7 Things You Can Do When You’re Stuck At Home

Newly retired?  Looking forward to a life of relaxation and doing what you want to do?  Of course you are.  After all, you earned it, now it’s time to live it.

But wait!  Now this happens!  There’s a global pandemic going on and you can’t do any of the things you wanted to do.  Travel is out of the question right now.  Even gathering with friends is a no-no for a while. 

So Now What??

Transitioning into retirement is one thing, doing it with your freedom restricted is another.   But try a few of these ideas and make the most of this time of staying safe.

1.  Online learning
2.  Exercise
3. Visit with friends online
4.  Take special care of skin and hair
5. Catch up on movies and books and share with friends
6. Organize your house or personal projects list
7. Try creative ways to use the food already in your kitchen
   PLUS:  One sample recipe to try

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1. Online Learning

Even if you hated school, learning something you love is a whole different world.  For our generation, going to college was mostly for the purpose of securing a well-paying job.  So now you are free to learn what you want!  And the best news is that you can learn just about anything online.  Maybe you always wanted to learn what bartenders know, or you love history.  A cooking class might be fun.  Or perhaps you want to learn technical skills like web development or photography.  Just about anything can be found online.

Here are a few of my favorite sources of online training:  

Skillshare

I recently discovered Skillshare and wish I had learned about them earlier.  They offer a wide variety of video based learning on topics from technical areas to artistic and everything in between.  With Skillshare you pay for subscription (monthly or annual).  This way you can dabble in this or that and not worry about selecting just the right course.   

Udemy

Also a video based learning platform with a great deal of choices.  I learned just about everything about building this web site on Udemy.  I keep finding more and more courses I want to take.  Maybe you could teach a course yourself.  Look for a banner at the bottom of the screen.  They are always looking for content providers.  Their courses appear expensive at first, but they often offer deep discounts.  So look around their site and keep an eye out for coupons.   (I suggest you make an account, browse some courses and monitor your email for coupons or sales.)

IAP College

It is fun to just browse through the different courses available here. The list is broad and includes topics I never would have thought of. 

I took the course in home staging.  This one was all print based.  And I was hoping to get a little more on furniture placement and that sort of thing. But it was a very useful course in learning all the many aspects that go into home staging. 

Take a look at the list and see

The Great Courses

I also found some great cooking classes (with video) on Great Courses.

This is also a great site for history buffs or art lovers.   

2. Exercise with Online Help

You can find so many classes online.  And there’s an app for that!  I just downloaded ‘FitOn’ because it says it is free.  I started with a few of their sessions and so far so good.  While I look forward to getting back to my regular exercise classes, this will certainly do for now.   Also check out the local studios near you.  I see the yoga and Pilates studios in my town are now offering classes online. 

Try Something New!  My sister told me about a special kind of workout designed especially for mid life called ‘Essentrics’.  You can find it on You Tube. I tried several of their videos and fell in love!  I feel so much better when I do these especially before or after a run.  Their tag line is ‘aging backwards’.  Who wouldn’t want to do that?  So give it a try.  

Are You Taking Care of YOU? Taking Care of Yourself in Retirement

So much is filling our minds and hearts these days.  It is easy to get consumed.  But taking good care of yourself is key to being able to deal with it all. 

Remember that making your own physical and emotional health a top priority is not selfish but rather the best gift you can give to those you love.

READ This Post:  Are You Taking Care of YOUT Taking Care of Yourself in Retirement?

3. Visit With Friends and Family Online

We have a fun group we call ‘Mom’s Night Out’. It is made up of a bunch of moms of my daughter’s high school friends.  We started going out once a month when the kids started college.  They are now finishing their senior year and we haven’t missed a month.  Then this thing happens. 

But That’s ok!  We decided to do an online night out.  We used ‘Zoom’, but I think FaceTime works just as well.  (As long as everyone has an iPhone with an up to date Operating System.)  We just downloaded Zoom (for free) and one of us organized the ‘meeting’ and sent the meeting code to all the others.  We all made our own cocktails and set up in a quiet part of our own homes.  There were six of us in the chat and we could see everyone in their own little box on the screen.  It was great fun!! 

You can use this technique for impromptu talks with friends or family.  Or set up a regular online ‘get together’ like we did.  We were so happy to have something to look forward to.  I know we all want to get back to normal.  But honestly, we didn’t really feel deprived at all – at least for now. 

Social distancing does not mean isolation.  Contact with people is an incredibly important part of our own health.  We just need to adapt some changes for a while. 

4. Take Care of Your Skin and Hair While Discovering Some New Stress Relievers

Face – You can find all kinds of recipes for homemade facial masks online.  If you want to do something now, then it all depends on  what you have at home already.  I found recipes using oatmeal, egg white and coconut oil.  And another using banana, baking soda and honey.  There ought to be something that you can make from what you already have. 

Another option is to put in an online order.  My favorite skin care option is Edye’s Naturals.  I have not washed my face with anything other than Edye’s Organic Lemon Cleansing Oil for many years.  Then I use the Deep Nourishing Serum after every wash and the Face and Body Butter every evening.  I love all her products.  Check out Edye’s website [edyesnaturals.com], and different products all specifically crafted to take care of your skin and all of  you.  Her newsletter is also filled with all sorts of inspiring ideas.  Edye kindly offered us a coupon code of  Retire16.  So go ahead and try a product or two.  Use code Retire16 to get 16% off.    www.https://edyesnaturals.com

Guys – Don’t despair fellas.  Not only are all these products good for you too, but Edye has one just for the guys.  Treat yourself to Edye’s Organic Beard Oil.  Everyone could use a little self-pampering right now. Use the same code Retire16 to get 16% off.   

Hair – Ever try a hair mask?  I have used argon oil or castor oil and really like the effect these have on my hair.  Edye’s Deep Nourishing Serum is also a terrific option. If I don’t have any any of these, try just plain olive oil or olive oil mixed with coconut oil.  Whatever you have, mix it up, massage it in, and just sit back and relax for a little bit.  I find olive oil can take a bit of washing.  But once I’m done, my hair feels great.

Body – I found this from Edye’s latest newsletter and I could feel the relaxation come over me just reading it.  I can’t wait to give it a try. 

Lifted from the Edye’s Naturals newsletter:

“Edye’s Naturals support you in living a holistic lifestyle.  Have you ever made yourself a foot bath? Fill a tub (can use a plastic shoe box) with warm water.  First dip in your feet to get them wet, then massage your feet with Edye’s Peppermint Himalayan Salt Scrub.  Put your feet back into the water and soak for 15 minutes or as long as desired. While soaking, turn on some relaxing music, a book on tape, or simply enjoy the silence and sip on a cup of tea.”

During this time it is especially important to take good care of yourself.  That means eating right but also take care of your skin and hair plus just giving yourself a chance to de-stress. 

5. Catch up on All the Books and Movies You Missed While Working and Use That to Stay Connected

This is a good time to reach out to friends.  Send out a group chat and ask for suggestions on movies or shows to watch.  Then keep the conversation going as you watch selections from your list and discuss them afterwards. 

Start your own list of ‘what to watch’ that you can share with others.  There’s an app for that too.  I have been having good luck with Evernote.  I can create my own notes.  Then when I see an article about a movie or show, I can save it directly on the app.  You can go in later and sort and organize the various notes. 

By the way, if you don’t have books on hand, you can download just about anything on Apple Books. 

6. Organize Your Home or Personal Personal Projects List

If you had the chance to prepare for all this stay at home time, you might want to jump in and tackle your home projects.  But if you’re stuck at home with no opportunity to get supplies, the actual projects might be tough to do. 

But that’s ok.  You can always do the planning work.  That in itself will give you such a sense of satisfaction.  Once you have your full inventory done, you’ll find projects on your list that you can tackle right away.  Other projects can be put on the ‘B’ list as you are able to order supplies.  And for the rest of them, you can at least get the planning phase done.  For example, organize a supply list, set priorities or check references. 

Any Good Decluttering Effort Starts with a Solid List

Decluttering a terrific project while you’re spending so much time at home.  But where do you start?  How do you keep from getting discouraged or overwhelmed? 

The key is an organized list!  This list makes sure you are focusing your efforts and setting aside the right amount of time to start AND finish!

READ this Post:  Declutter, Simplify, Take a Deep Breath

7. Try Creative Ways to Use the Food Already in Your Kitchen

In these days where trips to grocery store are limited, we may have to veer from our usual meal choices.   Try different ideas based on what you already have in the house.  Then share with friends.  The goal is to use what you have and limit the trips to the store.  

Try This Terrific Way to Save Time and Money While Grocery Shopping

No one loves to grocery shop.  And at this time, I bet you really want to get in and out of there fast!  Plus shop less often.  

Try investing a little bit of time in this easy to follow tool for streamlining the whole grocery shopping process.  You will be so glad you did.

READ this Post:  Get Out of the Grocery Store FAST!

Or go straight to the tool itself:  Grocery Shopping Instructions and Template

Here’s One Idea: “Everything BUT the Kitchen Sink” Soup

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Take out all the vegetables in the frig that are about to go bad or that you don’t need for something else.  I like to include tomatoes in this too if I have them.  They add a nice flavor.  Be sure to include garlic if you have it.
3. Peel and dice into bite size pieces
4. In a large bowl, toss vegetables with vegetable oil and salt, pepper and any other spice you like
5. Arrange seasoned vegetables on flat baking dish
6. Bake for 20-30 minutes (flat vegetables like onions or leeks bake faster, so keep an eye on those so they don’t burn)
7. Meanwhile, put two cartons of broth (or water or combo depending on what you have) into either a large pot on the stove or a slow cooker.  Start heating the liquid.
8. When vegetables are done, add them to the hot liquid and cook for at least an hour (or 4 hours in slow cooker on high, or 8 hours on low)
9. Be sure to taste the liquid after an hour or so and add salt or other spices as needed
10. Prepare egg noodles, rice, or quinoa to serve with the soup when it is ready.  (Note:  I usually keep these separate because I can heat up the left over soup for another day.  But leaving these items in the broth, especially the quinoa, can make them mushy.)
11. For an extra touch, a few additions (if you have them) to the bowl of soup before eating:

• Chopped spinach, kale or any other green
• Frozen corn
• Sprinkle of parmesan cheese
• Croutons
• Cooked chicken pieces

With semi-stocked grocery store shelves, it seems that much more important to not waste any food.  This is one way to use up what you have. 

In the end, relaxing and unwinding are just as important as keeping busy. Whether it’s enjoying a glass of wine and watching your favorite show, doing some light crafting, or finding peace in quiet moments, taking time to relax helps you feel refreshed and recharged.