30 Activities For Finding Happiness During Lockdown
Indoors Or Outdoors There Are Lots Of Fun Things To Do
Today, I want to bring happiness back into everyone’s lives because we understand what matters the most.
Every once in a while I like to write about life and how it can suck the happiness right out of you.
Wearing makes everywhere we go, sanitizing our hands until they bleed and praying this virus doesn’t get us.
We’ve been in lockdown since March 2020-current because of the coronavirus and everyone is exhausted.
For others, they have other problems to deal with along with the lockdown that further deepens the need.
However, the last thing you want to do is stay indoors all day if you can get out and about.
I know it’s cold outside but a brisk walk around the block won’t do you any harm.
Let’s have a look at what my family does that brings us happiness activities during the pandemic.
Working Through The Pandemic
If you go to work and when you come home all you want to do is want to shower and crash on the couch or bed.
I work from home 90% of the week at the moment and waiting on news that we can go back into our facility.
However, living a life of work and exhaustion rarely allows you to take care of your needs.
Finding stress relief has always made me stop and just enjoy this beautiful country of Canada.
Below are examples of what brings me happiness so I have something to look forward to every day.
Stress can really do a number on your body and if you suffer from stress or anxiety you know what I mean.
Related: Mental Health – Coping With Stress
To all the workers that are out there risking their lives for us, Thank-You.
Things That Bring Me Happiness
- Making someone else happy
- Helping others that are in need
- Finishing projects
- Talking to my family on the phone
- Going for a family hike or on my own
- Taking a bubble bath
- Chilling out with a drink and watching television
- Playing games with our son
- Making my wife smile
- Food haha, who guessed that would be on my happiness list?
- Working out in our basement
Happiness Changes As We Age
Have you ever told yourself that all you want out of life is happiness?
Well, I have and since I turned 40 that has been part of my everyday goals because emotional stress eats you alive.
You might find as you get older the things that you thought would bring you happiness really was trying to fit a role.
Perhaps some of this example might have crossed your mind as a homeowner or a renter.
- The furniture doesn’t have to match
- It’s Ok if there are things left on the counter
- The wash can wait a day to get folded
- My truck will survive a day or two without a wash
- I don’t need the finest footwear or clothing
- The front landscaping has to look 110% so people who walk by staring at its beauty
Stop To Embrace What Your Happiness Would Look Like
Think about your life over the past 10-20 years and write down what you thought would bring you happiness.
Then do it again to see what would bring you happiness today in 2021 and whether it has changed?
- Did you want a house like your buddy Tony?
- Have you ever tried to look richer than you look when you have debt?
- Were you playing the role of someone you were not?
- Did you need the best home decor?
- Were you worried about what other people thought of you or your family?
- Did you go on trips that you couldn’t afford just because your friends asked you to join them?
- Were you frequently hosting dinner parties that were way out of your grocery budget range?
Obviously, this list has no end but if you get caught up in it you’ll be paying the price of debt.
The Happiness Project
Lots of people have which is why Mrs. CBB and I created The Happiness Project for our family.
The Happiness Project was an activity I brought up with Mrs.CBB that we could work on as a family.
We all sat around the table with markers and crayons and paper to write 3 activities that made them happy.
It was quite simple however complex because we simply can’t do much because of the lockdown.
This is an activity for the entire family because family time is VERY important for the growth of adults and children.
Divorce Rate In Canada
The divorce rate in Canada will increase especially with the lockdown for Covid-19.
It seems to be bringing out the person you have never met in your spouse or just overall emotional stress.
According to Toronto family lawyer, Barry Nussbaum expects the hike to exceed the country’s average rate of 38%.
“We’re seeing on a monthly basis, we keep tabs on people looking to separate and it’s about a 20% increase in call volume, probably more,” said Nussbaum of Nussbaum Family Law. – Source
One minute you think you are a happy, tight couple and the next one of you wants a divorce.
Lots of couples go through this and it hits like a knife.
Finding Happiness For You And Your Family
Everyone who is in lockdown because of the pandemic knows that staring at 4 walls every day is boring.
How can you find things that make you happy?
You document them as if you are writing a bucket list as we did above.
We laughed and had a bowl of air-popped popcorn and finished it in about an hour.
What should we do today?
This was the same question Mrs. CBB and I would ask each other last year and we were done with it.
We even got to the point of asking our son what he wanted to do and he didn’t know.
A Lockdown Day In The CBB House
If you’re like us we have to ensure our son gets through his 9 am-3 pm school day online.
Since he needs guidance due to his sensory processing disorder we decided to both take turns.
On the days I’m at work than Mrs. CBB has to sit with him the entire day and it’s damn exhausting.
We can both get a bit grouchy after a day of being a teacher to a 6-year-old who lacks focus but is smart.
After school is complete we have a small snack and relax for about 30mins to an hour.
Before online school began we knew we’d need to come up with a list of ideas of things to do that bring us happiness.
Just about anyone I’ve spoken to on the telephone or online feels low, bored and needs to find something to do.
It’s amazing how something so simple could be so hard for us and many others.
One of Mrs. CBB’s single friends finds that she needs to send her a message every day.
It’s sad when you want to hug someone but you can’t but you can help them by being there and talking to them.
Family Lockdown Happiness Activities
Do you remember the task we did above as a family?
Of course, you do because you just read it and now I want to show you what each of us came up with.
We compiled a list of all of our ideas so we can do something fun each day.
I’m sure we will be back at the table weekly coming up with things to do during the pandemic lockdown.
Papa Bear – This accounts for what I shared up top.
- Get out of the house and go for a walk and breath in the fresh air every day and listen to the birds.
- Excercise with Mrs. CBB in our basement gym
- Meal Prep for a few days with everyone helping in the kitchen.
- Testing new recipe idea in the kitchen
- Getting up before the crew to start my day in the dark with a coffee so I’m not rushing.
- Watching a family movie with hot buttery popcorn
- Blogging early in the morning while everyone sleeps so we have more family time.
Mama Bear
- Loves to be in the kitchen and eating healthy
- In the spring and summer, she loves plants and indoor gardening
- Helping plan the meals for the week and prepping the food into containers.
- Going for a ride, getting a coffee and a muffin for our little guy
- Grocery shopping gives her peace alone
- Long walks through the trails with a backpack filled with snacks and a drink each
- Talking to the family on the phone or computer
- Handwriting a letter and mailing it off
- You Tube Nerd as she enjoys learning about other people, hacks, documentaries etc.
Baby Bear
- Go tobogganing and making a snowman
- Helping dad shovel if it snows
- Going for a walk to look at the books in the neighbourhood book box
- Play Outside with Papa Bear and Mama Bear making a fort
- Going for a walk to the school playground
- Playing video games
- Jumping on his trampoline inside the house and the one he has in the garage
- Painting pictures
- Reading books with dad and mom in the bed
- Making chocolate chip muffins
- Playing with Lego
- Eating cookies from the cookie jar
Happiness Is A Recipe That You Create
Each day we all get to pick one thing to do from our list and we do it whether it’s an alone activity or family-oriented.
I wrote this blog post for all of you who are suffering from boredom or loneliness and need to smile.
If you’re bothered about money and paying the bills the stress relief of getting out during lockdown will do you good.
Clear your mind, get lots of sleep and perhaps you’ll find it easier to concentrate on what you need to do after.
A happy mind doesn’t mean you need a perfect life.
Discussion: What activities have you been doing during lockdown alone or with your family?
Leave me your comments below as I’d love to read about your happiness.
Mr.CBB
Find stuff to do that brings you happiness and worry about the other stuff when you get back.
You have to look out for your health and that of your family.
Staying indoors 24 hours a day won’t do you any good especially when it’s a sunny winter day. Soak up the Vitamin D.
