A lot of us have thought this time of social distancing feels a lot like “Groundhog Day,” where we’re stuck repeating the same day every day. With all our activities canceled and my enthusiasm for internet meetings waning, I need something new. Maybe you do, too? If so, here are some ideas to break out of the rut:

Try out a new look

Since no one will see you, this might be the perfect time to experiment with your style. Grow out your bangs. Let your eyebrows fill in from overplucking. Wear some new outfits in which you don’t yet feel confident. Have your husband grow a beard and see if it sticks!

Teach a new skill — or learn one yourself

I’ve seen a lot of moms with young kids say they’re going to potty train during this time. I’m thinking of teaching my 4-year-old to ride a bike with no training wheels. A friend is teaching her kids to sew. Maybe you want to learn to knit, or cook, or draw? Ask a friend — or the internet — to teach you!

Find a hobby

My coworker bought a bird feeder and a bird identification book. I’m making a sourdough starter with another group of coworkers. My neighbor chose different plants in her yard and is taking photos of them every day for a month to see how they change. Start a book club. Take up hiking, or walking, or a new exercise routine. When it comes to picking up a new hobby, the options are endless!

Take on a big project

Is there something big you’ve been wanting to do but have never had the time? That time is now! Plant a garden, and start some seeds with your kids in your house. Take on a time-intensive cooking project with multiple steps. I’m planning to do rainbow challah with my kids. Build something, if you have the know-how. One of my neighbors built some sort of cross-fit setup to be able to do pull-ups. Got a business idea that you think would take off? Make that business plan!

Quaran-cleaning

I’ve found that it helps my mental state if things around me are in order, so we’ve taken on several cleaning projects at my house. Closets and bookshelves are getting purged, with things that are too small for an older sister being given to a younger sister. Baby clothes are being stored for donation at a later date. Our playroom is undergoing a massive reorganization (and another purge). Windows are being cleaned. The house is being power washed. The wonderful thing (or not) about this is that there is ALWAYS more cleaning to be done!

How have you been spending your time in social isolation? Share your ideas with us!

 

Rachel Wilson
Rachel is a native of the West Coast and didn't know that her straight hair could frizz until she made the move East! After earning a Master of Environmental Management from Yale, she moved to Boston for a job opportunity and, on her first Saturday night in the city, met the man who would become her husband. They married in 2012 and are learning more every day about how to be parents to daughters Annabel (2013) and Eleanor (2016). Rachel and her family recently relocated from Charlestown to the Metrowest suburbs and are enjoying their yard, but dislike shoveling snow from their driveway. Rachel currently works as an energy and environmental consultant, and wore Birkenstocks before they were trendy. Likes: her family, her in-laws, cooking ambitious meals and leaving the dishes for someone else, hiking, running, yoga, climbing mountains, reading books, farmers' markets and her CSA, dark chocolate peanut butter cups, the sound of her daughters' laughter, and coffee Dislikes: running out of milk, New England winters, diaper rash, wastefulness, cell phones at the dinner table