Making the most of time indoors (when you have a chronic condition)
If you're living with a chronic condition like Marfan Syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome or any hypermobility condition, and you're anything like me, you'll spend most of your time at home wondering what to do next. You're always searching for indoor activities that you can do to occupy yourself, and find some enjoyment, right?
For me, this is because my chronic health conditions limit my ability to partake in certain aspects of life. I even find some simple tasks challenging, but I have to occupy myself somehow, so today I'm thought I would share some of my indoor hobbies with you.
Let's start with writing as that's my favourite hobby because I can do it from the comfort of my bedroom, and it doesn't impact too much on my already compromised health. It's easy for the brain to go to mush when you don't have anything to focus on, but writing keeps mine ticking away nicely as it's a good exercise for the mind. If I had to recommend one beneficial hobby to those in similar positions as me, I'd pick writing.
Blogging is my next favourite hobby, and I would also recommend it to anyone at a loose end. It's always a great distraction for me, especially on my bad days. Jotting down some notes for my next blog post helps to take my mind off my worries. I turned to blogging because it's a constructive way of passing the time while at home, and it certainly beats sitting around thinking of nothing other than your problems. The added benefit of blogging, when shared, is that it has the potential to help other people.
Reading is a straightforward activity for me, that is another one of my favourite things to do at home. I'm often in a lot of pain so I'll typically take my Pain Relievers and then wait for them to kick in while putting my feet up with a good book.
A couple of my other hobbies include easy crafts & colouring, which occupy me when the days are long. Some days, the days can feel SO long. I have to busy myself with what I call my "simple hobbies" only though, as I don't want to put myself in harm's way by putting any extra strain on my joints & fused spine.
Although I enjoy reading, writing etc., spending time with and caring for my pets are my greatest & most pleasurable hobby. My two budgies along with my pet tortoise bring a very welcome presence into my home, which is much needed and can brighten up any day. I also thoroughly enjoy taking photos of them so that I can print them out and stick them in a scrapbook. I find that incredibly satisfying because I can look back and see how my pets are changing & growing over time. It's like a mini timeline of their lives.
Living with a chronic condition, I find myself regularly on the hunt for more exciting ways of passing the time. When you're inside as much as I am, life can get a little bit dull if your days continuously consist of the same things. However, I find that with my chronic health problems it's hard for me to strike up a balance between keeping busy and not overdoing it, so I'm always mindful of what I choose to do. The last thing I want is to aggravate my persistent pain further.
Do you have your favourite "go-to hobbies"? What are they? We'd love to hear!