Do you find yourself at times wondering what to do with yourself? You’ve finished your planned activity and don’t know what to do next? Do you get anxious because there is so much choice around you? How about your family members? Perhaps the things you wanted to get done are all sorted and you are feeling lost and overwhelmed wondering what’s going next?
In a lot of ways this blog is different from others in that it is more of a brainstorming idea developed through a publication that has lay dorment for some time but something has reignited the ‘dazzle box’ with a completely new concept!
Initially, it was an idea which we included in a log book for children that we put together for for those with Pituitary Conditions. The log was a way for the children to learn about the hospitals and their conditions in a fun way and chart their illness as an aid for them to communicate with their Doctor’s, families and schools. One part was a ‘dazzle’ box of things that they loved and contained toys and craft etc to take with them to the hospital, so that they could have some comfort and enjoyment whilst waiting to see their Doctors or nurse.
It’s easy to set up and to use and will ensure that you and your family members can all have something that is personal for you and fills those difficult to do moments where you find your self with spacey eyes wondering where you begin. It’s like giving your brain a break and working out what to do next will come easier. Developed from a mental health perspective it’s great for all the family, from children up to grandparents and the over 100’s!
So please let us guide you through the process of creating a ‘Dazzle Box’. It’s a simple way to keep you motivated through these difficult times that we are facing. We guarantee that you won’t be disappointed! There really is something for everyone and we can hit exercise, support for those with long term medical conditions, mental health and a truly personal support aid which would be useful to continue with in the new world that we are facing.
So the clock is ticking - let's get ready to solve those empty moments and see where they take you!
The way we envisage this resource is really for when you desperately need a break or you are really ‘stuck’ and cannot muster the energy to do anything and subsequently end up having a ‘cabin fever’ meltdown.
There will be many benefits for you to create these boxes. All you need is a shoe box or a cardboard box that you can fit items into. Then you need to select and gather together some things that you like and enjoy doing but don’t always have the time for or you may even have forgotten some hidden treasures of things you never had the time to do that sit in a pile of ‘junk’, which can be brought out and given a new lease of life to match your new normal, support your mental health, aid your physical health and give you an escape to everything that is going on around you.
For the box to work we believe that you really need your own and if you have children that would like to try this as well then, you will need them to have their own box. If there are items they share then they could be placed in a different box. You don’t have to do this on your own if you don’t want to. This is our preference but for example sometimes something like a game of ‘Bop it’ is more fun done with someone else, as long as they want to take a break as well.
However, there may be circumstances whereby having a family box works best for you. This isn’t something that we have trialled but it’s just an idea. You could also do it as a couple, with a family member or friend shared over facebook or Microsoft teams. In this situation If you struggle to choose and you are living with or connecting with someone then you could choose something for each other to do knowing you’ll still be doing something that is personal and enjoyable to you.
It takes some getting used to and still now there are times we forget that these boxes are there. We often sit in a brain fog moment wondering what to do with ourselves! From previous blogs you will recall that there is a lot of scheduling of days and so right now as mental health needs work and focus, it’s down on the daily timetable and quite descriptive, in that an activity is highlighted on my plan. That way we can trial and error and hopefully in the end our boxes will become an automatic reaction to that sinking feeling. But for now we will continue ‘scheduling’ a session during the day and write what to use to help make the decision making progress easier. In a way it’s a bit like a game of snakes and ladders when you tentatively roll the dice hoping for a jump up a ladder but the fear of a snake taking you down again.
Only with this you are trying to help your mental and physical we being which is an entirely different scenario! This is NOT a tried and tested to full capacity, it’s like a work in progress and one we are prepared to try. We’ll soon work out what stays and helps us climb the ladder and what goes down and out like the snake!
We only called it ‘Dazzle Box’ so that it was appealing to and more user friendly for the children’s age group that we were targeting. Makes sense to just call it your mental health box if you are on your own or just adults. Children may wish to name it themselves or of course it could remain nameless! It could even include a to do list and if you cannot decide then do a close your eyes and point to something! Anything to get you started and hadn’t thought of that option before! You see we really are brainstorming in this ‘blog’ if you can call it that!
The key thing is to remember that these are ‘working progresses’ and you may not get the contents right the first time but keep trying. What works for one, doesn’t work for another and this has evolved in recent weeks as writing blogs has helped us to see that there are other things I can try. Whether they work or not it is still to be seen but the 3 v 3 v 3 speed stacking has certainly hit the mark!
So to give you an idea of where to begin one box contains;
Puzzle book
Single player / pace Bop It
Speed Stacking cups
Massage balls
Mindfulness colouring
A small bat with a ball on elastic
Reading book
Therapeutic sticker and seasons book
Pituitary foundation magazine
Fidget spinner
Small colouring book & pencils
We feel you need a good mix of mental and physical activities if possible. Not talking a big swiss ball encased into your shoe box but something like some cups for speed stacking, a yoyo or some juggling balls will all help improve hand eye co-ordination and make use of your body. You can get more information on this from my Exercise Alternatives blog, the link is below.
You can also download the full children’s log book here that contains a page showing you how to put the box together in steps that they can follow.
Through writing other blogs and researching, this idea has really ignited something in our brains! Trying to find help for others has actually helped me to explore some new things myself. So get started on a dazzle box or whatever you want to call it and see if it helps. Will hope and pray that it does. Stay safe, be kind to yourself and look after that mental health! It would be great to hear from you and to share any activities that you include and find helpful.
Other blogs that you may enjoy are:
An introduction to Undefeatables - Exercise For All
So this is where ‘We are Undefeatables’ comes into play and would be a really good place to get started. It’s been running now since August 2019 as a national campaign, lead by Sport England and funded through The National Lottery. It highlights the fact that there are 1 on 4 people in this country who are trying to manage at least one long term health problem and are working alongside 15 health and social care charities. Make physical activity part of your life and especially during the lock down. Find some inspirational stories through the link below and join us on our adventure.
Learning As We Battle
It’s very easy at the moment to see and think in a negative and unhealthy manner when the world is at war to conquer the battle against COVID-19, businesses are going under, the streets are empty and people are forced to stay inside. However, this does give us an opportunity to learn. That could be on a personal level by completing a course online that you like the look of, there may be some craft materials in the house that you’d love some inspiration to utilise and complete. This blog will take you there as we at Time To heal explore our new found pastimes and extension of others through the internet, TV, Exercise world and more.
Learning as We Battle - Part 2 - TV Links
This blog is a follow up from Learning to battle and has in depth definitions of Television Programmes that are both enjoyable, interesting to watch and convey the correct information that people with mental health problems find so difficult. It’s worth thinking about as although some programmes put up that the social distancing was put into place before the programme this can be confusing for people watching and seeing people doing whatever they want to and therefore struggle even more with the concept of that is real and what is in their head. This may lead to them breaking ‘lockdown’
Wading through the TV guide every night has the potential to cause significant amounts of brain fog as you sift your way through the repeats and add breaks that always carry significant messages and requests for money.
Whether you end up loving whats below or whether you see something different when you are following our links, this could provide some unique opportunities to learn, support your mental health and shape your future.
Exercise for all - Learning As We Battle - Part 3
From Exercise Alternatives anyone can try to supporting athletes sporting skills in an imaginative and creative way that can reinforce and support your journey to good physical health.
Are you missing your normal exercise or sporting activity? Tried to weave through the ever increasing you tube workouts but not found the right one? Not sure if they are real instructors? Fancy something different or unique to try?
Are you finding it hard to motivate yourself to exercise whilst on lockdown? As an athlete, are you finding it hard to fill your day and want to add something fresh?
No matter where you sit on the spectrum of exercise or sports participation from the very beginner of someone stuck at home and ill or or disabled to Paralympic Athletes and able bodied athletes, there is something here that EVERYONE can access and enjoy with the bonus being that the same activity can be used to meet all of your needs.
We at Time to Heal have created our top 5 ideas especially for you and through careful research. We look at a variety of activities at all levels and with the qualified instructors you need to stay safe, have fun, learn something new and challenge yourself to endeavour to participate in something that you can continue and enjoy beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic!
These activities aim to convey to you some unique ways to supplement your current training programmes as athletes as well as supporting those who are limited in terms of what they can do. Sit back, and enjoy the ride and see where you go!