this in terms of decluttering but I still have a ways to go with unpacking and getting settled. I’m currently working on my closet here in London but for my tips on decluttering one, watch this video and this video. This article also goes over what I purged vs. kept in the move if you’re currently prepping for a move.

Turn on some music

When in doubt, turn on music! This is always one thing I do when I’m feeling low. Right now, Coldplay has been my saving grace as I find it both calming and uplifting, but whatever floats your boat. If you have kiddos stuck inside, we all know a little dance party never hurts. Would love to know you y’all are loving lately in the comments!

Stay active

At this time, it’s really easy to lounge on the couch all day but it’s really important to move. We all need endorphins right now! John has been SUCH a helpful motivation for me lately since I have definitely let fitness fall over the past year. I’m excited to have a workout buddy, especially during this time, as I just feel like I always take better care of certain aspects of my life with someone I love by my side to cheer me on. [I think everyone can say there’s a certain aspect of their life that they let fall by the wayside until someone they care about calls it out and encourages you to tend to it. Am I right?] Next week, I’ll be sharing some of the resources I’m relying on to stay active right now – or ones I want to try. In the meantime, we’re going on walks and runs to keep our bodies active and we ordered a few things from Amazon to do some really good home workouts. Don’t miss these sneakers. I ordered them a couple of weeks ago and they got in the day AFTER I left so they’re just sitting in a box waiting for me & they’re currently 25% off!

Also, I wanted to share my Amazon storefront in case you’re new and haven’t seen it! All of my Amazon faves are bookmarked there for easy access!

Enjoy FaceTime

Just because you can’t be in person with friends/family doesn’t mean you can’t have face time. I’m especially grateful for the technology that is FaceTime right now! While it might feel a little strange at first, consider happy hour with your girlfriends, a double date with your sibling and their spouse, “recess” with your friend and her kids, or catching up on a show together with a parent. Staying connected is CRUCIAL for happiness – now and always. We just have to get creative about it right now 🙂

Get outside

John and I have been going on morning runs which knocks out but this tip and the exercise one! I was telling him this morning about what my friend, Krystal, is doing with her husband and son. They are going on late afternoon wine walks instead of happy hour. I absolutely love that idea. We may do that this evening being that it’s Friday, ha! Getting outside has been such a nice way to feel slightly normal in this weird reality we’re all in right now. Sunshine and fresh air can seriously turn your mood around so be sure to get outside at least once a day and walk around the block AS LONG AS you haven’t been exposed to people who have Covid-19 AND as long as you, yourself, aren’t experiencing symptoms. Even sitting by a window will help!

Relax

All that to say, I also think it’s important to take this time to relax – or at least spend some time relaxing. This post isn’t meant to overwhelm you with all the things you SHOULD be doing. After all, this is new territory for us all as a society. Through it all, though, I do think that spending an extra hour on a TV show or an extra hour in bed isn’t going to hurt anything. Find what relaxes you and be sure to add those to your “schedule” during this time. After all, stress only hurts our own immune systems and none of us need that right now!

Alright friends, I truly hope this list serves you. There are so many ways we can take advantage of this time! I know that even by writing it I’m feeling motivated and a bit happier. I’m excited to dive into a few things I mentioned above and I’ll be sure to share that with you over on Stories. I’ve also written a list of things that I will truly NEVER take advantage of again. I think it’s been a really great way to help keep my perspective on how truly lucky we all are to even just go about our daily lives like we used to. That’s another suggestion on how to pass this time. It’s really helpful! Don’t forget to be kind, be patient, and be well. Also, please share what y’all are listening to, learning, and working on during this time. If you’re living in loungewear, like me, check out yesterday’s post! Have a good day, lovelies!! xo.