Today is the official first day of Spring! Wheeeeeeeeeeee! Depending where you live, it might feel Springy, or it might still feel Wintery. Here in Toronto today, it is pretty cold out, not bone-chilling cold, but not Spring-like at all. I know a lot of WAHMs and SAHMs are suffering from “Cabin Fever”, you have been cooped up indoors for far too long and are starting to go rangy. That can be a detriment to your family and your business.
You know how you always think of the best ideas when you are in the shower or out for a walk? That is because your brain is programed to work better when it is moving, so step away from the computer slowly, brush away the cobwebs and get outside. Exercise actually increases your problem solving capacity, so try a nice Spring walk. Notice all that is going on in the great outdoors – are the birds back? Any buds on the trees? Are new plants shooting up? Let your mind wander. Listen to music or just enjoy the sounds of nature.
Go to an area of town you are unfamiliar with and explore it with or without the kids. Allow your mind to absorb all of the new things you are seeing, feeling, smelling and if you are hungry, tasting :) Not only will this give you a trip out of the house, but stimulating the senses can trigger you to brainstorm new ideas.
Take the kids to a Children’s Museum or some sort of children’s learning center, you never know what you may learn as well. Learning new things allows your brain “muscle” to stretch and grow. And why not really learn why the sky is actually blue (no, it is not a reflection of the oceans water – and yes, I had to look it up).
Grab your laptop (or Blackberry or iPhone) and try a new coffee shop to work from. Who knows, that new place around the corner may be the perfect spot to get stuff done when you can’t stand to be in your house a minute longer.
Not having any kids, we are not suffering from Cabin Fever around here, we have another ailment going on, Baby Fever and it’s cousin Extreme Nesting Syndrome. The baby is 6-8 weeks away from her arrival and we have turned into complete maniacs. But it is fun :)
Is your house suffering from cabin fever? Is it effecting your business? How are you combating it? Share your cabin fever stories and tips in the comments.
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Christie, I think I will try taking my computer to the nearest ‘hot spot’ to work from. I’m sure that will stimulate the old brain cells. Good idea.
I tend to clean when I get cagey. But it’s not good, because I get into what my kids call “search and destroy mode” where I want to toss a lot of things out. They would rather I took a walk! ;)
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I may be a bit weird, but I like to dress in skimpy clothes and crank the furnace. Makes me feel like it’s summer. I try and let as much sunlight in the house during the day too. And lastly, I’ll open the windows and let some fresh air in if it isn’t too cold out. Cabin fever is rough on my energy bill!
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Christie these are great points. I absolutely love getting out of the house to get some work done (and coffee shops are my favorite spot). In fact tomorrow I’m heading out for several hours to work on a project that I have been neglecting. Having my laptop, or accessing my webtop from any computer, gives me the freedom to work on the files I’ve uploaded and use several software and social media tools with a single login.
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Cee – you can come over and clean my house any time you would like, I won’t say a word if you throw anything out :)
I totally agree…when I get out of my regular environment I find that I’m able to think more creatively and solve any “problems” I have rattling around in my head! Activity and fresh air really help me air out my thoughts and get motivated!
I also clean like crazy when I’m feeling cooped up….but, paradoxically, I also clean like crazy when I need to destress and feel creative. Hmmm….
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Definitely have some cabin fever going on here. Great ideas for getting out you have there! I’m in your area and it’s still chilly, not quite spring feeling yet but I know it’s coming soon.
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