Winter is coming, or has actually started, If you are like me, struggle in the rain or snow or windy days due to respiratory and mobility issues then undoubtedly there will be days or even weeks where you won’t be able to leave the house. Only last month I had a very bad infection which lasted about three weeks and during that time I could not go out, which can be quite frustrating. To save you from the boredom and frustration that I had to endure, I have compiled a list of things to do during those cold winter days or if you are ill and not able to go out.
Reading
If you are like me love reading but have the bad habit of filling up your bookshelf or kindle yet never getting around to actually reading these books, then now its your chance. In the past I used to love holding a book and turning over the pages and was very anti kindle but in the last few years I have been struggling to hold books especially in bed and that is when I decided Kindle is my saviour. If you find reading hard, most books are now available as audio and if you need book recommendation why don’t you start with checking out my ten disability related books – to be published next week.
Gaming
Although I am not a massive gaming fan, I do know that with adaptive controllers and other gadgets disabled people are able to enjoy all sorts of Xbox and Playstation games which does honestly take a few hours of your day. For me I enjoy the more basic online games such as Candy Crush, Wordscapes, Bingo, Gin Rummy and Ludo, they are fun and keep you distracted for a fair while. If none of these games suit your interests go on App store or Google play and just type games and a whole list will appear for you to try out.
Textile; sewing, knitting etc
During my childhood days I loved sewing and creating things, although I tried learning to knit I found it too complicated plus it requires the use of both hands which I struggle with. Therefore cross stitch became my favourite form of textile, and because I am not a fan of complicated designs I opt for children’s tapestry designs that are already drawn out for you and you just need to cross the stitches. Obviously, there are so many different and complex form of textile designs, there are even sewing machines that regardless of your disability you can still easily use them.
Art
Again its funny how in your childhood you have so many different hobbies yet when you enter adulthood these hobbies seem to decrease and eventually vanish, but thanks to my niece and nephew who spend the entire summer holiday with me, I have rediscovered my love for colouring and painting. I am not a great artist, in fact I suck at it but who cares its fun and quite therapeutic, plus it keeps me occupied for few hours and it is important to do different things to keep you simulated.
Watching TV series, films, documentaries, football
Sometimes the best time to catch up on shows and films that you never got the chance to see is actually during those cold winter days when you are stuck at home either because you are ill or due to the bad weather. If you have Netflix or Amazon Prime then you you will have plenty of choices that would keep you busy for a fair while. But you don’t really need to pay to have such option, BBC, CH4 on demand and ITV all have box sets of shows, documentaries and soap operas that you can watch for hours, and if that does not suit your taste you can find most things that you are after on Youtube. If you are a football fan, then you can re-watch classic football matches on Youtube, that’s how I spend most of my time.
Volunteering
Doing volunteer work is a great way to pass the time, keeps you active and stimulates your brain, not to mention having regular contact with people. You might think that volunteering involves long hours of commitment or being out of the house, on the contrary, the great thing about volunteering is that you are in control of the time you want to devote and you can do it from home. I usually volunteer as a writer or translator as I am fortunate enough to have knowledge of two languages. In the past I have volunteered with charities to research, edit and write various tasks.
Doing an online course
You can also use this period of being at home to learn new skill or subject to keep you entertained and to add something new to your CV. There are few sites that offer free online such as Future Learn, Google Free digital training, Udemy, and there are also many universities that offer online courses some of which are free.
Writing
This is one of my greatest passions so obviously its my daily thing to do but I guess during the days that I am not able to go out I try different method of writings, so instead of writing blogs or articles I keep a diary that its like short letters to my niece who lives in another country so its a way to ‘talk’ to her and leave her little advice and guidance. In the past I have tried writing short stories but I soon realised its not really my preferred option of writing. You should experiment all types of writing until you find what you are most comfortable with and you can even try writing for Disability Horizons.
Social Media
You might wonder how will social media keep you occupied especially as many regard it as a toxic tool that can increase depression, anxiety and panic attack but I am a great believer in ‘balance and moderate actions’. I choose who to follow on social media very carefully and its a mixture of footballers, celebrities, funny accounts, disability related organisations and figures. Social media is a great tool to know what is a hot topic and what is going on in the world from different perspectives.
Listening to music and podcast
I have to be honest I can’t live without music, whatever I am doing I need to have music in the background, whether I am reading, working, writing or playing games music is my constant companion and it always transfers me into a totally different state of mind. Now I am not good at listening to podcasts but I know many people love them especially if you are not a fan of reading or watching things then podcast can provide you with the perfect escape with so many different topics on offer to choose from.
Having listed ten things that you can do during the cold winter days or if you are ill and stuck at home, I do urge you that it is also important to go out if you can, dress well, keep warm and use a taxi to go back and forth and you can check cultural events that are mostly indoors so you can have a change of environment and routine.
This article was first published on Disability Horizons