7 Ways To Keep Yourself Busy During Load Shedding
Photo by MyBroadBand
Never let the boredom of load shedding get to you again!
There is nothing more frustrating than getting home from a long, tedious day at work to a house that is engulfed in pitch darkness. The race to get home just so that there will be enough time to cook, clean and get the kids to bed is exhausting, and can even take a toll on a persons mood.
The real question is how do we spend the long four hours of black-out periods constructively, and not just sit on our phones scrolling mindlessly?
Listed below are what we believe you should be doing during the blackout periods of load shedding!
1. Meditate
Photo by The New York Times
This fast-paced society requires us to always be on our feet and attentive to the expectations of others; our bosses, co-workers, friends and family. It is no wonder that the stress levels of people are through the roof, and load shedding does not help the problem one bit!
One way to use the load shedding black-out periods to our advantage is to sit with ourselves and meditate - take some time to be with yourself and get some "me time!"
There are some great guided meditations on Youtube for beginners, as well as apps such as Headspace or Waking Up, by Sam Harris.
2. Read A Book
Photo by Newsweek
There is no better way than to expand our knowledge by reading a good book, plus it makes time speed past like it was nothing; 4 hours of load shedding will feel like a breeze if you are immersed in a good book!
There are many advantages to reading; it improves concentration, expands your vocabulary and also exercises your brain! If you are wanting some reading suggestions then look no further - here is a list The Cosmopolitan compiled of the best books in 2023 to read!
3. Play A Board Game
Photo by Oxford Learning
Load shedding black-outs are a perfect way to reconnect and spend some much needed quality time with friends and family, and also get a break away from our phones. Board games are a great way to create stronger bonds and strengthen relationships.
Laughter is the best medicine they say, and board games are definitely good at bringing out genuine laughs from our bellies! There are many great board games to choose from, but our top picks would be 30 seconds, and good old-fashioned scrabble.
4. Phone A Friend
Photo by TheEverygirl
Load shedding can give you the time to catch-up with distance friends, or close relatives that you may have lost contact while getting caught up in your busy schedule. Take some time to reconnect with those you care about the most - real connections rare, and need to be tended to and maintained!
It is important to make sure that you equip yourself with a backup power supply to ensure that your phone doesn't die mid-conversation.
5. Spring Clean The House
Photo by Dreamstime
There is nothing quite like a house that smells of fresh, clean linen and looks spotlessly clean! Well, this can be made possible if you put your hands to good use during load shedding and give your house a good scrub, and get into all the corners you ignore, too!
A clean house also shows that you respect not only the environment that you live in, but also yourself and those around you; it is an act of self-love. It is also an act of gratitude for the things that you own.
6. Get Creative
Photo by Classpop!
Get your creative juices flowing during the peace and quiet that the blackout periods offer. There are many great ways in which you can channel your creativity; you can paint in oils, acrylic or watercolours! Painting isn't the only way you can get creative, you can sketch in graphite pencils on a drawing pad or colour in a colouring in book.
It is important to keep in touch with our creative side, it keeps us rooted in the present moment and in a flow-state, which makes the black-out periods pass in no time!
7. Have A Braai
Photo by Southern Kitchen
A South Africans favourite pastime is a good old fashioned braai! You'll be able to cook yourself some great grub while also being able to provide yourself with a source of light from the fire itself, it's a win-win situation.
A braai is a great way to get social and invite your friends over, and it also helps pass by the long, frustrating hours of load shedding black-out periods. It can end up being a great deal of fun catering to friends, or it can become a bring-and-braai to save on some extra expenses.