Yes, we are in week six of our official stay-at-home order—if you were wondering—and it’s business as usual over here. Between puzzles, work, homeschooling and cooking up meals that feed our souls (hello, carbs!), we are delighted by anything new to keep us going. Here are five things keeping us busy at home that we think you’ll love too.
Solve a Crossword Puzzle
While jigsaw puzzles are great, sometimes making enough space for them can be a challenge and sadly, sometimes pieces get lost — leading to the opposite of calm! Crossword puzzles require no extra space, help you expand your vocabulary and combat onset of Alzheimer’s. Check out this list to find which one best suits your skill set, print it and you’re good to go.
Become a Compost Pro
With all the waste we are creating at home, it’s time to get your composting routine down, if you haven’t yet. So what’s the best way to handle food scraps and green waste at home? Here are composting tips to clarify this sometimes puzzling process and get you on a cleaner, greener path.
Embrace Carbs and Sugar
While this delicious recipe is probably not one you’ll be making on a weekly basis — especially if you are trying to fend off the dreaded Coronabod (here are some ideas on how to keep it at bay) — it is the ultimate in warm, cinnamon-y goodness. And what makes Ambitious Kitchen’s the best cinnamon rolls you’ll ever eat? Well, if you ask us it has to be the gooey cream cheese icing.
Get to Know Your Backyard Visitors
An age-old pastime, birding is experiencing a massive resurgence. Not only is it essentially a multi-sensory game of real-life “I Spy,” it also yields health benefits that are backed by science. “Evidence is there to support the conclusion that contact with nature benefits our mood, our psychological well-being, our mental health, and our cognitive functioning,” says University of Washington environmental psychologist Gregory Bratman in Audubon Magazine. Learn more about the birds in your ‘hood here.
Show Mom Some Love
Mother’s Day is coming up soon, and whether you are together 24/7 lately or apart, we bet your mom deserves some spoiling. Here are 20 gifts—including unique virtual gifts—from local stores that show her some love, and are all available online, for delivery or safe pick-up. As a bonus, they support our local businesses during the Covid-19 stay-at-home order, too.
How You Can Help
As you take care of your own well being and mental health, consider that many are also struggling right now. Here are some organizations that accept donations that help give people the support and supplies they need to get through this time.
- A Safe Haven Foundation
A Safe Haven provides housing for individuals and families whose lives have been impacted negatively by addiction. - NAMI Chicago
NAMI provides hope and improves the quality of life for those whose lives are affected by mental health conditions. - The Family Institute at Northwestern University
Connect virtually with therapists, researchers and educators.
Find more deserving nonprofits on our Better List.
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Macaire Douglas lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband and two sons. She proudly supports Save Abandoned Babies Foundation, a Chicago-based nonprofit organization that works tirelessly to prevent the illegal abandonment of newborns nationwide. Since its inception in 2000, more than 3,600 newborns have been safely surrendered and adopted into loving homes.
