I have experienced things in the past couple of weeks that I never would have imagined, including being quarantined at home for a couple of weeks.
Whether we like it or not, we have all become homebodies.
And I’m pretty sure the only person who knew how to transition to house arrest well was Martha Stewart. She mastered this a long time ago.
But for the rest of us, there is going to be an adjustment period. In some cases, you or your husband is working from home, kids are home from school, and shopping and outings are off the table.
And though it’s tempting to turn this time into one big binge-watching, sleep-all-day, eat-lots-of-junk party, is that really how we want to spend our time?
It takes a bit of creativity, but we can find productive ways, and even great ways, to spend our time at home.
8 Productive Projects To Do When Stuck at Home
1. Declutter
Decluttering projects usually get put off because we don’t have time to tackle big areas like kitchens, closets, and garages. But guess what? You have the time now. And you have help. Enlist your family to help you clear out and clean out, and you will be reaping the benefits for months to come.
2. Outdoor Activities
Spring has officially sprung, thank God, because we can all finally get outside. Just a couple of weekends ago, we uncovered and washed our swing and pulled out the girls’ toys. It is also a great time to start working on your summer garden, even if that just means starting seeds indoors. The Farmer’s Almanac is a great place to look for info on when to plant everything.
Plus, warmer weather also means outdoor movement, for me and my girls. I like running, walking, and hiking, and my girls love going to the park and playing games in the backyard like frisbee, basketball, and red light, green light. Remember that one from your elementary school days? It’s still a winner.
3. Deep Clean
I only get motivated to deep clean things when the weather warms up and I can throw open the windows. It’s about then that I start seeing ceiling fans that need to be dusted and baseboards that really need to be cleaned. You don’t have to spend your whole day cleaning, but tackle 3-4 of the jobs that need to be done most.
4. Work
Many women have some sort of side hustle- a business that you run out of your home, a direct sales opportunity, or an online business. And without so much on the calendar, you should be able to find extra pockets of time to work. There are many things you could focus on, but choose the project that will have the great benefit on your business and start there. Grab any pockets of time you can find to work on it, and you may just be able to finish it before you return to your normal routine.
5. Home Projects
Rooms to be painted, new rugs to be purchased, décor to be changed. My home project list is always a mile long, and that doesn’t even touch my list for my husband. This is the perfect time to tackle some of those projects that don’t require a lot of in-store shopping.
6. Improve Routines and Habits
It is easy to ignore less-than-ideal routines or negative habits when you are so busy and every day goes by at the speed of light. But none of us have that excuse now. Start thinking about some of your frequent routines as a family- morning routines, bedtime routines, dinner routines.
If you need help with your morning routine, don’t miss my FREE 5-day audio course called Design Your Own Morning Routine. It will help you create a morning routine that is perfect for you.
And consider your own habits- health, social, spiritual, family. Are there any that you could make progress on while life is slower? Start small with habits like drinking more water or reading with your kids one time per week.
7. Learn Something New
This may seem like an odd time to learn how to apply smoky eye makeup, but that’s not necessarily what I’m talking about.
Are there things you have been wanting to learn that would really help you in your everyday life, but you’ve never really made the time to learn them. This should give you a few ideas of some practical, helpful things to learn fast, and I’ve included links to YouTube videos where you can learn to do each.
8. Make New Memories with Your Kids
Sadly, playing with my girls is something I often put off in favor of checking things off my to-do list. All this time at home is giving me more opportunities to take them outside, play games with them, and spend time reading together.
What have your kids been begging you to do? Is it something you could do with them now?
This break from school could turn into some of their favorite memories with you.
Whether we are talking about the coronavirus or another challenge we face, we can choose to view it as an obstacle or an opportunity. I encourage you to choose opportunity, and make your time at home productive.
Ask yourself, “What does this situation make possible?”
And, if you look for those things, you will find them. So start looking.
I bet once you start looking for ways to enjoy this time, you will find more and more. Some will be productive things you can accomplish at home, and some will just be sweet memories made. Both is time well spent.
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