Bored AF
When the pandemic started I had no idea what to do with myself. You guys already know I’m an introvert with social anxiety. So the chances that I would be outside running the streets, even if I could, were slim to none.
However, it’s different when your day-to-day routine is taken away. I was no longer waking up to a 4:40 am alarm. I didn’t have to concern myself with ensuring my workout clothes were prepared for my 5:00 am workouts. My weekly grocery store runs turned into scavenger hunts for basic necessities (y’all bought all the paper products). Most of all I lost my introvert time aka my alone time.
Nothing about my pre-pandemic day-to-day was particularly exciting but it provided the structure I needed. Without it, I found myself falling down a black hole of boredom and laziness. I needed to occupy my time before I started stressed spending. Ok, there may have been a little stress spending…I may or may not have attempted to be a plant mom for a couple of weeks.
I decided to focus on all the activities I’ve previously enjoyed but never made time for pre-COVID.
Reading
I don’t know when I stopped reading for pleasure. It’s been years since I’ve read anything other than a textbook or online articles. I decided to purchase a couple of digital books and see if I could commit to reading a few pages daily. Since April I’ve read:
- High Achiever – Tiffany Jenkins
- Open Book – Jessica Simpson
- Spilled Milk – K.L. Randi
- Can’t Hurt Me – David Goggins (I only made it halfway through this book, too much profanity)
I’m currently reading:
- Where The Crawdad Sings – Delia Owens
- The Memo – Minda Harts
- The Book on Rental Property Investing – Brandon Turner
- Building A Story Brand – Donald Miller
Yes, I am currently reading four different books at once. I interchange them depending on my mood.
Using the Kindle app has made it convenient to read in small spurts throughout the day. Which is a better option then aimlessly scrolling social media. I also love that Amazon gives you credits when you purchase “Great on Kindle” books to use toward future purchases of “Great on Kindle” books.
Crochet
When I share with people that I crochet their reaction is usually “isn’t that for old ladies”. As if I am at home wearing a housecoat making doilies and afghans. When in fact most of the yarn crafters I follow are young women that create the most amazing crochet fashions. In the past, I’ve created a variety of projects none of which include dollies or afghans.
The pandemic seemed like the perfect opportunity to pick up my hooks and start crocheting again. For my first project, I attempted to follow a YouTube tutorial and failed miserably. Ok, not miserably but it wasn’t my best work. It was difficult to create a project that did not include a detailed pattern. I decided to stick to what worked for me and started crocheting a cropped top via a pattern I purchased on Etsy. After a few false starts, I found my groove and it worked up pretty quickly.
Journaling
I didn’t grow up in a household where feelings where shared. So I started journaling out of necessity in middle school. It seemed like a great way to clear my mind. I remember just picking up a blank notebook and writing down my feelings. I believe I wrote about a boy at school that liked me. My mom found my journal and went in on me. Needless to say, I didn’t keep another journal until I was an adult with the ability to keep my thoughts private.
Journaling throughout the pandemic has been a great way to ease my stress and anxiety. I’ve been able to acknowledge actions and thoughts that I am not necessarily comfortable sharing with others. I release the feelings in my journal and move on. Not to mention this is a historic time, I can’t wait until we are well beyond COVID and I can recall how I felt during the 2020 pandemic.
| Cropped Top – HM | Skirt – Target | Sneakers – Converse |
The outside world has started to return to “normal”. Besides the occasional outing, photoshoots, and necessary shopping I am ok with staying home with my books and yarn.
What about you, have you been partaking in outside activities? If not what have you been doing while at home?
12 Comments
So glad to see you out here surviving this mess and finding ways to keep yourself healthy and sane. I love crocheting and I can’t even follow a pattern so GOOD FOR YOU! I just do a few little things here and there and some are successful and most are a mess. It is about keeping the mind and hands busy, no pressure. My husband learned how to from his grandma when he was a little boy so tell people that say this or that about who can and what to kick rocks! Lol
I love your very simplistic look and how you are still cute and killing the game with it. You are inspiring me to get some books and read also. I get bored easy and distracted so reading a lot especially hard reads do not hold my attention much. Like yourself I tend to read short stories, news articles to keep up and any self help stuff.
I bought a lot of games during this time thinking that my family would want to do that in this boredom time but we played once or twice and that fell off. I spent a nice penny on games too! Even bought Jack and Ball but my 29 year old and 17 year old think that it is for old people..LOL! Oh well, I must admit that we did enjoy it many years ago and kept us occupied for hours. I also bought water guns to have a water gun fight that has yet to happen. Since people are afraid of local pools and beaches etc I thought we could get some water in this way.
Hang in there and keep sharing it definitely is going to be a stretch out for us all as we wait for this thing to get better and pass us on by. I just pray that we stop losing so many humans from this and they find a cure ASAP!!
Love this article reading about you being an introvert gives me a better understanding of my daughter, especially since she’s a Virgo as well.
What I’ve been doing is helping both my daughter and fiancé with their business which brings me joy watching them grow. I’m an ambivert so I’m good with or without being outside or speaking to people outside my loved ones and friends.
Introverts take some getting used to, I hate when people think we are weird but there’s nothing weird about enjoying spending time alone.
Y’all have been killing it with the catering. Keep up the good work!
Hey Nita,
When I first started it was trial and error lol. Hubs and I have bought a lot of games too. We love UNO, Monopoly, and Scrabble. I haven’t heard of Jack and Ball I’ll have to Google it. You guys have found several ways to stay busy which is amazing!
Glad to hear you are finding positive ways to occupy your time! I got married in May and moved to the MIDDLE OF NOWHERE lol. I was already working from home and my husband is a truck driver so our day to day didn’t change too much. But like you, I started back reading (why did I ever stop???) and started journaling. Mostly because I love cute notebooks and I found it is a good way for me to talk to God. Other than that, I’ve tried my hand at gardening and arts and crafts. The pandemic hit right when my life was going in a new direction so I’m still adjusting but above all thankful!
Wow! That’s a lot of change all at once. Did you have an intimate wedding?
I read and crotchet too! So glad to find another home body crotcheter I only go out when it’s absolutely necessary other than going for walks of course
I love being at home that’s why it’s so important for my home to be comfy!
So glad you’re back. I missed these! Where do you live? I notice lots of tropical plants in your background. I’m from Barbados myself. Looking forward to more of these blogs!
Thank you! It feels good being back.
My sister introduced your blog to me today and I am in Heaven!!! You are awesome…
where y’at? Hope all is well. Post soon, please.