The side of the lockdown no one speaks of is the messy floors, messy kitchen, messy bathrooms, messy beds... In short mess every where. If you have little children or pets in the house, it is in the best interest of all to not even begin to describe this mess! Of course it cannot ever mean anything in the face of the growing deaths or the impending recession! But I am afraid if people don't see a ray of hope for breaking this 'Lockdown', death by frustration in this period will start peeking in!
A disclaimer: My household is an exception, and you'll know why towards the end of this post! But here are the top 3 things we did differently as a family along with the increased work from home hours.
- Evenly distribute chores among the family members (even the 6 year old member had to contribute more than he did before the lockdown)
- Schedule video calls with the family not with you, every weekend and a few quick calls through the week.
- Catch up on reading, writing and everything that was on hold earlier because "we were always short on time"
Having said that, the above didn't solve the most common "SUPER BORED" effect most of the people I know experienced and still continue to experience. Wondering what must be missing, I figured that most people in this 'super bored' category are used to spending time outdoors. The fact that they had to stay put inside their homes and that too with their own families was beyond being stranded! 😂 They needed to breath! And I think I might have a suggestion which might help them with a get away without a lot of work!
However weird it might sound, but the lockdown didn't lock down every place! Baring the containment zones, there are several local places you can go and spend some time away. Even in the containment zones, you can get out of the stranded feeling by getting a bit creative! For eg. your balcony, open garden in your society or in front of your house, open parking lots, terraces and so on.
So here's the suggestion: Use the above places like mini picnic spots! 😇
Just to help you unclog the frustrated mind, here are a few reasons to go on a mini-picnic with yourself or your family or friends and keep the group under 10 nos. Ideally do not mix them to enjoy every bit of your get away! But even if you do, don't fuss over it! The idea is to simply enjoy, as long as you don't forget this, it will be a time well spent! 😍
- Reading or writing
- Photography or video recording
- Breakfast or high tea
- Water falls in rains, Star gazing in Summers (Indian Summers are harsh), Barbeque in winters
- Trekking or bike riding
- Bird watching or plant collections for propagating
- Mindfulness or yoga
- Sun rise or sun set
- Interesting conversations or overdue catching up discussions
- Just closing your eyes and listening to all the sounds you can hear!
- Finger food only packed in tiffin boxes (Saves you the space and weight of trays! 😇)
- Water bottles 1 litre per head at least
- Thermos for the pre-made hot beverages (If not, skip it! One less item to carry!)
- Juice boxes or Alcoholic drinks (I prefer choosing the ones that can be consumed at room temperature. It saves a lot of space and weight that an ice box takes! But if it is a necessity, go on, it is worth the pain!)
- Wet and Dry wipes
- Eco friendly disposable plates and cups (spoons not needed as I carry only finger food)
- Garbage bags (I use diaper disposable bags, you'll know why in the second part of this post! 😁)
- A one sided waterproof sheet that'll fit your items, your family and friends along with weights for the 4 corners of your sheet to hold it to the ground
- Foldable outdoor table and chairs (It is a life saver when you can't find a good place to have your picnic. Setting the table at a scenic road side area saves the day! 😉)
- Suitable bag that can carry all the essential items
If you have kids under 12 years of age or pet dogs just add these 3 things and you are good to go! (Can apply to other pets as well. But I know what works with dogs as I grew up with dogs! 😇)
- Small toys that can fit in one bag for the kids. Balls and bones for the dogs.
- Favourite finger food for the kids. Favourite dog biscuits for the dogs.
- Diaper bags (good for collecting waste, trash on the go, dog poop and of course diapers! 😁)
Do not forget the SOS items if going out. Can be skipped altogether only if you are having this picnic in your balcony. Other wise every other place, do keep this.
- Bugs and mosquito repellent
- Swiss Knife
- First aid kit
- Torch
Happy get aways in the lockdown! I know a real get away seems like a dream today. But we all will survive this, together! 😇
