Ten Ideas for Keeping Busy in The New Year

Once all the festivities are over, we sit in silence and shake our heads at the furry and hurry. Now it is our time. Winter is here and not the best time of the year to be out and about. What are you doing with the extra time that you have on your hands now? Here are ten ideas to keep you busy.

New Year's tips for COPD

Consider learning a new skill or pick up a new hobby

• Challenge yourself to read something from a new genre. You may find what you have been missing. If your eyes are tired, think about audiobooks. It would be a nice change to lay down in the afternoon and listen to a book.
• Learn a new skill like painting, a new language or update your computer skills. It would be amazing to have something else to think about than your COPD. Google is amazing and you can find lots of courses to take for free.
• Knitting and crocheting can help you get a handle on next year's presents. You can purchase wool cheap at this time of year and knit scarfs for everyone. Consider learning to use a loom to eliminate knitting needles and open the door to all kinds of possibilities.
• If you have a sewing machine, get it out and put it in service. Pinterest and YouTube can help with tutorials and free lessons on anything and everything you would like to sew. Dazzle your family with the things you can do.

Meet new people and write about your experiences

• Join a new group, like a reading club, that has nothing to do with COPD. Look at your senior center, library, online or your local book store for something interesting. Sometimes it's just nice to forget about COPD and find something normal to do that has nothing to do with your illness.
• Consider starting a daily journal. Document your health and track the triggers, like weather, that make a difference in your disease. I have been doing this daily for many years and I have learned things about COPD that I would not have known. I always include a gratitude tracker. It helps to keep me humble.
• Start seed pods for your spring garden. There are hundreds of videos on YouTube that will help you to get started and keep your seedlings healthy until spring planting time. There is something to be said about growing something that could not survive without you.

Avoid physical and mental clutter

• Practice mindfulness to ward off anxiety. You don’t need to buy anything, just Google “Mindfulness” or go to YouTube or Pinterest and you will have more information than you can possibly read. By finding an hour a day to practice, it will come easy to you when you have a lot of anxiety.
• De-cluttering your home and your space can be done a little bit at a time. This is a tough job for most of us but it's like showering. Once it is done, you feel great about what you accomplished.
• Get an adult coloring book and start a coloring career. This is an activity that helps to keep anxiety at bay.

I hope that you find one or two of these suggestions helpful and a fun way to pass away your winter blues.

Editor’s Note: We are extremely saddened to say that on January 7th, 2024, Barbara Moore passed away. Barbara’s advocacy efforts and writing continue to reach many. She will be deeply missed.