Hacking Isolation with creativity

Knitting. Wood carving. Macro-photography. Magic tricks. Basket weaving. Drawing. What do these all have in common?

Many of us have been stuck at home for weeks now. What initially seemed like an impromptu vacation and a chance to relax has been slowly turning into boredom, maybe even increased feelings of anxiety from needing to be more active. We've written before about exercise and altering one's mindset to take back control of the situation. In this post we'll explore how to make good use of your free time with creativity.

Occupying one's hands can go a long way toward passing the time in a useful or meaningful way. Do you have a hobby or activity that you've enjoyed in the past? Or perhaps one that you've been wanting to take up? This might be the perfect moment to get around to it.

When the hands are working it is often the case that the mind is engaged on the activity as well, thus taking the focus away from feeling lonely or restless.

There are so many ways a person can put their hands to work! Here is a short list of ideas:

1. Calligraphy
2. Painting
3. Sewing
4. Woodworking
5. Sculpting
6. Writing poetry
7. Cross-stitch
8. Jewelry making
9. Flower arranging
10. Model making
11. Baking
12. Quilting
13. Gardening
14. Origami
15. Fingernail decorative art
16. Juggling
17. Collecting (stamps, coins, cards, etc.)
18. Pottery
19. Candle making
20. Baton twirling
21. Learn a musical instrument 
22. Pysanka (Ukranian egg decoration)

The internet is a wonderful resource. You can find instructions and videos for any or all of these online, from beginner first steps to advanced professional work.

Of course, there are many other crafty ideas beyond these. This list is just to kind of kick-start your imagination. We'd love to hear your creative ideas! Please share in the comments.