Keeping Busy

This is my venting post.
But in the end I hope I can be of encouragement to you.

Here I am sitting at my home workstation watching the latest depressing news on the internet.
I live in one of the states that have implemented a mandatory shutdown of all nonessential activities
during this Corona Virus Pandemic.
In other words, stay at home.

Being inactive is one of the reasons people get depressed.
Your mind starts to wander, looking at all the negativity, what could have been, and feeling sorry for yourself.
No toilet paper, no sports, no Starbucks, thousands have been laid off, no……

That’s why it is imperative that everyone stays active, do something.
Believe it or not, things could be a lot worse.

If you are not used to staying at home to work, it can be challenging at first.
If you are reading this blog, you came here because you are either a web designer, web developer, freelancer, or just a hobbyist.
So you have a workstation of some sort in your home or apartment.

Staying At Home Suggestions

Keep it clean
If you have a desk, is it cluttered? When you look at your mess, your mind is automatically frustrated.
You are already in a negative mode without knowing it.
Spend some time to clean up, toss all the things you never look at, old notes, dead memory cards, outdated books, etc.
You will be amazed at how a clean desk gives you a refreshed perspective.

Relocate Workstation
Maybe you always wanted to move your workspace to another room in your home, or relocate to a different space in 
your apartment. Well, this is an excellent time to do so. Maybe your current desk is to close to the family TV area, or  
you always wanted to move closer to a window so you can gaze at the scenery to refresh your eyes and mind.

Don’t forget to trash all the clutter, you certainly don’t want to move your junk to the new location.

Catch Up On Home Repairs or Improvements
Everyone has things to do around the house or apartment to make life nicer.
But finding time in our busy schedules is not always easy.
Right now would be an excellent time to paint that spare room, replace that dripping faucet, redo your little garden outside, and
so forth. 

For me, I just finished retiling our hallway, something I have been wanting to do for 2 years.

Excercise
Although all the gyms are closed, this is still a good time to restart your routines, especially if they have been neglected.
Even with the stay at home policy, you can still venture outdoors for exercise as long as you keep your social distance.
If you prefer to stay indoors, you can find numerous exercise routines on Youtube that may fit your needs.

Learn New Language or Framework
Since you may now have that extra time, how about learning another programming language:
Examples – Typescript, Python, Ruby or since you know ES6 how about learning ES7, ES8, and more?
Or
Framework examples:
React, Angular 9.1.0, Vue, or Express?
Or
Web architecture:
Jamstack.

Personal Projects
Coding projects that you never got around to starting:
Rebuild your personal or business website.
Build that WordPress plugin.
Build a practice Headless CMS website.
Create your own Youtube channel, with tutorials or vlogging.

Clean and Maintain Your Car
If you own an automobile, you notice that the interior and exterior have become very filthy.
A good time to vacuum the interior, dust down the dash, wash and wax (or seal) your exterior.
Don’t forget to clean your windows.

Change your wiper blades, change your oil yourself (I did on my van) and check last time you replaced
your battery.

Cook More Meals
Since it is safer to stay away from people, maybe this is an excellent time to learn how to create
more meals at home. Look on the internet to try new recipes.

Since you still have to venture into a market, purchase everything you need to last a few days or even
a week so you only have to go out once a week.

How Is Your Backup Storage?
Analyze your backup system for all your important files, documents, photos, and videos.
Are they saved only on your computer?
How old is your external HD?
When was the last time you changed the password on your cloud storage provider?
Do you require more storage space?

Go Through Your Wardrobe
Clean out your closets and drawers.
Are there clothes that don’t fit, or out of style, or you just never used?
Donate or dump them, your closet and drawers will become more spacious.

Read Books
This is a lost art in this modern high tech society.
How about sitting down on your patio or balcony and read a good book.
My teacher used to tell me “Reading is good for you, it grows the mind.”
It doesn’t have to be a hardcover book, but a Kindle or tablet device will suffice.

Learn a Musical Instrument
For those who never played an instrument before, what better time
to start learning. You will find time will quickly go by.
I used to be part of a rock and roll band in my day, playing guitar,
bass and some keyboard. Although I don’t have the time to pick up these
instruments as often as I want, I still enjoy playing many of the riffs and
songs I used to play. A great time killer.

Chatting: phone or Skype
Having a good chat with an old friend, co-worker, colleague, or family can do wonders for both parties.
Humans thrive on personal relationships and this can only be a healthy situation during these
stressful times.

Some Other Ideas
Watch movies
Play video games
Watch Youtube channels

Be careful, these activities may become additive and continue even after this stay at home pandemic is over.

Bottom Line

Stay active!
The list above is only suggestions that came from the top of my finite mind.

I am sure you have ideas that fit your interests and desires much better then I can ever suggest.

In the end, Encourage Others!!!