While I know it can be hard to be stuck at home (especially with summer approaching) and nowhere to go, nothing to do…it doesn’t have to be boring! Here are 15 ideas for you to spend the long hours you are cooped up…and make them not so long, WHILE also feeling productive!

1. Cook – Make some of your favorite foods OR try out that NEW recipe you have been waiting for the right time to use.
2. DIY Craft Projects – We all have them lying around somewhere…and it does make you feel really productive to get it accomplished, finally.
3. Spring Cleaning/Organizing
4. Read a Book – Take away some stress and cabin fever by losing yourself in a good story. There are so many good ones out there!
5. Exercise – You know that excuse “I don’t have time”? Yeah, not really valid here.
6. Diet – See above…
7. Learn an Instrument – Dust off that family piano!
8. Family Games
9. Puzzles
10. Coloring Books
11. Plant a Garden – Springtime! New beginnings, beauty blossoms, moods boost. You can start your own! It is actually VERY satisfying to watch things grow.
12. Go for a Walk (Get OUTSIDE!!!) – Vitamin D…good for your mood AND immune system. Win Win!
13. Prayer  – This is a great time (when you have nothing but time) to lift up our nation and neighbors in prayer
14. Epsom Salt Bath – You now have some time to relax. You can take advantage of that. Your body will thank you. It’s good for stress, muscles, and mood.
15. Detox – While all canned food and boxed goods are hard to find, now is a good time to take advantage of all the fruits and veggies that are well stocked.

Cold, holidays, ice, snow (if you live in the right parts of the world), fires in the fireplace, afternoons and evenings curled up with a mug of hot chocolate and a good book. Some cozy days, some gloomy days, some sunny days, some grey days. There is a lot about winter to be excited for…and a lot that just makes us feel down and gloomy (especially if you are not a fan of winter…and live somewhere where winter is really blah).

But there is good news! When winter starts to get old and get you down, here are some ways to keep up good health and good attitude for these remaining grey winter months:

1. Food

What you eat affects so much. Your health AND your mood. Make sure you are eating good whole foods, no processed foods, sugar and dyes. When consuming fruits and vegetables, make sure you are eating the ones in season. Eating fruits and vegetables out of season can cause a whole lot of other problems. You can check out my article HERE about eating in season, and for a list of good winter produce.

2. Essential Oils

They can’t change the weather, but they can help to boost your mood over the dreary winter months. They can also help to keep up your immune system to make sure you stay healthy…which, for me, is a great mood booster. Some winter oils to place into your diffuser are Peppermint and Lemon, Lavender, Wintergreen and Orange, and…should you want a little taste of spring along with a mood booster, Jasmine is also a favorite.

3. Sleep

All year ’round good sleep is essential to good health and mood. Develop good habits of getting to sleep at a decent time each night and stopping the technology time in bed to get better quality sleep.

4. Embrace Cold Weather

This one may be a little hard for those who don’t like cold weather…but there are a lot of benefits to the cold. Use it as an excuse to move. Get out there and warm up with some exercises like a brisk walk to get the heart rate up and the lungs working. It helps stimulate the brain and help to wake you up and improve mood, trust me. We can’t change the weather or the season we are in, but we can use it to the best of our abilities and embrace all the different beauty and health benefits that God has given each season of the year.

5. Fellowship

When it’s cold and ugly outside we really don’t want to go out. SO! It’s a good excuse to curl up at the house with family (or friends) and play some games, watch a movie, and just enjoy each other’s company. Maybe even with some hot tea or hot apple cider. Don’t use the cold and blah days as an excuse to isolate yourself. Being around your loved ones can really help to improve your mood (at least, most of the time)

Summer is such a fun time! Lots of things to do… lots of sun… and all things hot… But amidst all the fun and games, comes some very important things to remember to make this a wonderful, fun and healthy summer for everyone! So how about some warnings, tips, and some ideas to get the summer fun started out right?

Warnings:

• Dehydration – With the heat and all the outdoor activities this season it is very easy to forget to drink enough water, and we sweat off more than we take in.
• Sunstroke – Along with dehydration comes this risk. Not drinking enough water has a lot to do with it, but other factors include not eating the right foods, eating the WRONG foods and drink and not allowing your body to cool down in intense heat.
• Sunburn (Sunscreen) – I think we all would like to avoid getting hot, crispy, red skin, so sunscreen is needed (especially around water). But we also need to be mindful of the sunscreen we use, since that can cause just as much damage as sunburn.
• Bugs (bug spray) – Bugs are a pest this time of year, aren’t they? Mosquitoes ESPECIALLY. So keep bug spray handy. Again, be mindful of the kind you use. I’ll talk more about this a little further down.

Tips:

• Drink plenty of water – One of the best things you can do during the summer. If you are sweating a lot, you need to be putting that water back into your body.
• Food (watermelon, strawberries, salad, chicken) – Eating foods in season is very delicious! And the summer season has some very wonderful choices to choose from to make these hot months a little easier on our bodies!
• Essential Oils – Many EOs have wonderful health benefits for the summer months: Tea Tree and Citronella help REPEL the bugs before they get to you, but if some manage to sneak past and bite you (the little devils ) Lavender helps soothe those itchy bug bites and also for sunburn relief, Orange and Lemon brighten up your day and can help you feel refreshed and ready for each hot day ahead, and Peppermint helps to keep away mosquitoes AND is a great cooling agent.
• Sunscreen (Don’t let the clouds fool you) – Keep in mind, even if the sun is hidden behind the clouds all day, you can still look like a tomato the next day.
• Drinks – It’s important to stay hydrated during the hot summer months. However, along with getting enough good hydrating liquids, you should also avoid the liquids that can DEHYDRATE you: Soda, Fruit Juice and Iced Coffee are some popular summer drinks that make it on the “Avoid It” list.

Fun Events: 

• Camping – Nothing like spending a few days in God’s beautiful nature! Remember to pack your bug spray!
• Swimming (keep a clean pool!) – A favorite summer pastime is getting into the water. Maybe swimming laps, having a water fight with your friends or family, or even just relaxing in the nice cool gentle waves.
• Picnics – Get the kids in car, pack the basket with lots of delicious healthy food (make sure the lemonade is ice cold), and let’s head to the lake!
• Sports – Summer is a great season to spend time outdoors. There are a lot of sports to play with friends, but be sure and bring water!

Tell me what some of your favorite summer past-times are, and what you like to do to stay healthy and active when the heat gets super intense!

Have a fantastic summer!