The Joy of Missing Out: 30 Activities That Make Staying In Fun

By
With COVID-19 cases surging once again, now is not the time to try to do more.  And haven't we learned that when we're rushed and stressed by trying to do it all, we don't do anything well, and we miss out on the little moments that bring us joy?  So really, COVID or no COVID, we need to respect the fact that our time and energy are finite.


home



Make the most of doing less.


The Joy of Missing Out is defined by dictionary.com as "a feeling of contentment with one's own pursuits and activities, without worrying over the possibility of missing out on what others may be doing."


The concept of JOMO is liberating.  It makes life more peaceful.  It frees you from the hold that social media, advertising, and celebrity lifestyles might have.  It allows you to feel positive and secure about yourself, your choices, and your beliefs. 


When you stop worrying about missing out, you can concentrate on making home more fun.  And that's a great thing to do when choices are limited by lockdown, social distancing, or finances.





30 great stay-at-home activities

1.  Look at old photos, reminisce, and laugh about your bad hair.

2.  Play a favorite board game.

3.  Camp in your backyard (don't forget the s'mores).

4.  Enjoy a relaxing lavender bath.

5.  Make your favorite comfort food.

6.  Plan a Pixar movie festival with films such as Toy Story, Up, Inside Out, Finding Nemo, and Wall-E.

7.  Stargaze.  Go outside on a clear evening, preferably away from city lights, and look up.  Use an app such as SkyView Free if you don't know what you're looking at.  Spread some blankets, lay on your back, and be amazed by the universe.

8.  Take a virtual museum tour (both kids and adults will love these).

9.  Have a 90s romantic comedy movie marathon.

10.  Make lemonade.

11.  Start a container garden.  Try herbs (such as mint, rosemary, basil, thyme), veggies (such as tomatoes, peas, radishes, salad greens), or flowers (try impatiens, petunias, geraniums, or miniature roses).

12.  Remove breakables and have a Nerf battle in your living room.  Use tables or cardboard boxes as bunkers.

13.  Make a scrapbook.  Possible themes include "Baby's First Year," "Family Holidays Through the Years," even "2020: Life With Coronavirus."  Print photos and place them on fancy scrapbook paper; add stickers, drawings, and journal entries.  Keep the book for yourself or give it as a gift.

14.  Join an online game like Words with Friends.

15.  Dance like no one's watching.

16.  Watch a classic musical and sing along.  Try The Sound of Music, Oklahoma, South Pacific, My Fair Lady, Oliver, Fiddler on the Roof, Mary Poppins, Les Misérables, or La La Land.

17.  Calm your mind and body by sitting quietly outside and using all of your senses.  What do you see, hear, and smell?  What can you feel with your hands and on your skin?  Try new herbs and spices, and pay attention to the flavors of food.

18.  Choose a new game and learn to play.

19.  Tackle some small home improvement projects, such as replacing a showerhead or the drawer pulls on your kitchen cabinets.  Paint an accent wall or your front door.  Even something as simple as moving the furniture can freshen your rooms.

20.  Write a letter to your future self.  One year, five years, or ten years from now, what do you want to remember?  What do you want to have done?  Hand write, or create a digital version to be emailed on a specific future date.

21.  Hang a hummingbird feeder from an eave near a window.  Flowers such as zinnias and salvia are easy to grow and will also appeal to hummingbirds.

22.  Have a water gun fight on a hot day.

23.  Set up a make-your-own-sundae bar.

24.  Listen to some of your favorite music from high school, and sing along.

25.  Choose an actor or actress and create a film festival of his or her work to enjoy over several evenings or on a lazy Sunday.  For a truly wide variety of entertainment, consider performers such as Ralph Fiennes, Meryl Streep, Christian Bale, Denzel Washington, Leonardo DiCaprio, or Joaquin Phoenix.

26.  Do the 36 Questions.  In 2015, Mandy Len Catron published an essay in the New York Times about a study that successfully used these questions to increase romantic feelings and intimacy between two people.

27.  Watch an informative, inspirational TED talk.

28.  Get coloring!  There are many intricate adult coloring books, but why not try a Disney or superheroes coloring book to revisit a pastime you loved as a kid?

29.  Lie on a blanket in the grass and watch the clouds.

30.  Write a list of things for which you are thankful.  Try to get to 100 or more.





Updated June 2024


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

45 Useful Tips to Help You Responsibly Declutter Unwanted Items

By
Image
Do you ever drive down the highway or out on a country road and see someone's old couch or mattress?  When driving through the orchards and croplands around my town, I sometimes see stuff like this in an irrigation ditch.  I can't believe people do this, and leave it for the farmers to clean up or pay for disposal. Tossing stuff you no longer need or want into a dumpster isn't minimalism – it's the equivalent of littering , just like the people who throw things out on the side of the road.  It may seem simple, but it's not responsible or good for the environment. Unfortunately, some of what we remove from our homes is garbage , and there's no place for it but the landfill.  But when getting rid of clutter means mindlessly tossing it into the garbage, it becomes too easy to buy more and fill our homes up all over again.   By becoming more accountable, we change our minds about purchasing.  I believe that when you thoughtfully declutter, you'll become very sen
Read more

12 Tips to Try When You're Frustrated with Decluttering

By
Image
I won't sugar-coat it – decluttering is a hard job.  The more you're stressed and challenged by your home – the more you need the benefits that come with decluttering – the bigger the job probably is.  The advantages are real, but so is the frustration.  At times, you may feel tired, sad, or overwhelmed.  Letting go of stuff requires constant decision-making, and sometimes you'll need a break. And you deserve one!  You're not just decluttering, you're in the process of changing your mindset and your habits , and that's hard for anyone.  So when you feel like the job is too big, or that you should have everything under control, remember that no one has it all under control.  We're human, which means that we often have to learn the hard way.  But the victory will be even sweeter because you made it through the highs, the lows, and everything in between. When you feel like giving up, on decluttering or anything else, be gentle with yourself, and say goodbye to
Read more

Why You Should Make "Less is More" Your Mantra for Life

By
Image
Maybe you've heard the saying popularized by architect Mies van der Rohe in 1947:  "Less is more." It's an oxymoron – a phrase that seems to contradict itself.  Others include "old news," "open secret," "unbiased opinion," and "awfully good."  Or the lament, "Parting is such sweet sorrow." What does "less is more" mean?  It's wonderfully open-ended.  Answers to that are as varied as the people who reply.  Consider: Less anxiety, more peace. Less debt, more savings. Less busywork, more substance. Less clutter, more space. Less comparison, more contentment. Less sugar, more vegetables. Voluntary simplicity Back in the 1990s, a fair number of Americans realized that the continual quest for more and better was stressing them out and keeping them from creating lives of purpose.  After the consumerist binge of the yuppie-era 80s, some started wondering if the big house, flashy car, exotic vacation, and Rolex we
Read more

Why You Should Try Wearing the Same Clothes Every Day

By
Image
Wearing the same clothes every day would get boring, wouldn't it? A long time ago, I had a job that required a uniform, and I have to say it did make life easier .  I had three copies of my work outfit, and there was never a question about what to wear.  I never worried whether my clothes were stylish or "right," because everyone else wore the same thing. The same argument has been used in public and private schools in favor of student uniforms.  Rather than constant worries about fashion and comparisons and dress codes, a uniform makes everything simple.  It's one less thing to think about in the complex life of a student. Many people argue that clothes make a statement about who you are.  "I express myself through my clothes" is a comment I've often heard, usually from women.  The idea of a uniform scares them, because how will they make themselves noticeable or unique ? I think we might be imagining some sort of Handmaid's Tale society, where we
Read more

The Hygge Way to Clean and Declutter

By
Image
When I returned home from a weekend trip recently, I immediately unpacked my suitcase, washed a load of dirty clothes, and put everything away.  It made me feel settled and at home.  It was comfortable. A few days later, I felt a bit restless, so I set my writing aside and started cleaning.  I cleaned the refrigerator door and wiped the kitchen counters.  I swept the porch and mopped the floor in our small entry hall.  I decluttered a few old papers from my file box.  It felt good. Self-soothing with home care For me, cleaning, organizing, and decluttering are a form of self-care.  Tidying gives me satisfaction.  It makes me feel that I'm managing my life and ready for what's next. A hygge home isn't dirty.  It's not cluttered with garbage, dirty dishes, or things we never use or put away.  It's not covered in a thick layer of dust.  So don't decide that pouring a glass of wine, lighting a candle, and snuggling under a blanket is hygge, but running the vacuum is
Read more