A Creative Challenge
Challenge yourself by finding out what you can write in 10 minutes or less by trying one of the 21 writing prompts at https://tinyurl.com/10minwrit. A writing teacher at the San Francisco Writers’ Grotto created each prompt, including “Write a eulogy for a sandwich, to be delivered while eating it,” and, “Write the first communication sent back to Earth after humans land on Mars.” Want even more of a challenge? Commit to doing one prompt for 21 days, and let your imagination soar.
Planning to remember Friends and Family
If you really want to score points with family and friends while also giving your future self a little help, take 10 minutes and note all your loved ones’ birthdays and anniversaries in a planner or calendar on your mobile device. Having an accurate record of these dates can be a huge load off your mind; just be sure you’ve remembered everyone! Social media sites will be a useful resource for this task. Sift through your Facebook events and friend lists, but be sure to also remember any loved ones without social media profiles.
Color Your World
Believe it or not, research has shown that coloring activities, such as filling in adult coloring books, can have a positive effect on emotional, mental, and even intellectual health. According to the Huffington Post, “The time and focus that adult coloring takes helps the individual remove the focus from negative issues and habits, and focus them in a safe and productive way.”
Coloring also utilizes both hemispheres of the brain (right and left), so as you color, you’re actually working to hone your problem-solving and fine motor skills at the same time. Why not give it a try? Worst case scenario: You’ll be left with something pretty to hang in your classroom or on your fridge!
Mobile Device Spring-Cleaning
Spring-cleaning is often thought of in terms of cleaning up physical spaces like your office, house, or car, but what about clearing out and cleaning up your electronic devices? Start by deleting any apps that you never seem to use, file the apps you do use in folders, or organize them in some way that makes sense to you. Of course, no act of spring-cleaning would be complete without making your space look new or different in some way—change the background while you’re at it. If you still have time, reorder photos by date or location, and be sure to delete those goofy pics you haven’t looked at since you took them—or, at the very least, back them up for safekeeping.