Are you typically on the move and adventuring but find yourself stagnant during these pandemic days? Isolation and confinement can stir dreaded feelings of cabin fever. Thus, it’s vital to discover healthy ways to cope. In this post, I’d love to share with you the things I do to help combat the cabin fever blues. The following list of 7 Ways to Combat Cabin Fever are my top ways to keep positive, stay creative and remain calm.
1 of 7 Ways to Combat Cabin Fever:
Go for a secluded hike in nature
What better way to combat cabin fever than to get outdoors and freely roam in the fresh air? With that being said, stay mindful of social distancing and be careful not to hike in populated areas.
Just the other day, my husband and I attempted to hike in a local state park (McConnell’s Mill). However, upon our drive through the park, we were inundated with hundreds of visitors and these visitors clearly weren’t taking precaution. Instead, because of the park’s extreme crowdedness, we made the wise decision to search for nearby off-the-beaten-path trails.
How do you find secluded trails?
My best advice is to revisit the corners of the woods you grew up in; the secret spots only locals know by heart. For example, I asked my husband (since he grew up a few miles away from the park) “where did you use to go to explore in solitude?” That led us to a sweet little trail near Frew Fall in Kennedy Mill. It was a heavenly place: sparkling waterfalls, a rushing creek, dancing sun rays, towering boulders and inviting slot canyons. Thanks to this hidden gem, we were able to adventure in a peaceful and safe location. The only interruption: a handful of hikers keeping their distance.
For locals who wish to responsibly enjoy this spot, find more trail information in the link below:
Spending the day actively enjoying nature provided me with the escape I needed and provided me with the remedy for my cabin fever – even if it was just for one day.
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2 of 7 Ways to Combat Cabin Fever:
Workout and move your body at home
Considering moving is part of my brand, it goes without saying: I need to move. Even more, exercising is a healthy habit and an essential practice to implement into our daily lives. All this down time is the perfect opportunity to strike up an exercise routine that works best for you.
Thanks to the internet, there are a bevy of instructional at home workout videos to follow along with. Personally, I’ve been taking full advantage of the free subscription Down Dog Yoga App is offering during the pandemic. Down Dog is a solid app with customizable practices and it is suitable for all stages (beginners included). The app even allows its users to stream their practice on their TV screen via Chromecast.
What is Google Chromecast?
What are some of the yoga practice customizations this app includes?
- Choose the type of practice you wish to do: Full Practice, Hatha, Gentle, Restorative, Quick Flow, Yin, Ashtanga and more.
- Pick the background music: nature sounds, spiritual, ambient, acoustic, alt beats plus others.
- Set your pace (from slowest to fastest).
- Decide on your yoga practice level (anywhere between beginner 1 to advanced).
- Give your practice a boost and focus on a specific area: chest and shoulder stretches, aerobic, core strength, flexibility, breathing, hip stretches and the list goes on.
- Settle on your practice length for the day: choose any length at all! Then, choose the length of Savasana to end with.
All in all, moving your body releases endorphins that can aid in combatting any negative emotions you may be experiencing while stuck at home.
Shop the yoga mat I use below:
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3 of 7 Ways to Combat Cabin Fever:
Garden and do yard work
If you have a yard (no matter its size), this is a superb way to break free from your house while still practicing social distancing. Not to mention, tending to the earth has powerful healing elements on its own: it enables a deep relationship between you and the earth to form and flourish. Any negative emotions begin to be replaced with feelings of nurture and care, excitement and pride. Stress and anxiety can be relieved simply by immersing yourself in your own land (i.e. the benefits of bathing in green).
What is bathing in green and the benefits of gardening?
One of my good online pals, @mollywild_, wrote down the significance of gardening/taking care of plants and I believe her eloquent and beautiful words speak volumes to this subject (see below).
Personally, I can testify to the validity of these benefits. Through lots of sweat and hard work, my husband and I completely transformed our urban backyard from a nasty wasteland to a little outdoor haven. Working with the earth bonded me to this plot of land that I had formerly despised. Now, I’ve even grown proud to call it “mine“. I look forward to planting my flowers and tending to my garden. Anticipating our first fire brings a smile to my face. Landscaping and decorating brings me a sense of creative fulfillment. All in all, it gives me something to look forward to each and every day with a sense of accomplishment to boot!
Before and after photos of our yard below. (I am still waiting for the flowers to bloom and am still working on the landscaping + decor).
Below are some items that I purchased to spruce up my yard.
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4 of 7 Ways to Combat Cabin Fever:
Laugh with friends by playing games over Zoom or by creating funny works together
“If Laughter cannot solve your problems, it will definitely DISSOLVE your problems; so that you can think clearly what to do about them.” – Dr. Madan Kataria
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My friends and I have made a weekly online game night out of playing funny Jackbox.tv games together and screen-sharing over Zoom (video conference).
One person opts to share their lap-top screen so that everyone on the video conference can see the game. Then, all players use their mobile devices to play on their end.
Still not sure how to play Jackbox.tv games over Zoom? Click the link below for video instructions.
Some of our favorite Jackbox games are Fibbage, Quiplash and Drawful.
In the game Drawful, each player gets a unique prompt they must draw on their phone/tablet and all the while you’ll be racing against the clock. Next, a player’s drawing will be revealed (one at a time) on the shared screen and all the other players must type in what on earth they think it is a drawing of. After all guesses are in, all the players’ answers will be shown on the shared screen but only one of the answers is the correct one (the prompt given to the artist). Finally, everyone must choose which they believe to be CORRECT. Players are awarded points for guessing the correct prompt AND awarded points for tricking others to guess theirs. The artist receives maximum points for each player who correctly guesses what it is they’ve drawn.
To sum it up: Everyone’s drawings are horrendous (hence the name) and it leads to ceaseless fits of laughter as people attempt to figure out what it could possibly be.
If this isn’t your cup of tea, try getting creative with friends remotely.
My husband and I came up with the silly idea of doing a Disney song parody with our friends. Each friend sent us snippets of them singing their own version of “Just Around the River Bend“. Once we acquired all their snippets, we edited them together to make one ridiculous yet funny video. It brought laughter to all those who joined in the fun of making it AND it brought laughter to those who watched.
Moreover, it was a funny bonding experience from afar. We were able to collaborate with friends while remaining at home.
Peep the whacky video below.
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5 of 7 Ways to Combat Cabin Fever:
Journal and write down your feelings. Express yourself
These are unprecedented times we are experiencing and, naturally, we’re experiencing a flood of foreign emotions as a result. Expressing your thoughts and feelings can be therapeutic and even a form of negative release. By outwardly releasing your inner emotions onto paper or screen, you’re able to make space for new and improved thoughts. And, self-expression is a key factor in communicating better with your own soul – it’s a personal growth mechanism I find very beneficial and enlightening.
“Journals are like a checkpoint between your emotions and the world” – clinical psychologist Beth Jacobs, Ph.D
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For example, I was feeling all the feels yesterday after finally getting some quality time to hike in nature. My forest bath rejuvenated my spirit and I felt the urge to express these bubbling emotions pronto. So, I sat down and wrote a poem that expressed all that I felt in that moment. Is it good? Probably not. Do I care? No. Want to know why? Because it FELT good to express myself.
Letting overwhelming emotions fester is never a healthy option. Rather, opt to improve and heighten your emotional intelligence by taking healthy and proactive steps, such as writing and/or journaling. Distancing yourself from your emotions allows you the opportunity to evaluate from the outside; pinpoint patterns, gain relief and make sense of it all.
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6 of 7 Ways to Combat Cabin Fever:
Learn a new skill or brush up on an old one
Learning a new skill, or brushing up on an old one, is a rewarding endeavor. Not only does it engage your mind by keeping your neural pathways active, but it can also be therapeutic for a worried brain. Unlocking new potentials is a tremendous self-esteem booster and is a gateway to motivation, inspiration, and discipline.
There are a multitude of learning resources available online and some of them are even free (hence: YouTube, blogs, forums etc).
Personally, I have been diving into SEO classes as well as brushing up on my photography and wilderness skills/knowledge. While these are practical things that help me grow and improve my business and life, they’re also fun and rewarding – so it’s a win-win combination.
Learning photography while social distancing:
Aside from online blogs, videos and my photographer husband (of course), I found the book (below) to be extremely helpful in building my photography skillset. National Geographic Complete Photography doesn’t just tell you how to do things, rather it explains why you’re settings should be set a certain why to achieve a certain look +more. For instance, if I’m looking to shoot landscape photos, then I simply turn to the specific landscape photography chapter to learn how to best achieve my goal. It’s very comprehensive, ranging from a chapter dedicated to lenses and exposure to sections dedicated to National Geographic photographers giving you their professional notes. I couldn’t recommend it more!
Learning a new language at home:
Furthermore, a goal of mine is to learn Spanish with the help of a rad gift from my parents:
However, there are other ways to go about this like the free option of using Duolingo. In my opinion, it’s a good tool but not nearly as effective as Living Language (above) or Rosetta Stone.
Why learn a new language? Knowing multiple languages is an extremely valuable skillset when traveling, when meeting and communicating with different people and when applying for a job or promotion etc (it’s great on applications of all sorts). Effective communication is clutch when navigating through life and learning a new language is an ultimate way to improve upon your communication skills.
Learning survival skills:
In what appears to be apocalyptic times, it makes one wonder “am I fit to survive?” On top of this burning question, I already love camping and surviving in the great outdoors so it’s the perfect recipe. Therefore, I’ve taken it upon myself to bring along my trusty pocket guides (below) while hiking in the woods. Who says you can’t simultaneously enjoy a hike while closely studying your surroundings? To me, it adds to the fun and excitement. You can even make a game out of it with your family: who can identify the most animal tracks or edible plants?
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7 of 7 Ways to Combat Cabin Fever:
Relax
Relaxation is crucial for managing cabin fever symptoms, such as: restlessness, agitation, depression and anxiety BUT it’s not always easy to do. Find ways that most effectively get your mind, body and soul to relax.
Meditate
Meditation has been a widely used and proven practice to reduce stress, control anxiety, improve sleep and decrease blood pressure. Find a peaceful area of your home or yard, get in the most comfortable position (laying or sitting) and clear your mind while focusing on your breath. To help guide your meditation, try using the free Insight Timer App.
Another helpful tool is to focus on…
- 5 things you can see
- 4 things you can feel
- 3 things you can hear
- 2 things you can smell
- 1 thing you can taste
Enact a calming practice to enhance self-awareness:
For many, this may be simply praying or journaling. Although I do these things as well, I also find guidance and introspection by doing Tarot Readings. The ritual is very relaxing for me, thanks to: the smell of the incense, the aesthetic of the crystals, the ambience of the candle light and the vibrations of the soothing music. I become self-aware by interpreting the cards and by reflecting on my life, understanding how they relate. While journaling these readings, I simultaneously focus on 5 initial things I see in my card, 4 things that the card makes me feel, 3 things I hear guiding me, 2 things I smell surrounding me and a taste I have in my mouth.
A few products / companies I consistently use during my Tarot Readings are as follow:
For more on this topic, check out my post below.
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As always,
Thank you so much for reading and happy social distancing!
Mindy
