Blog Every Day In May Day Two: Something I Know A Lot About

When I first saw the topic for today's challenge, 'Educate us on something you know a lot about or are good at', I was quite honestly stumped about what I could talk about. What on Earth was I even knowledgeable about? I excavated the dusty archives stored far away in the back of my head looking for the answers, and successfully retrieved several. I could teach you about how to care for animals, particularly bunnies. I could give you a few tips for visual merchandising, and help you make the perfect trifle. I could talk about music, movies, musicals, song lyrics, quotes, how to work your way around a computer, and a bunch of other things that would be of little help or interest here.

I decided I'd rather speak about something a little closer to home, something I've learnt how to do every day over the last twenty months of my life... How to keep yourself occupied when bed-bound.

So, as most of my regular readers will know, I injured several discs in September 2011, and have mostly been confined to bed ever since due to the amount of pain the injuries have left me in. On a good day, I may leave the comfort of my bed for an hour or two at most (a rarity), so I've learnt how to keep myself occupied from my bed.

I want to share my tips to help anybody who might find themselves bed bound due to illness or injury at some point in their lives, and for anybody who may be in such a situation now. I hope they help in some way... Here goes...


How to keep yourself occupied when you're bed-bound

Read Books

With so many hours to fill, it's the perfect opportunity to get stuck in to all those novels you've always wanted to read. Work your way through your bookcase or ereader, borrow from the library (get a family member or friend to do the leg-work for you), or buy cheap books online or from the Supermarket. 

Read Magazines

Also keep a few of your favourite magazines where you can reach them. Magazines are great for inspiration and keeping you up to date with the world, plus they'll keep you occupied for an hour or two, and help you to relax.

Listen to your favourite tunes

Blast out your favourite tunes. Music is one of life's great healers, and your favourite songs will instantly lift your mood. If you have iTunes, create lots of play lists- it's a time consuming past time, and you're bound to stumble up on songs you'd forgotten about which remind you of the good times.

Watch lots of movies and TV shows

Curl up with your favourite feel good films, and use the time to watch all those films and TV shows you've always wanted to see. It'll help take your mind off things for a while.

Write

If you like to write, write! Keep a notebook or two to hand and write about what ever inspires you. You could keep a journal, write poems or stories, jot down your favourite quotes and lyrics, create blog posts, ideas, lists... what ever it is you like to write about.

Paint Your Nails

If you're able to, why not paint your nails or try your hand at a little nail art? I often paint my nails whilst lying down in bed on my side (it can be done!), and it's something I find therapeutic and relaxing. A fresh manicure makes me feel a little more polished and civilised, when I'm stuck in pyjamas with unwashed hair.

Keep Your Beauty Routine

Maintain your beauty routine if you can. Holding on to little parts of normalcy can be a comfort, and a way of feeling a little more in control. Keep your lotions and potions next to your bed where you can reach them, and follow your usual skin care routine each day.

With a Laptop, Tablet, or Phone

If you have a laptop or tablet, if you're anything like me, you'll probably start to view it as your saviour. It has so many uses, and so many sites to keep you occupied with.

Follow Blogs and Get Reading

Use it to keep up to date with all your favourite blogs. So many bloggers post daily, and you'll find your reading list can take an hour or two to get through if you follow a lot of them. I find reading blogs quite addictive as they provide me with so much inspiration, and there's always interesting content to mill over. 

Start Your Own Blog

If you're not already a blogger, why not start your own blog? If you already blog, throw yourself in to blogging. If you're facing a particularly long illness, injury, or recovery, it can provide you with something to focus on every day, and somewhere to document your journey. I created my blog to keep me busy, and it's not only done just that, but it's raised my self-confidence, and has been something positive to come out of a bad situation. 

Social Network

Use social networking sites to connect with people. Facebook can help you stay in touch with friends and family, and Twitter can help you connect with people just like you, (as well as your favourite celebrities, brands, and so on). You may even be able to find people to talk to who are going through the same situation you are. Social networking may help you to stay in the loop and feel less lonely, but it may also make you feel cut off and alone, so approach with caution. And remember, though you're reading the highlights of your friends lives, you're not being told the whole story.

Use image sharing sites such as Pinterest and Tumblr

 If you find images as interesting and inspiring as I do, sign up to Pinterest and Tumblr. I use both daily and often wile away a few hours engrossed with pinning and reblogging amazing images and quotes. Collect images of subjects which make you smile and interest you, be it outfit inspiration, tattoos, fluffy kittens, celebrities you fancy, extreme sports, whatever! Why not make a board dedicated to all the things you plan to make and do when you're back on your feet?

Keep an online journal using Livejournal or Oh Life

Use journal style blogging websites like Livejournal and Oh Life to empty all those thoughts, feelings, and happenings from your mind. It should help to take some of the weight off your shoulders, and will be interesting to look back on later on.

Browse Your Favourite Online Shops and Create Outfit Collages

Retail therapy is good for the soul, so have a browse through your favourite online shops. If you can afford a little treat, spoil yourself! Buy that new dress or those comfy pyjamas. If you can't, it doesn't hurt to dream. Why not use Polyvore and create some outfit collages for inspiration?

Play Games

Take the opportunity to play all those addictive Facebook and iPhone games like Candy Crush, Words With Friends, Temple Run, and Angry Birds. It'll keep your brain strong, and they're always addictive.

Plan For the Future

And, why not sign up to Day Zero Project and create lists of things you want to achieve. You could work on that Bucket List and plan all the things you want to do in life. You could make a list of 101 things to achieve in 1001 days; these can be small simple goals like read 100 books, or watch all the movies you own. And you could even could create a list of all the things you plan to do when you're back on your feet... I certainly have.

If you want to participate in Story of My Life's Blog Every Day in May Challenge, you can find all you need to know here.