really should be a last resort, considering it involves going outside. If you can, I would actually avoid this step and just partake in all the others—browsing social media, reading books, streaming videos, and creating something. Nevertheless, I know some people get stir crazy, are claustrophobic, need groceries, and there are some people who simply aren't going to stay inside...that being said, following these suggestions could help you slay boredom, but also stay safe, when it involves venturing outside.
5. Supply Scouting (via
Your Yard/Car)
Ok, so in this case, you aren’t scouting out abandoned
towns for food before the zombies come out at night, but you are scouting out
places to get a sense of peace, to get some alone time, or to get something
that will help you to get through the rest of this quarantine-cation. A word of
caution before I continue though...when I use the term “scouting,” I don’t mean
going to stores and buying up all the tissue in sight—I simply mean, go out to
get fresh air in YOUR yard; go out for a walk on YOUR own; or even go for a drive, but remember to stay in YOUR car.
Your Yard
For this suggestion, it simply involves going
out in your yard to get some fresh air, to sit with a book for a while, or to
walk your dog. In my case, I've been doing all three and it definitely helps to
clear one's head.
To all my dog lovers, an extra benefit of
spending more time with your dog is being able to relieve some stress. There
are a plethora of research articles that attest to the fact that dog owners
have less stress, and that the mere presence of dogs can help to relieve stress
as well. Nevertheless, if you're not a dog person, just going outside in your yard
for a while, will likely de-stress you, If you're tired of being indoors.
Your Walk
Another reason why I made this section the last
part in this series, is the poetic fact that it requires you to become, in a sense, one of the walking dead—MINUS the being
an undead zombie bit...remember, staying alive is one of our overall goals here, people;
nevertheless, the 'walking' part—that part—is totally doable. Photo by Philipp M from Pexels
With this option of going walking in mind, the key is to make sure you do it alone or do so with your dog. While I am not a doctor, I have watched news reports from doctors about the virus, in which they've expressed that it can stay present in the air, anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour or more. With that being said, doing this step alone, will be much safer for you health wise. If walking is not for you, try bike riding instead; but whichever you choose, let someone know where you are going for a walk and about what time you plan to be back. Taking a walk on your own land or in your neighborhood, might be the safest option.
Your Drive
This last step is probably the safest bet out of
the three: going for a drive! Even when the coronavirus pandemic was not in
full effect, I spent many of my free moments in grad school, going for a
short drive to relieve stress. Teaching while taking classes, is never
easy...but I found that before going home to finish my work or grade
papers, taking a short detour to drive a while, always seemed to clear my head. It was a great relaxer, before getting back into work mode once I got home.
For me, I would often go somewhere beautiful like a park or the campus lake, and talk on the phone with friends/family before heading home. Again, because this virus is said to be able to linger in the air for 30 minutes or more, if you decide to park your car somewhere for a while, it is best to keep your windows up to avoid catching the virus or spreading germs to others.
Photo by Viktor Lundberg from Pexels
Between social media activities, great book suggestions, epic movies/shows, creative projects, and ways to get a breather in your own backyard...I hope that this series has provided a plethora of ideas to help you slay boredom. If they have, please leave a comment here or message me on my social media pages and let me know:
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Important Note: Lastly, as we try to get through this virus and get back to a sense of normality in our lives, please stay inside so we can better and more effectively keep ourselves safe. Do it for your family, if not for yourself. No, I do not believe we are living in a zombie apocalypse, but...I would honestly like to see the beach again and it won't happen If these stay home rules keep getting ignored 😩...we can make it people, public socializing can wait, let's all do our part to stop the coronavirus from spreading.
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