I live in Southern China, which means we have been in isolation since February. We are now in Week 8 and I am getting a severe case of restlessness. Like everyone I just want life to go back to normal. On the other hand, I am very thankful that the Chinese government enforced isolation and tried to make life here as safe as possible. Did the country take a hit financially? Absolutely! But in my mind if you have a drop in people available for the workforce and are dealing with something that is going to suck all of the healthcare resources isn’t that more damaging to the economy in the long run? I just hope that the rest of the world gets onboard and tries to do everything possible to make sure that COVID-19 is contained.
The days when we could go where we please.
A big complaint that I have heard from friends and people on the news is the fear of boredom. I feel like I sound so old when I say, “Well back in the day we were always bored, but we just dealt with it.” When I was in primary school there were tons of time we were bored. We couldn’t rely on the internet or smart phones. We had to get creative and think of something to entertain ourselves with for long periods of time.
Over these last 8 weeks I have been trying to reset my mind. I have been making myself a to do list every day to stay productive. I have found that doing things that make me feel productive give me a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day and combat some of the feelings of idleness.
Here is what I have been up to.
- Organizing my house! I hate hate hate hate clutter. So I have started to organizing my house. It has started with the clothes. I took a note from Marie Kondo and I have to say that lady is a genius.
- Caught up on my knitting. I don’t have a huge stash issue per se, but I do have a queue issue. I love purchasing and downloading patterns so I can be ready to start something new when I finish a project. Right now I have about 15 projects waiting in the wings. One of the top ones is the Clementine.
- Tried some new recipes. We live in a pretty rural area so I need to do most of the cooking as there are not many restaurants open. This Mango, Cucumber, and Tomato Salad was great with some chicken wings.
- Online learning. There are tons of resources out there to broaden your knowledge. Find a blog, webinar, and/or Youtube video and learn something new. I am currently learning about how to be better reading instructor.
- Learn a language. My husband and I are trying to learn Mandarin. After living in China for 2.5 years (and hiring a Mandarin speaking nanny for our baby) we decided to get serious about mastering the language. We enrolled in online classes. Prior to this we were using APPs and Rosetta Stone. Check out free APPs like Duolingo and Babbel for many popular languages to get started.
- Get exercise! Our living compound has a lot of open space . We try to take walks at times when there isn’t a lot of people outside. If you can’t venture outside there are always Youtube videos for all types of exercise. I personally love Zumba and Pilates.
- Catch up with friends. Remember when you use to call people all the time? Like actually picked up the phone, dialed, and communicated with oral language? If you are anything like me you text all the time. Due to the time difference between China and the US, it is often easier for me to text people. Recently, I have been using FaceTime to have some long chats and catch up with friends.
Social isolation doesn’t have to seem like you are in jail. I am not going to lie it sucks, but I feel it is my duty as a human on earth to do my part to protect my fellow humans. We can all do our part! Wash your hands, stay away from crowds, and take some time to do things that you have been meaning to do!
What have you been up to during your isolation time?
Until Next Time,
-Whit-
knitsbywhit 
Clearly we have some common DNA. I just bought a set of interchangeable needles so I can tackle some more knitting projects and started an online knitting class. I’m determined to become a picker not a thrower. I’ve cleaned out my bedroom closets and have several bags of clothes for donation. Taking some online computer classes to up my game from old man status to hipster status. And I have made so much soup in the last two weeks that I have meals for months. But I do miss going out to eat.
Glad to hear you are well. How’s Amelia? She must be developing quite a personality now. How mobile is she? Is Charlie having as much success as you with the isolation?
Take care of yourself.
Love,
Rick
She is not mobile thankfully! We are not baby proofed yet. 😬 Glad to see you are doing well despite the circumstances.
I enjoyed your post. I seem to have no problem keeping busy but I do have to make an effort to stay connected. I am going to check out the Clementine pattern. Meanwhile, I am working on knitting a pair of socks.
We’re going into lockdown tonight. You’ve done eight weeks and I’m stressing about three… All the best from South Africa. 😉
You can do it! Stay safe. 🙏🏾
Thank you! All the best to you on your side of the world.
We went into total lockdown in New Zealand yesterday (Wednesday), although it was already starting on Monday. Aside from the obvious financial difficulties, I am actually looking forward to having some uninterrupted time to get through some of the projects that have been piling up around me for a long time. At this point it is hard for me to imagine having time to get bored! 🙂
There is a glimmer of light in every situation. Stay healthy by staying home and crafting! 😄
Your post made me smile – if we ever dared to say “I’m bored” or “that’s boring” as kids, my mum would reply “only boring people get bored!” Here in Western Australia we are already working from home and from next week will also be homeschooling too. Not officially in lockdown yet but avoiding going out (although I’ve been happy to be able to get groceries for friends who have to self-isolate). We are so lucky these days with all the resources on the internet, but I’m also hoping to get stuck into the garden a bit more as the weather gets a bit cooler and working out creative ways to use up little leftover bits of yarn from bigger projects – might be time to learn how to knit stripes / crochet granny squares / maybe even start some stranded colourwork! Take care, Sally x
Sounds like a fantastic use of your day. I definitely found that being on the internet made me feel “bored” quickly. It is a great feeling to be active within the limits of isolation. ☺️
Glad to hear you are safe. I’ve mostly been working. I’m fortunate to still be working and still being paid, but I really need to take some time off. The stress is getting to me.
Hopefully you can make some changes and/or schedule some rest into your schedule soon!
I’m with you on the decluttering and knitting through my stash. I’m a primary care doc, and kind of stressed out right now— so many unknowns, how to take care of people properly, how to protect my family, limited gear— so I’m just doing really simple, relaxing projects. Hats, basically. :). Thanks for all the advice!
. Thank you for caring for so many people! I can’t imagine how stressful it is! Knitting always keeps me centered so I hope you find some time to do some self-care during these crazy times. 😊🙏🏾
It’s been tough, our kitchen was torn apart for renovation and blocked off with plastic sheets for dust (and virus) protection. We have use of it back now for a bit as tile floor is done. But it’s challenging when the laundry room is on the other side. I am petrified as we live in a resort area & people are flocking her to get away from the cities. They are probably bringing the virus with them. Knitting is not on my mind at all. Thankfully I have these two sweet (wild) corgi puppies to keep me active and busy.
Thank goodness for the pups! That sounds very trying indeed. My advise is to stay diligent about distancing and maintaining hygiene at home. Thinking about the things I can control has calmed my anxiety a little. Wishing you a safe week!