Let's support each other by sharing distractions that people can use

I think a lot of people on this forum are looking for distractions they can do *right now* because they are not doing well, so I thought: why not make a thread listing distractions that people can use?

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Mine:

• TV/Netflix
• coloring
• posting here
• reaching out to someone here via PM
• cooking a nice meal
• going outside to get fresh air, or at least sitting by an open window
• setting up a sooner appointment with your therapist and/or pdoc
• watch YouTube
• talk to someone on the crisis text line
• join an online support group
• journaling
• going for a drive with the windows down, even if you don't have a destination
• do video chatting w/ a family member and/or friend
• working out indoors

Dear bluebicycle,

Thanks for posting this. What a great topic!

I do many of the things you mention. I am also designing a city using pen and paper. This started as a project at the beginning of flu season and now is continuing during the SARS-COVID-19 pandemic. I wanted a huge, complex, challenging and fun project that would fill my time and thoroughly engage my mind. As of today, I have produced about 762 pages.

Sincerely yours, -- Yao Wen

Here are some sites I enjoy using

• Khan Academy
• Duolingo
• BookBub

Some things I do:
.Play video games
.Play card games (or board games if you have more than one person living in the house, however there are some RPG card games that only require one person, example: the Arkham Horror living card game.

.Reading: the site I mentioned above, BookBub, offers good deals on and free ebooks. Another thing is lot of libraries are connected to services like Libby, Overdrive, and Hoopla. With the first two services you can find ebooks and audiobooks through your local library's website/catalog, then with hoopla you can check out a certain number of digital items per month, they have tv shows, movies, ebooks, music, audiobooks.

.Watching videos on YouTube
.Listening to music
.Drawing/coloring
.Arts and Crafts, Pinterest is a great site to get ideas for projects to do, even just browsing Pinterest and pinning stuff to different boards on the site is fun in itself.
.Playing an instrument: this is a very fulfilling hobby. Currently I'm learning to play the ukulele

Baking/cooking: I personally love baking and making desserts, it's really relaxing and you feel good for doing it and get to eat something good.

There are a lot of virtual tours you can go on online, museums, national parks.. etc.

I started an Instagram....it’s given me an excuse to play with layout filters and even Adobe Lightroom. It’s not as good as taking new pics but close enough.

Great lists! Thanks for all the great ideas and thanks, bluebicycle for this helpful thread!

Here are a couple ideas that came to my mind:

* Fixing or improving something that you've been putting off. Yesterday, I put cork rounds on the bottoms of decorative tiles to use as coasters.
* Cleaning/organizing a closet. May sound dull, but it always feels so good when it's done.
* Randomly choosing songs to listen to.
* Gardening or anything outside to make things even nicer for spring. Or even planting something outside.

@Yaowen, that's awesome! What an interesting and challenging uptake.

The only thing I can add to the overall list is:

-Sculpt two-part epoxy putty.

Aves makes Apoxie Sculpt which is non-toxic so you don't need gloves. And the initial mix is soft enough you can use clay shaper tools. An inexpensive entre into a neglected hobby. Also, since it's epoxy it cures itself. No baking needed. (Please let me know if you go this route. I'd love have someone to compare and share with.)

There may be a few repeats here

• Listening to music (with a neutral or positive message)
• Go for walks
• photography
• write
• looking at maps
• spend time with pets
• play a musical instrument
• clean something
• read
• sit outside/listen to wildlife
• video games
• card games
• talk to someone
• make paper airplanes

-If you have a driveway, you can chalk your walk. Use sidewalk chalk to draw pictures or write encouraging messages to your neighbors
-Learn a new baking or cooking technique. My kids and I are baking a new type of bread each week
-Try a new type of exercise
-Give yourself a manicure
-Go through your things and find items you can donate
-Do online brain puzzles
-Watch the birds and research their names
-Talk to others in the chat rooms here

Disney has virtual rides of their attractions while they're closed.

Listen to your CD/record collection.

Go back through your book collection and reread some

Go through your DVD collection and rewatch some of those

Call a friend and talk on the phone

Private message a friend on PC

IM some friends on facebook messenger

Draw

On nice days, go for a walk or ride your bike

If your diet permits, walk to Dairy Queen and get a cone or Dilly Bar. (I drove by one today and yes people were lined up 6 feet apart.)

Tend to your plants.

Drink your favorite beverage

Eat a healthy snack

Do the laundry/dishes/vacuum

Do some push ups and/or situps

Thank you all!!!!

good list

- playing some sort of game (quiz, puzzle, video game)

crafts (make easter decorations for example)

- planning things that you want to do and make a list of the things you are looking forward to

-reading a book/ listening to an audiobook