You may want to re-read the title of this blog. Every year you prepare your home for storms, ice, and winter’s less-than-nice features. You may have already put away your outdoor hose, cleared your eaves-troughs, and brought out the shovel. You do it every year, and we’re willing to bet you’re darn good at winterizing your home! So we’re not talking about your house today — we’re talking about you. With all the maintenance we do for our homes in cooler temperatures, we need also need to prepare our minds and bodies for the shock of the changing seasons.
To help you with this, we’ve come up with five things you can do to get comfortable with the idea of winter, and then stay content when it sets in. Here’s our how-to guide for winterizing your mind!
#1: Find Your Weekly Winter Activity
Now is a great time to search for programs you can join when the darker months set in. Lots of dance classes, pottery classes, and book clubs start in September and run until December. A new set of classes may be starting in January; find an exciting one now to make sure you don’t miss registration! Want to brush-up on ballroom dancing? Is there a walking club you can join? This can be really fun when you get adventurous and look for something you’ve never tried before.
Perhaps the most important reason for this is to prevent social isolation. Once winter blankets our roads and trees we can use a little encouragement to leave our homes and meet with friends. Being social is so important for our well-being; it’s not something to overlook.
#2: Dig Out Your Winter Clothes and Blankets
The day you wake up and your house feels like an ice box, you’re going to want a sweater nearby. Find those cozy pieces now so you can avoid that chilly house-hunt in your thin pajamas! Don’t forget your slippers, the cozy little superheroes of the feet.
#3: Find New Books
You’re already thinking about activities to get you out of the house, but in reality you may be spending lots of time at home. This time doesn’t have to be boring though; embrace it and visit your local bookstore or library for new releases or old classics. Snuggle up and get lost in a story!
We all know reading is healthy for the mind, and it gives us something to look forward to when going outside isn’t an option. Is there a new book you’re excited to read? Tell us in the comments!
#4: Stock Up Your Medicine Cabinet
The last thing you want to do when you come down with a cold or flu is go to the pharmacy for over-the-counter medication. Let’s face it, colds are more common in winter so make sure you have your favourite remedies when you need them. On an even more serious note, you’ll want to have your prescriptions full if you happen to get snowed in.
While you’re at the pharmacy make sure to grab your favourite teas too! What’s better than a hot bath for the skin with a hot tea for the throat and belly?
#5: Make a Plan to Stay Connected
This one’s related to our first tip, because we don’t want anyone getting lonely this winter! Sometimes all it takes is a phone call to an old friend. If you’re tech-savy, a fun way to talk to family is through social networking, but you knew that already. We know 82-year-olds who use Snapchat, after all! There are apps to make smart phones easier to use for seniors, too.
Once you get into it, you probably won’t need a reminder to check your social media channels, but it’s a lovely idea to write in a couple phone calls on your calendar. If you like lists, write down all the people you want to have a chat with at the start of the month and check off the list as you go!
We hope these tips help ease you into the upcoming months like a slow, peaceful snowflake. Unless you’re a committed snow-bird, there’s no reason not to plan ahead!
