For some people, power outages are an adventure; they provide a chance to step outside of one's routine and try new things. For other people, it's hours of boredom. For me, power outages amp up my anxiety, especially if the cause of the outage is a major snowstorm. I need things to keep me occupied so I don't fixate on the "what ifs," but when I'm close to panicking, it's hard for me to think of things I can do. With winter storms on the horizon, I decided to make myself a "power outage activity kit" in hopes that it will make our next power outage a little easier for me. As I was working on it, I thought maybe some of you could benefit as well. Most of the ideas could be applicable to anyone, but there are a few suggestions that are more specifically for people with anxiety.
Your kit doesn't have to be a physical collection of objects (although it certainly can be). It can be a list of things and activities that you have on hand that can help you through the power outage. The important thing is that you know where each item in your kit is located before the power goes out. Here are some ideas for supplies to keep in your power outage activity kit:
*Deck of cards
*Books or magazines you've been meaning to read
*Humorous books. If I'm laughing, it's harder for me to feel anxious.
*Board games
*Notebook + pen for jotting down story ideas, sketches, journaling, whatever is helpful to you
*Book of ghost stories for reading with friends/family
*Flashlight with extra batteries and/or candles and matches
*Fully charged phone. If your phone is something you use to help relieve your anxiety, make sure you have access to everything you need offline. If meditation exercises are helpful, Excel at Life has some relaxation audios which you can download to your phone. They also have some panic and anxiety assistance audios which you can also download. Find a new podcast and download a bunch of episodes. Brian and I listened to the Darkest Night podcast during the Halloween power outage and that helped keep me occupied.
*Backup battery for your phone
*Battery powered or wind up radio
*Fully charged or battery powered music player such as an Ipod, MP3 player, or CD player.
*Rescue Remedy can help with panic. It doesn't work as well for me as I'd like it to, but for some people it works wonders.
*If you have any medications you take for anxiety or other medical conditions, make sure you have them on hand.
*Pen + stationary to write a letter. It can be to a friend, family member, a pet, someone famous, anyone you want to write to. When the power outage is over, you can choose to send it or not, but the key thing is keeping yourself entertained in the moment.
*Nail polish. Painting nails can take time, so why not use the power outage as an opportunity to add some sparkle to your day?
*Coloring book + colored pencils, gel pens, crayons, glitter markers, etc.
*Craft kit. If you have a crafty hobby like knitting or cross stitching, a power outage can provide you with some extra time to work on your craft. Even if you don't feel super crafty, you can pick up little craft kits, often seasonal with pom poms and pipe cleaners and whatnot, for a few dollars. You can also scour Pinterest in advance of the impending storm and find some DIY or craft activities that you can do with the supplies you have on hand. Even if your crafting supplies does not extend beyond cereal boxes and toilet paper tubes, there is something you can do with them.
*Mad Libs
*Glow sticks
*If you have a tablet, make sure it's fully charged and that you have some games on there that don't require an internet connection. Agent Alice and Best Fiends can both be played without internet.
*Musical instruments that don't require electricity. Singing works too.
*Exercise mat and/or exercise equipment
What do you do during a power outage? Let me know in the comments.
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