Tag Archives: healthy

Watch Out! The Five Causes Behind Many Accidents

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Watch Out! The Five Causes Behind Many Accidents

Accidents are part of life and you can’t always prevent them. Luck has a strange way of playing a role, and it might just be something you skipped, or someone else did. There are, however, certain aspects of an accident that we can help mitigate. To help you look out for some of the accidents that can do you a mischief, here are some of the most common causes:

Not tidying up:

Are you the kind of person that cleans up after yourself? Or maybe you leave the odd bowl, mug, or cardboard box out of something you got in the mail office. If items end up lying around, they start piling up until you have a messy and cluttered home or workplace. And, while they may not seem particularly threatening, they can be when you are hurrying about and rushing, or you are not paying full attention to where you are going. Seemingly simple things can end up being lethal if you just leave them around for you or anyone else to take a trip, slip and fall over. Pick up after yourself, and immediately, you reduce the risk of injury.

Not paying attention:

Following on from the previous point, not paying attention to where you are going or what you are doing is a massive factor in many avoidable accidents. Wherever you are, you need to be aware of your surroundings. This is of particular importance in busy areas or on or near a road. Put down your cell phone, take out the earphones, and concentrate on where you are going.

Rushing about:

We all lead incredibly busy lives, rushing about from work to home to grocery shopping, making sure the kids are at school, play dates, extra-curricular classes and everything else in between. Because of this, we may take shortcuts and not take as much care over what we are doing, which is a common factor in accidents. For example, if you are cooking, you might be trying to speed things up so you can get the kids into the bath or help with homework, but this is much more likely to end up in a burn or scald injury – and this will cost you a lot of time in the long term. Slow down and focus on the job that you are doing.

Using unfamiliar equipment or machinery:

We all have done it – used a new piece of DIY equipment or a tool at home or work and not been familiar with it or how it works. Before you use something new, take the time to read the instructions, watch some online tutorials and, if necessary, complete an appropriate training course for the skill like electrical safety training. If it is in the workplace, insist on thorough training before using anything that you are not sure about. Should your injury occur at work and you did not receive proper training, you could have a workman’s comp claim. It’s a good idea to learn how to make a personal injury claim and have a lawyer in mind so you know exactly what to do if this ever happens to you.

Not using safety equipment:

It is so important to use the proper safety equipment at your place of work at all times. This could include steel toed boots, masks, ear protection, or ce certified laser safety goggles. These items ensure your protection and they can only work if you are diligent in their use. If for whatever reason you need to remove one of your safety items, do so in a safe space at work like the lobby, locker room, or bathroom to avoid any injuries.

Not all accidents can be avoided, and they can happen to anyone, at any time, anywhere. However, by knowing the common factors involved in accidents, you are able to take steps to avoid them.

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Reducing Anxiety During Lock Down

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Reducing Anxiety During Lock Down

For many people, the experience of being in lock down is something that might be negatively affecting their mental health in a number of ways. One of the most common experiences that people are reporting here is anxiety, which is an understandable reaction to being made to stay at home during a pandemic for an undefined amount of time. But no matter how bad your anxiety might get, the truth about this feeling is that it is manageable – even if it doesn’t always feel like it. In this post, we’ll look at some great practical management tips for your lock down anxiety:

Practice Good Breathing:

If you don’t generally think much about what your breath is doing, you will find that simply stopping to pay attention to it every now and then is really going to help. But you need to be doing it quite a lot as a standard thing, so that you are not just relying on your breathing skills once you are in the midst of anxiety and really need it. Conscious breathing throughout the day is linked to a much lower incidence of anxiety, and it also gives you a useful tool to use when it strikes, so make sure that you are using this in your life as soon as possible.

Try Alternative Medicines:

Although you generally need to be careful about which medicines you try and what alternatives you go for, there are some which are likely to be particularly useful at pretty much any time, and which you might want to think about utilizing in your own life if you are struggling with anxiety. For instance, the use of CBD oil has been known to help many people with anxiety, and that’s why it’s so popular at the moment. But be careful: make sure you know the difference between hemp oil vs CBD oil and that you are using it sensibly when you do so.

Focus On The Present:

Anxiety lives in the future, or sometimes even in the past – but never in the present. If you are finding your mind going haywire with potential circumstances that might occur, you might find it useful to return your grounding to the present moment. Simply doing this and making a point of focusing on what is happening right here and now will help you to keep your anxiety at bay. You will find this to be an amazing tool when you are in the midst of anxiety, but also as a general practice to help manage it.

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Relieve Stress Regularly:

Finally, remember to try and relieve the body and mind of stress as regularly as you can. If you allow stress to build up, then you are going to find that it makes for a much more anxious life in general. Not to mention that you will probably suffer all sorts of physical problems too as a result of the cortisol flowing through you.

Use the tips above to help manage your anxiety more effectively today!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Feeling Stressed In Isolation? Let’s Fix That

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Feeling Stressed In Isolation? Let’s Fix That

Do you feel stressed being confined to your home? Well, you’re not alone. Studies seem to suggest that while social distancing may be reducing the spread of the coronavirus, it’s also causing a surge in mental health issues and that’s a problem. However, there are ways to beat back the stress and protect your mental health in your own home. Here are some of the best options that we recommend:

Keep Your Schedule:

This one is particularly important according to the experts. You need to make sure that you are sticking to the same schedule that you were on before lock down began. If you don’t do this, you’ll throw your levels of energy and your sleeping pattern off course. This can cause you to feel more stressed because you’ll be getting less sleep at night. So rather than throwing the alarm away, make sure that you rise with the sun. Start work if you’re working and if you’re not, why not begin the day with some light exercise.

Exercise will help too. Staying active is going to help you burn off that stress and keep your mental health in check. It will mean that you don’t have to worry about your body starting to succumb to aches and pains simply because you’re not using it enough. Remember, you can be creative with different types of exercises too. For instance, you can throw a dance party on Zoom with friends and family members.

Eat Well:

Various studies have shown time and time again that issues with your diet can cause problems with your mental health. If you don’t eat right, then there’s a good chance that you are going to feel more stressed than usual and it will impact your mood. The problem is that you might not have the energy or the motivation to cook a full meal and that’s okay. You can make this easier by using a meal preparation service. With a solution like this, you will be able to make sure that you get the delicious meal you want without having to worry about all of the issues with preparation. There are lots of great companies that offer this service. For instance, you can consider Hello Fresh vs Home Chef to find the right choice for you.

Me Time:

Finally, while it might seem odd to say, you could be finding it difficult to get the time to yourself that you need. Particularly, if you are a parent and working from home while still trying to make sure that your kids stay on top of their school work. But it’s important that you do take an hour or so out of the day to just relax, unwind, and forget about what’s going on in the world for a little while.

It’s tough to stay positive at times like this but looking after your body and your mind is always going to be a step in the right direction.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Top Four Ways To Protect Yourself From The Wider Effects Of Coronavirus

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Top Four Ways To Protect Yourself From The Wider Effects Of Coronavirus

Coronavirus is sweeping the globe, and it doesn’t matter who you are, it affects you. There is a lot of advice out there for the obvious ways to protect yourself and how to deal with symptoms, but what about all of the other things coronavirus is responsible for? Check out our list of the top four ways to protect yourself from the broader effects of coronavirus:

Claiming what you’re eligible for:

Whether this is through work or the government, make sure you know precisely what is out there and whether you can claim for it or not. If you are eligible, claim! Don’t hold yourself back because you think someone else might need it more, or because you don’t want to be a burden. If you’re entitled to it, ask for it.

Disability insurance:

Disability insurance can be a great way of covering yourself throughout a pandemic, like coronavirus. Coronavirus (or COVID-19) is included in some disability insurance policies. Go through your paperwork and ensure your provider will cover you. Some kinds of insurance policies will cover you through the death of a loved one. Out of all the deaths caused by coronavirus, 1% is of people under 50. If you have to take care of someone seriously ill or go into isolation or quarantine, this can create a need to claim on your insurance.

Mental health:

It’s not just your household’s physical health that you need to look after. Being in quarantine or on lock down has a massive impact on your mental health. It can cause depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as creating frustration and irritability. If you’re cooped up with family, roommates, or even just pets, you’re likely to get cross with someone eventually. Trying out calming techniques like meditation and mindfulness can really help. It’s also worth encouraging discussion of your emotions as a family. Frequently remind your household that everyone is tense because of lock down, and if someone does snap, everyone else should try not to take it too personally.

Balance your consumption of the news:

Following the news has never been more critical. You need to know what the government is currently advising and what the latest updates are, but you don’t need to know every last detail if this upsets you. Obsessing over the news won’t help you, but locking yourself in a bubble is not the way to cope, either. Limit yourself to checking a reputable news source once or twice a day — coronavirus news doesn’t move much faster than that anyway.

Avoid sources that are not major news providers or your government. It’s best to stay well away from the speculation on social media. If it keeps appearing on your dash, block the keywords or tags, or unfollow whoever is posting it. Use social media to stay in touch with friends, family, and colleagues, and to pass the time in a fun and pleasant way.

Stay safe and follow these four tips to get through the coronavirus pandemic.

Featured Image By: congerdesign

How To Bounce Back From A Serious Injury

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How To Bounce Back From A Serious Injury

When you suffer a serious injury, bouncing back and getting back to normal is usually the thing you want more than anything else. However, you need to be careful about how you go about making that happen. Making the wrong choices can lead to further delay and problems that you don’t want or need to be dealing with. Here’s how to bounce back from a serious injury in the correct and healthy way:

Understand the Extent of Your Injury:

First of all, you need to make sure that you fully understand the extent of your injury. If you’re not able to grasp what you’re going through and what you’re recovering from, you might underestimate things and that’s when you’ll end up putting your health at further risk. That’s not what you want because it will ultimately result in further delays or complications that you’ll need to combat, putting your overall recovery back even further.

Work on a Plan and a Timeline with Your Doctor:

To help you focus on your recovery and what needs to be done, you should try to work on a plan for regaining your health alongside a doctor. They can help you with a plan of action that covers all the most important things and the various stages of your recovery. You can even put a timeline in place so you can see when you can expect to hit certain important milestones.

Avoid Inflammatory Foods:

Some foods cause inflammatory reactions in the body and this can cause problems for you as you attempt to recover from an injury. The foods that have that kind of impact include refined sugars, processed meat, oils and flour, as well as foods with a high saturated fat content. You should avoid these foods and instead focus on vegetables, fruit, and food high in omega 3.

Explore Legal Avenues:

If your injury came about as the result of an incident that was someone else’s fault, you should think about whether you can get compensation. For example, head injuries are at high risk for TBIs and if this happened at work because of a safety error, you might be entitled to compensation. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to seek that out. Or, perhaps, your injury happened at a hospital due to faulty implants or devices. A law firm that specializes in this particular type of injury – such as a bard powerport lawyer, should be contacted to get you the help you deserve.

When selecting a lawyer, make sure that they have lots of experience and success for your given situation. You wouldn’t want to hire a lawyer who specializes in divorce when you need an 18 wheeler lawyer. Do your research and choose wisely so you can get the most out of your claim.

Keep Your Mind Occupied on Other Things:

As well as thinking about your physical health, you should also give a thought to your general mental well being. If you’re going to achieve a good balance and bounce back in a positive frame of mind, you need to try to keep yourself occupied as you recover, especially if it means being out of action and stuck at home for a prolonged period of time.

No one wants to be in a situation where they’re having to think about any of this, but injuries happen. And the last thing you want to do is make them worse or to prolong them by taking the wrong steps. Make the most of the advice above and be sure to bounce back stronger than ever.

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Why We’re Becoming A Healthier Society

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Why We’re Becoming A Healthier Society

We may be in the middle of the coronavirus problem, but there’s much to be hopeful for. We’re the healthiest society that the world has ever seen, and by a long way. Indeed, there have been many great advances made in the past hundred years, to the point where many of the problems that plagued past generations are beginning to become a thing of the past. For instance, we’ve made a lot of progress when it comes to child mortality, which is the lowest it has ever been, and people are living longer (and better) too. So what’s driven these changes? We take a look at a few reasons why we’re becoming healthier below:

What’s Good For You:

Humans advance because we’re able to build on the knowledge of the generation that has come before us. If we all had to start from scratch, we’d be in much worse shape! Today, we know a lot of things we need to do in order to be at our best. If you can eat fresh fruit and vegetables, get your dose of minerals and vitamins, and work up a sweat, then you’ll be in a good position, health-wise. We can all be healthiest just by having the right things be a part of our lives.

What To Avoid:

And then there’s the matter of what to avoid. You’ve got to feel sorry for people who were subjected to the smoking adverts of the 1940s and ’50s; they had no idea just what a negative impact cigarettes would have on their health. Fortunately, now we do. Research has told us the things that we should avoid if we want to be our healthiest selves. For example, we know that we shouldn’t eat too much junk food, drink alcohol, or smoke cigarettes.

Medical Advances:

Of course, even if people did all of the things they were supposed to, there’s always a chance of falling ill. We’ve made great advances in this area, too, so that illness and conditions that were previously hard to treat have become much more manageable. There has been particular progress made in the fields of cancer treatment, diabetes management, heart issues, and other serious conditions. While these things still pose a threat to the general well being of society, there are many reasons why there’s cause to be optimistic.

Focus on the Mind:

We’ve also made progress because we know that the physical and mental aspects of our body aren’t separate; they’re intertwined. Whereas in the olden days, medicine focused totally on the physical well being of the patient, today we’re paying more attention to the mental side of things. We know more about talking therapies, prescriptions, and a number of other treatment paths that can get the best results for people with mental health issues. As Shape says, we are also finding out more about the advantages of supplements like CBD. We’re able to guide people who are suffering from depression and other mental health issues in the right direction.

Clean Standards:

Finally, perhaps the biggest reason why we’re becoming healthier is that we have cleaner standards. This has been the thing that has curbed coronavirus more than anything else. We take it for granted, but there were many periods in history where people didn’t wash their hands.

Despite things being scary right now, there are still many positive changes that have been made to healthcare to be proud of.

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Self-Isolation Recommendations

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Self-Isolation Recommendations

Hello! With self-isolation still going strong and cabin fever officially setting in, I thought I would post about my recommendations to keep your day running as normally as possible – especially if you are working from home or not working right now. I am so thankful that I can still work but it is pretty boring because it’s not like I can take my clients anywhere!

I definitely have been feeling antsy lately because I just want to DO something. But, these little tricks have helped me keep some ounce of sanity during this lock down:

Get ready in the morning:

Towards the beginning of the stay at home order, I pretty much gave up on my morning hair and makeup routine and that was a big mistake. Wearing comfy clothes and a fresh face all day gave me zero motivation and it almost felt like an excuse to have a “lazy” day. So now, even if I am just staying home or hanging at a client’s house for the day, I get myself ready – even if it’s not my full routine. I still feel put together, a lot better, and it adds a renewed pep to my step.

Follow a routine:

Things feel so chaotic right now and when you have ample free time to fill with nothing to do it can be quite overwhelming. Routines always make me feel more at ease and it keeps my day running smoothly without the awkward pause of figuring out what to do next. Plan out what you intend to do for the day every morning while you’re getting yourself ready and see your day improve.

Set up a place to work:

If you are working from home right now, set up a place to work that isn’t the couch! We all know how easy it is to set the laptop aside and turn the TV on and that shouldn’t be a constant mental battle while you’re doing your job. Clean off a cluttered desk or work at your kitchen table and try to follow your normal work schedule as closely as you can – lunch and coffee breaks too!

Cook your meals:

I have had takeout a few times in self-isolation but I have been doing my best to cook the meals that I eat at my apartment. It feels good to see and taste something that you made and that can be a real high point of the day – not to mention all of the money you’ll save! Get creative with new recipes or make old favorites. And, no matter how your meal turns out, at least you killed some time. 😉

Don’t be a night owl:

I notice that it’s been harder for me to go to bed at night because I have so much extra energy that I haven’t done anything with all day. I understand completely how difficult it is to not give into the night owl temptation but I promise it won’t be worth it when you go back to work with a totally thrown off schedule.

If you’re having difficulty falling asleep, try going for a walk or working out an hour or so before you go to bed. You could also take a bath or read a book – whatever will help you relax and keep to your normal bed time as much as possible.

Although self-isolation is difficult, it is the best thing right now to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Use the tips above and keep your day running as normally as you can!

How have you been adjusting to self-isolation? What do you do to keep yourself from getting cabin fever? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

5 Best Ways To Look After Your Skin

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5 Best Ways To Look After Your Skin

The sad truth is that many people aren’t looking after their skin as much as they should. Because of that fact, more folks are complaining of things like skin irritations, sunburn, and even getting strange new marks that they’ve never had before. If you’re guilty of paying too little attention to your skin, read on and find out how you can begin improving:

Get enough sleep each night:

If you’re something of a night owl, now’s the time to change your habits. Thousands of websites explain why you should get at least six to eight hours of uninterrupted good-quality sleep.

What you may not know is that sleeping well each night does wonders for your skin, hence the term ‘beauty sleep’! When you go to sleep, your body does a lot of housekeeping behind the scenes. One of its tasks is to help your skin cells and tissue get rejuvenated while you rest.

Get questionable skin moles and marks checked:

It’s not uncommon for people to get small dark circles appearing in random parts of their body as they age. But, what if you have recently noticed a large patch of dark skin appear on your body? In such cases, you need to get it checked out by a general practice medical center like CBD Medical. That’s because moles that are large and suddenly appear or perhaps change shape or bleed could be a precursor to skin cancer.

3. Drink plenty of water each day:

One of the things that many people are guilty of each day is not drinking enough water. It’s no secret that water is one of the things vital to our well being and helps to keep our bodies functioning as they should.

If you are often dehydrated during the day, one thing you’ll notice is that your skin begins to feel rough and may even crack. With that in mind, be sure to drink several glasses of water each day. After all, water is free and is a natural skin moisturizer.

4. Use a non-toxic face cleanser each day:

If you live in a busy city or even in the suburbs, it’s likely your face will attract all kinds of dirt and pollutants from the air around you. Having a bath or shower each day will help to get rid of some of those pollutants. But, you should also add in a non-toxic face cleansing session to your daily routine.

5. Use the right level of suntan lotion protection:

Lastly, be sure to apply the right level of suntan lotion protection to your skin. Doing so will prevent your skin from getting cooked by the sun and making you resemble a lobster! Plus, it will substantially lower the risk of developing conditions like skin cancer.

Begin taking better care of your skin today with the tips above!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Passing Time In Self-Isolation Pt. 2

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Passing Time In Self-Isolation Pt. 2

Hello! Crazy times, amiright? And, amid all of this craziness, it is so important to keep yourselves safe and healthy. This means limiting your time in public as much as possible. And, you know what? That’s fine by me! I have been having the best time hunkered down with Johnny (my boyfriend) playing Rock Band, watching Band Of Brothers, and indulging in our new obsession of Magic The Gathering. As much as I enjoy an evening at the bar, a quiet evening in is definitely what I prefer.

I had to laugh at a meme that said something like “when you realize your normal lifestyle is considered a quarantine” because that holds quite a bit of accuracy to me! But, if you’re still struggling to find ways to keep yourself occupied, allow me to suggest the following:

Learn Something New:

Sure, you could spend your time in self-isolation binging TV… And, believe you me, I’ve had my fair share of America’s Next Top Model marathons. But, you could also use this time to learn something new. Take a virtual tour of a museum, which is now being offered through a lot of establishments. Try your hand at a new language. Give a craft on Pinterest a shot. You’ll be amazed at where you end up once the self-isolation recommendation has lifted if you chip away at a new skill every day.

Cook A Great Meal:

I am so thankful that I went grocery shopping a week before all of the closings started happening because my pantry is fully stocked. And, since going out for dinner isn’t possible right now, I have enjoyed cooking in my kitchen every day. I love making breakfast over the weekend for my boyfriend and revel in when I can have dinner ready for him when he gets home. It is never not satisfying to me to lay out a meal that I made.

Open up a recipe book and give a few new ones a go, cook an old favorite, or bake and decorate a cake. An afternoon helping mom or dad bake cookies always goes down well for the little ones, too!

Exercise:

Unfortunately, all of the skating rinks in my neck of the woods are closed so I cannot have my weekly skate sesh. This sucks but it also doesn’t mean that I can’t still be active, which is so crucial when you’re stuck at home and being more sedentary. Do some crunches during your TV time or lift some weights. And, although community hangs are frowned upon – going out for a brisk hike or walk around the neighborhood isn’t.

Rearrange/Redecorate:

If you’re beginning to feel the effects of cabin fever, try rearranging your home or the room that you spend the most time in. Switching out knick knacks, changing the position of the couch, or reorganizing your book or movie shelves can breathe a whole new life into a space. And, if you’re on the hunt for something brand new, order online and make sure you love it since you’re going to be seeing a lot of it for a while. 😉

Although things feel scary right now don’t let it get in the way of enjoying yourself as you try out the ideas above!

How has the coronavirus effected you? What have you been doing to stay occupied? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Passing Time In Self-Isolation

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Passing Time In Self-Isolation

Hi everyone! I hope that all of you are managing to stay healthy and safe during this crazy time. I also hope that you’re staying sane after hearing coronavirus related news all day every day because that can be a bit much, too. As more businesses, schools, and gathering places close and events are cancelled, it’s easy to feel trapped. And, if you are practicing self-isolation you might be running out of things to do to keep occupied which just adds to the panic. So, allow me to come in with a few suggestions:

Read A Book:

This is such an obvious idea but you’d be amazed at all of the posts I see on Facebook asking for binge worthy show suggestions as opposed to an un-put-downable book. Crack open that novel you’ve been holding off on reading for ages, sit back, relax, and read. And I mean really read, which means more than just one chapter! A few weeks back, I borrowed Doctor Sleep by Stephen King from the library and am hoping to finish that during my free time.

Work On A Puzzle:

I happen to really enjoy a good jigsaw puzzle and, while everything is so up in the air, it is a great way to kill an afternoon. Although I still have to go to work, I plan on limiting seeing my clients just in their home instead of in the community so I definitely see a lot of puzzles in my future. You are not limited to jigsaw puzzles, though! Try a word search, crossword, jumbles, Sudoku, or Mahjong to fill up some free time.

Binge Watch A Little:

Lol, it would be cruel and unusual to not put this suggestion on the list but try not to go overboard with it. Limit yourself to one to two episodes a day so your brain doesn’t turn into complete mush. That’s not to say you can’t treat yourself to an America’s Next Top Model bingeathon (God knows I have!), but don’t make that the norm while outside activities are so limited.

Spring Clean:

If now isn’t the perfect time to spring clean, then I genuinely don’t know when it would be. Set aside some time during the day to tackle at least one room or area of your home or apartment. Disinfect, dust, sweep, and Swiffer until your place is sparkling. Don’t forget to really clean things like light switches, door knobs, handles, and the toilet flusher!

Games Galore:

While in self-isolation, my boyfriend and I have grown very partial to video games, particularly Rock Band. We have such a blast playing the different songs, talking about music, and honing in on our skill. We both play on hard on the guitar… But I don’t mean to brag. 😉 My beau and I have also been playing Little Big Planet, Unraveled, Mario Party, and Super Smash Bros. to help pass the time. We both highly recommend Unraveled and, although it has long since been beaten, we always enjoy playing it again from time to time.

If video games aren’t your thing, then board or card and computer games work just as well. There are an insane amount of online games to choose from like Galactic Wins Casino (if gambling is something you enjoy), WOW, and Bubble Pop; the list just goes on. I just wish that Rollercoaster Tycoon was still a thing on the computer! Classic computer games like pinball, checkers, and solitaire are also great ways to kill time and are perfect for a less intense gaming experience. I love playing solitaire and it’s so easy to keep playing once you’re on a winning streak!

I, myself, really enjoy Scrabble and Sequence and I never say no to a good game of Monopoly. One of my clients enjoys playing Poker and I have gotten pretty into that, too. You can also play casino style games online on sites like มาวินเบท if you are lacking a group or partner to play with. Games are such a fun way to pass the time and reconnect since going out to dinner is not an option right now.

From the ideas above to cooking an amazing meal or even starting a blog, I hope these suggestions come in handy when you feel the boredom of self-isolation sinking in. Enjoy!

How have you been spending your free time amid the coronavirus panic? What is a book, movie, show, or game suggestion that you recommend? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah