What I'm Doing Without Travel to Stay Busy

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I’m ready for a trip! Any trip. Near or far! Put me on an airplane, train, car, boat, anything. You guys feel me? Isn’t it all so interesting, weird, random, fun at times, boring at others, and sad in between? We’re all just looking for ways to stay busy. I don’t know about you, but I have never been home this many weekends in a row…in my life.

And it’s not only traveling I miss. It’s going to the bar for happy hour, consistent books from the library, working out at the gym, and I definitely took running into the grocery store for granted! Now it’s a whole process. But all that said…

We Gotta Stay Positive.

And enjoy it for what it is. There are benefits to this whole thing. Hey, the earth is much cleaner, and I think she deserved that. We are all slowing down—puzzles, anyone? There’s more time with those we love most. MUCH more time…lol. We’re FaceTiming family/friends and saying hi to everyone we pass on the street.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m ready to hop on an airplane to just about anywhere right now. But here is what I am doing to stay busy and positive during the coronavirus outbreak. Hopefully, it gives you some ideas!

Time Outside

A daily MUST. And I’m lucky to be able to do it in Minnesota. The weather is even starting to cooperate! Twice a day, I take a 30-minute walk around my neighborhood. And let me tell you. I am (self-proclaimed) directionally challenged, but now I know more streets and places around my neighborhood than I ever thought possible! Little happiness trick: take one or two photos each walk you go on and start to save them into a little sub-folder off your phone. One, you notice small things. And two, it creates a beautiful collection!

Plus, as of late, I’m exploring other areas in Minneapolis. The Chain of Lakes, Minnehaha Falls, Boom Island Park. We can’t travel far, but at least Minnesota gives us a TON of options to get outdoors. I even purchased a $10 frisbee and it’s my new favorite hobby. #simplejoys

Coming Soon: Places to Get Outside Near the Twin Cities. Writing now and super excited about it!

Books on Books

You know I’m always reading something! Especially now that I need to stay busy. Here are some options to let your mind wander from reality!

What I’ve been reading lately:

American Dirt—4.2 stars. There’s some backlash on this book but, honestly, I loved it. It’s a fiction novel about a mom and her young son forced to escape Mexico for the U.S. as undocumented immigrants. I read it every minute I could. It opens eyes and, hopefully, starts conversations around a controversial topic.
Normal People—3.6 stars. Two complex teens from opposite worlds continue to cross paths. It’s a frustrating love story that breaks your heart again and again but keeps you coming back. It’s not for everyone, but I’d give it 3.6 stars. PLUS, it’s now on Hulu so it’s perfect for quarantine.
An Anonymous Girl—4.0 stars. Who doesn’t love a good thriller? I binged this book in a weekend. Honestly, more so because I had the time vs. being obsessed with the book. I was a bit disappointed with the ending…but it’s worth the read if you’re on a thriller kick!
Dear Edward—3.8 stars. This is about a 12-year-old boy who was the lone survivor in a plane crash. It toggles between the day of the crash and how he is navigating life post-crash. Lots of emotion.
Olive Kitteridge—3.0 stars. Separate stories (by chapter) about people from a small town in Maine who are all connected to the same brash, forthright woman, Olive. Beautiful writing and won a Pulitzer Prize. I honestly wasn’t super into it. But also couldn’t stop?
CURRENTLY READING: Olive, Again. This came out recently so I read the above first (obviously) and am now reading the sequel. So far, I like it way more than the first.
WHAT’S NEXT: Oona Out of Order. Book club pick. And The Girls in the Garden. Always multiple on deck lol.

My Top Recommendations for Quarantine:

Shoe Dog—5.0 stars. My favorite book of all time. Phil Knight and the story of Nike. A crazy and inspiring story if you are into business and/or memoirs.
Educated—5.0 stars. Oh, how I loved this book. This should be on everyone’s bookshelf. A memoir written by a girl from Idaho who overcomes her Mormon family (who didn’t believe in school or modern medicine) to find a better life. Extremely captivating, you’ll be hooked from the get-go.
City of Girls—4.8 stars. This is such a fun read. PERFECT for quarantine. An old woman looking back on her drama-rich life while living in NYC in the 1940s. Glamour, scandal, pleasure, regret. You won’t want it to end.
The Silent Patient—4.7 stars. A fantastic thriller with a crazy, twisted, unexpected ending. Very binge-worthy! Buy it. Read it. Tell me what you think!
Where the Crawdad’s Sing—4.4 stars. The story of a young girl that grows up isolated and how she is connected to a murder investigation. Beautiful writing. Really takes you away and if you haven’t picked this one up yet, it’s a must.

Podcasts

This is nothing new. I am always a podcast junkie, pandemic or not. But I’m definitely keeping up with all of my favorites these days to stay busy! Here are some you might like too:

MindPump: These guys keep it real about fitness & health. Most episodes are structured by first talking about what’s going on in the world, themselves, and their business partners. Then they answer 4 fitness questions submitted by listeners.
The Skinny Confidential Him & Her: this couple is bougie AF but they do give awesome tips and inspiration for living a positive and happy life. #260 Misery Loves Company is the perfect episode for what we are going through right now.
Ed Mylett Show: Ed interviews high performers (professional athletes, politicians, business owners, entertainers, etc.) to talk about their journey, knowledge, and leadership. Super inspiring!
Snacks Daily: A quick (15-20 minute) dose of financial news. What’s going on in the stock market, who is up, who is down, and all delivered in lamen’s terms—with jokes!
The James Altucher Show: Great business podcast. Tons of episodes, a variety of topics, and interviews.
The Drop Out: An oldie but a goodie in true crime. The rise and fall of Elizabeth Warren and her company, Theranos. Listen to this! It’s only 6 episodes. And if you’re into it, the book is great too, Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup.

Home Workouts + Meditation

Strength, HIIT & Yoga

The daily walks are great but I miss the gym and find myself perusing the interwebs for ways to move my body! Here are some of my favorites:

MindPump: I purchased their MAPS Anywhere workout program so I always have strength workouts to choose from. They also have a GREAT (free) YouTube channel.
Heather Robertson: She is my go-to when I am looking for cardio, HIIT-style workouts.
Yoga with Adrienne: When I want a calm (or intense!) yoga practice. Shoutout to my cousin for sharing!

Meditation

I don’t think I am alone in this one! A lot of us have given it a go in the last 5+ weeks in an attempt to calm the mind during all this confusion. And that includes me! I have been practicing 2-3x per week and I can honestly say it makes an impact. I’m not perfect. My thoughts still run wild and I’ve fallen asleep more than once. But it’s something that takes time and there’s only going up from here!

I started with the YMCA Twin Cities Facebook LIVE practices (shameless plug, but it’s true) and have tried a few free ones on YouTube as well. Shoot me over any good ones!

Church [Online] + Avocado Toast

Every Sunday morning! A big breakfast (which to me means variations of avocado toast #millennial) paired with Churchome online from the comfort of the couch. Lead pastor Judah Smith really helps put everything into perspective. He’s energetic, hilarious, and no one out there makes Jesus seem cooler than Judah does. If you haven’t listened to him speak before, trust me. You’ll love it! You don’t need to be a Christian or Jesus follower to give it a try—he speaks to all.

This is a great starting point: When You Feel Like You’re Losing

The Sopranos

Tony Soprano. I freakin’ love him. My favorite TV show character of ALL time. This is FREE RIGHT NOW ON HBO GO. So if you haven’t watched it, NOW is the time! You won’t be disappointed; it’s a TIMELESS show. And you know how sometimes you watch old shows/movies and they just “look old?” Not the case here. It’s as if it came out today. Trust me!

Little Blue Backpack

Let me tell you, Little Blue Backpack has loved Shelter-in-Place. It’s been the perfect way for me to stay busy. I am writing more—Saturday and Sunday mornings before the sun comes up are the best. Quiet, hot coffee, nowhere to be, ideas left and right! I gave the entire site a facelift which took a lot of hours, but hey, I had them! I started posting on Instagram more. I’ve connected with a few other bloggers to start sharing content. The extra time has been awesome. If you have missed any of my recent posts, here they are.

Coronavirus Updates

Planning a Trip—since that’s about all we can do!

Take-Out Food

What better way to stay busy than by eating? I’m cooking meals most of the time (WHY does there ALWAYS have to be dishes in the sink…) but once a week-ish, we are ordering take out. One, it’s easy. Two, it supports small businesses. And three, it’s a break from the damn kitchen. We usually do this on Saturdays (and pair it with the Sopranos, of course!) If you’re in the Minneapolis area and going with pizza, it’s gotta be Young Joni. And sushi? Wakame. Always.

Where have you been ordering from?

We need more ideas! Drop them in the comments or over on my Instagram!

What I Have NOT Done

Baked Bread—what is this craze!? Comical to me what catches fire sometimes! On that note, I haven’t baked a thing. Just give me avocado toast.
Tye-Dyed—again, what? Why?
Cocktail Kits—these are cool! Who has a recommendation? Best place to buy one from?
Worn Jeans—like not even once. LOL #teamsweats

It can be tough to stay busy right now.

But hopefully, you are finding ways to have fun and keep things positive. I’m not sure how much more of this we have left, so if you have ideas people should know about, comment below! I won’t insert “we’re in this together” here…lol. Thanks for reading!