20 Ideas Beyond the Obvious
Even before the time of Covid, I believed that to Age with Pizzazz we need to consider new skills and new things. See Putting More FIRST(s) in Life for the benefits from fun, brain challenges and fulfillment. For decades, English writers, speakers and politicians have noted that “in the Chinese language the word for opportunity and crisis are the same character.” Turns out that this may be slightly slanted from the common direct translation, but still direct enough to be used as a helpful lesson. It’s a lesson that can be instructional during our isolated lives these days.
We can’t say that everyone is feeling isolated. Those who still go to the office, or are essential workers, or can be employed at home, or just cherish their introverted life may find the problem of isolation hard to comprehend emotionally. Still, there is enough media attention on the issue that we all recognize sequestration as a problem for many during this crisis.
So turning a problem into an opportunity means having a plan (big, small, tiny, micro). Without any research, I have developed a list of possibilities simply from what I have heard about others doing. The plan is to guarantee that when these times are passed, we have ‘something to show for it.’ Whether it’s a skill, new knowledge, product or hobby – and no matter our age – we can use this crisis time for our own opportunity to Age with Pizzazz. A recent blog Virus-time Volunteerism addressed the fulfillment of doing for others; this post is about taking care of ourselves in more than just bodily health matters. Good mental health is augmented by activity and challenges. I figure there’s no reason why I can’t ‘grow’ during stifling times. Hope you think the same.
In this post, it was tempting to make a list of things NOT to do (like watch cat videos all day long or eat twice the calories as usual). I thought that kind of ‘no-no’ list might be fun (for me). However, I assume that all of us realize what is counterproductive.
Aside from watching TV, there are a handful of activities we hear repeatedly that people are concentrating on. They include:
Reading
Gardening
Hiking/Walking
Cooking
Closet cleaning
Organizing accumulated paperwork
‘Zooming’
These, seemingly mundane, ideas that we tend to fall back on can promise new potential as well. For example, like my friends, Ann and Alice, you might start trying out recipes that previously felt daunting. Each activity provides opportunities. That is, with the possible exception of TV. Sheepishly, I admit I broke down and ordered a RoKu, so I’ve learned about that new-to-me device. Sticking to one of these common activities may offer sufficient payback (although I wonder how much closet cleaning can actually happen). Nothing wrong with this approach. But there may be other ideas. Here is a partial list I complied speaking to friends and family or just keeping my ears opened.
20 Ideas Beyond
- Memory Banking. My friend Bob has an on-again, off-again business, video-recording interviewers with older loved ones for family members. Sometimes it is better to have an ‘outsider’ and professional do it, but you can do it yourself, especially when contact with outsiders is limited. Catching up on scrap-booking is another flavor of the activity. So perhaps have fun Vitalizing YOUR Family Memory Bank.
….. - Recipe Exchange. Bill was promoting a recipe exchange via a chain letter. Now, I don’t like chain letters, and apparently neither do my friends. Yet, I did think it was a neat idea and still hope I get a recipe back.
….. - Surface Rubbing of Isolation Area. This one I heard on the radio, and thought it was rather unusual. In all kinds of ways, people are taking art to heart. This activity is to learn to do ‘rubbings’ in the area where you are living and make the simple surface reproduction into art. Others are simply taking close-up photos of similar areas and sending them out with a ‘guess what this is’ caption. Guess you have to be into the quirky online stuff. For not so quirky, but perhaps tough on the back, some would-be artists are resorting to chalk pictures on the sidewalk to deliver warm messages. Unless you photograph your work, my only concern here is that chalk combined with rain pitter-patter creates something altogether different.
….. - Special Awards? Sue is looking through the Guinness Book of World Records for a title she might capture. Who knows?
….. - Living Space Changes. DK is starting to hunt for real estate in his area that might be a good deal in these down times. Along the same lines, another friend is honing his “architectural skills” (no, not an architect) to design a 2nd abode, which might be a tiny home.
….. - Music Update. “Mixed-tape” is a term that may be unfamiliar to the younger half of the population. I have a friend that lamented she can’t even play her beloved compilations any longer since she has no device that still accommodates them. She decided to learn how to download streamed music for the same purpose. I suggested that she could also put them on a folder within an mp3 player. Voila, “mixed tape” — of sorts.
….. - Intermittent Fast. Karl has taken this time as an opportunity to start the 5:2 diet with the new 800 calorie level. [See great video link below.] I am personally a huge fan of this. I did the 600/day for about 6 or 7 years. The ‘5’ in 5:2 means 5 days of normal-eating and the ‘2’ is what we always called our “lite” day (a limit on calories). Author Michael Mosley (who I reference repeatedly at AgingWithPizzazz) also recommends “time restrictive diet” as another way to give the body a rest from food. Our house started this last year. The 18 hours of fasting twice a week, from after dinner until the next afternoon, has simply made logistics easier for us. You can do both (if weight loss is a major goal), and I can’t say which approach of the two seems more beneficial. What I can say, is I think it is well worth the change – especially at this time when people are comforting themselves with more and more food.
Author Michael Mosely explains new 800 diet and 5:2 diet in video..
- Lock-down Bingo. Like chain letters, I’m not a big bingo fan either. Neither is Karen. But she lives in a retirement facility that is currently in lock down. As an ‘escape,’ they are playing “hallway bingo” and she decided that she will learn the nuances of bingo playing. [Really? Is there indeed such a thing?] She figures, I assume, that later this might help her enjoy the activity with others.
….. - Backyard Birds. A close friend to whom I have promoted bird watching for years is finally willing to learn a bit. She is going to start backyard birding literacy at least on her own patio and small yard area. I imagine her first step was to dig out the binoculars.
….. - Online Film Festival. Lorraine is preparing an online class for an online Film Festival. Nifty that many film festivals are doing this, and a class provides a richer environment to chat about the movies. Especially so when you can’t catch someone’s ear for thoughts after the flick in the theater.
….. - Try your Hand with Paints. Kevin had worked in an art museum before Covid struck. It gave him the idea to start learning to paint. Now he’s got time. I heard someone else say that while stuck at home, you might even play around with old house and crafts paints, which are just taking up space. It needn’t be the good stuff. And it could literally be ‘try your hands.’
….. - Woodworking. I know several woodworkers. Ed is retired and spending extra time in his well-equipped, spacious shop. But at least two others, including my husband, are planning future projects. So if you are not a woodworker yet (at any level), but always found it fascinating, now might be a good time to order a magazine subscription, or spend a couple hours online to discover if some simple approaches would appeal to you. Or maybe you just like acquiring tools? This seems to be part of the allure.
….. - Preparing ‘product.’ Lori (like me) is working on a new business which is concentrated online. If you don’t have a product, you might consider filming and sharing a video of some small thing you enjoy. You could participate (remotely) with many groups preforming songs and parodies. One friend recommended the Raging Grannies (look them up) for great fun and activism. You might contemplate reading your favorite inspirational poem and posting it with hopes of ‘going viral.’ [Uh, I trust it is still ok to use that term, and it doesn’t make anyone squeamish.]
….. - Puzzles? Gosh, I pretty much hate puzzles. But many people find them relaxing and a good activity with grandkids (if they are allowed in your current ‘pod’). Not sure jigsaw puzzles belong under a new skill category, unless you glue them together and have something to show later? Do people take photos for a puzzle portfolio? That, at least, sounds like a good venture with an enduring artifact. While I puzzle over the choice of puzzles, I understand they must be popular. One person told me that she wanted to order a new one she had her eye on. She found it on Amazon for $19.99. Just after lock-down directives, she went back to order it and now the price tag was $39.99. I won’t say anything about gouging, but luckily she was able to go to the source and get it for the original price. Good on her….. even if that means she now has to do a puzzle.
….. - Lawn Chair Parties. Friends of friends, who happen to live in a warm-climate cul-de-sac, are throwing weekly ‘lawn chair parties.’ Why did the idea (different from the Happy Birthday motorcades that have become popular) make it onto this list? I figure you end up knowing neighbors better. That’s something lots of us fail to make the effort to accomplish in ‘normal times.’
….. - Learning Your Own Yard. I first named this “Trees on your Property” because Jim said he wanted to learn the trees around his house. Jim and his partner live in a 55+ community and trees aren’t abundant on his own lot, which really makes his goal more manageable. But knowing him, he may intend to learn the trees around the entire community. So why did I change the title? I later thought, “Well, what about learning flowers or even insects?” Our local bookstore currently has curbside pick-up, and of course, many will ship. You could order a guide on trees, flowers, insects, or whatever. So, pick your poison…… which also reminds me that there are mushrooms.
….. - Tech Skill. My husband has been working more (not less) than usual. But still, he has taken some time to learn a new software program. We may not all be interested in such detailed software platforms, but might decide to learn some social media skills (such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram). Or even tackle a program long on the To-Do list, like Excel, PowerPoint or Quicken. Good to remember that almost ALL of these (and many more) have tutorials online.
….. - Pick up that Instrument. No one mentioned this to me, but I offer it out of lament (and neglect) in my own life. It may be the perfect occasion to spend a bit of time with that ‘old friend.’ It might be time to either allow music to ease your worries over a new world, or even to pick up an instrument that requires a bit less concentration and professional direction to get started. Whether you have an instrument lying around your house, or would need to order a simple one, consider the benefits. An example of one with fairly quick ROI is seen here at: Blues Harmonica Experience. And if you already play an instrument, perhaps commit to learning one new piece before the summer ends.
….. - The Not-Fun Paperwork. This may feel like pouring salt into the Covid-wound, but Jeannie is making sure she uses the down time to get her life ‘paperwork’ in order. Yes, THAT paperwork. This includes a (revised) will, updated beneficiary forms, Advanced Directive, maybe even an Advanced Beneficiary Notice. Much of this can be done at home in preparation of meeting with a professional, or completing it by teleconferencing and mail. If you don’t have all of this in place now, perhaps review Probate – not the End of the World. Admitting it is not fun; I still maintain that it would feel good to get it done.
….. - Making Year-End Gifts. This idea came from a cousin talking about crocheting sweaters for family, but the sky is the limit. Woodworker Ed, mentioned above, recently showed me a multi-piece wedding gift he made for a family member. Incredibly beautiful. We can’t all do that. I am not artsy or crafty, yet I recognize you don’t have to be to make a nice gift. You can check Etsy for ideas, google “handmade home crafts,” or figure out a non-perishable gift from the kitchen, or even mine those closet-clean-out-goods for materials to covert to other uses.
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A previous blog post titled “The Question Should be HOW do we Teach an Old Dog New Tricks” suggested approaches for older minds. It includes how seniors learn, as well as supportive resources if you wish to stick to knowledge enrichment. Either way, it’s an encouragement to “just do it.” Follow Through.
FINAL THOUGHT
Not everyone reacts the same to this Covid isolation – and many may have to function without the luxury of being isolated at all. Still, if you are one of those doing your part by simply staying at home, it might be nice later on to have something to show for this time — a time when we come out on the other side. Perhaps isolation will end sooner than we think and we may then miss and crave the time to pursue activities outside our norm.
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Picture credits.
Man on road Photo by Martin Sanchez on Unsplash
Let me add one: I try to think about what is on my list of procrastination. I just review them with no motive to begin one of those tasks. Yet, it brings to focus what I had believed to be important enough to do.
Ask yourself, How important is it still? Is there a tiny progress-step I can take for any one of them, with a firm resolve to quit at a specific small accomplishment?
Nothing matters about how valuable to others, or to “Reason,” these small tasks or goals may be; some are pure vanity, but why care about that? Be sure to quit when the short-term goal has been accomplished. You can now bask in the reward of “Earned Accomplishment” and be proud. Go immediately to a small vice and enjoy it.
The basic Stoic idea behind the “algorithm” above is the existential question, Do I personally want to be someone better (in my own eyes), or simply to decay slowly and die younger? If my focus is still toward living more and having more fun, the choice will help during idle moments between impulses to get off the sofa.
It is a purely selfish motivation, which is important. A free person wants to do it.
Lots of things to appreciate here. The one I like BEST is “Go immediately to a small vice and enjoy it.”
Yes, in thinking about why I tend to procrastinate and allow a list of tasks to fester, is due to my mother. She was bossy and I learned to be a rebel; you know me.
But the impulse to leave something undone (or unstarted) comes from a feeling that “I ought to do this” and whenever I think there is some “duty” I tend to feel like Bartleby the Scrivener (Melville).
“I would prefer not to.”