Don’t Get Bored in the Apocalypse

“I’ll be too busy to be bored!”

That’s what I hear from a lot of other preppers who get into this discussion with me. But y’all. Look at 2020. I’d say that’s a pretty serious event that has lasted a damn-long time, and boredom is one of the worst aspects of trying to survive it while we quarantine either alone or with our families. Everyone seems to envision a prep scenario as fast, busy, and 24-hours-a-day of struggling for survival. Chances are that it will be much more subtle, and after the adrenaline wanes you’ll find yourself in the menial daily tasks of living, rebuilding, and surviving. And that’s when the depression sneaks in. You begin to stop and think about how different life was in the before-times. How much easier it was. How much you miss being able to do things, like go hang out with friends during a pandemic, or in a grid-down situation, how much you miss playing video games or watching your favorite YouTubers. You’re going to have to find something that gives you a sense of joy, that keeps you busy enough to keep from living entirely in a place of stress and grief. This is about morale. Morale is needed for survival.

The biggest things you can do RIGHT NOW to prepare for this, is to learn whatever skills and safety measures are needed for your activity or hobby, and ensure you have all of the supplies and tools required.

Staying active is one of the best things you can do to help your morale, and it will help keep your body strong and healthy in the mean time! Think about what you like to do that keeps your body moving and provides you some level of entertainment? What would you add to this list?

1. Skateboarding
2. Surfing
3. Dancing
4. Gymnastics
5. Going for a run
6. Going on long walks
7. Mountain biking
8. Distance biking
9. Recumbent biking
10. Beating your personal best in something (sit-ups, timed laps, etc.)
11. Swimming
12. Hiking
13. Trail running
14. Rock climbing
15. Snorkeling
16. Skooba diving
17. Weight lifting
18. Jumprope
19. Hula-hooping with tricks
20. Yoga / Pilates / Tai-Chi
21. Martial Arts
22. Aerobics
23. Sports, if you have enough people in your group (soccer, football, basketball, tennis, roller derby, etc.)
24. Skiing / Snow-boarding
25. Skating / Roller-blading
26. Cross-fit
27. Frolf (frisbee golf)
28. Golf
29. Kayaking / Canoeing / Rafting
30. Resistance training
31. Jump-roping
32. Acrobatics
33. Wind-surfing
34. River-rafting
35. Parkour

Entertainment is another area where we will all likely be lacking when the SHTF (*shit hits the fan). In many “big” scenarios such as major natural disaster, EMP, or other grid-down situations, we will have to re-learn how to find entertainment away from electronics and screens. Here are some ideas for your group to keep their minds busy, develop culture in your new situation, and boost morale!

1. Musical performance. Hopefully someone in your group is musically inclined and has instruments they can play. Have small concerts for your group.
2. You can also learn to play an instrument, and then continue refining your skill. Learn to sing to go along with it, and then write your own songs. Perform for yourself and others in your group.
3. Sing-a-longs. It may sound hokey, but it can be a lot of fun, and really boost the mood in a group setting. Music brings about a lot of nostalgia, and everyone singing together creates a fun experience.
4. Have a drum circle. This is a fun activity that works well to encourage bonding and a sense of oneness within a group. “Drums” can be made from nearly anything, and there is no wrong way to participate. Check out this drum circle recording to get an idea of how they work.
5. Bon fire. This is a classic activity to bring people together. Enjoy the fire, roast some marshmallows, and watch the stars. You can make it a cathartic experience by including an activity whereby people write down their worries, regrets, and sadness, and then throw it into the fire to release it. This is especially helpful in stressful situations.
6. Story-telling. This is a true art-form, and can be as complex or simple as you like. It’s a good idea to write down the basics of the stories you want to tell, and then let your imagination do the work as you explain it. Try to have everyone in your group take turns telling stories.
7. Poetry reading / Poetry SLAM. Encourage people to write and share their poetry at a weekly, or monthly event for your group. Poetry is cathartic in the writing, speaking, and hearing of it. It can be inspiring and provide an expressive outlet that can also be entertaining.
8. Live theater. It doesn’t matter if no one has ever acted before. You can either practice and perform established plays, or you can write your own! You could perform a monologue as well. Don’t forget you could do your best to act out your favorite books and movies from memory.
9. Board games. It seems simple and classic, but it works! Board games are fun, entertaining, and easy to do. Try setting up a schedule where you have one night a week that you all get together to play games.
10. Card games. I love card games, and many of my favorites involve a simple deck of cards (or two). I would suggest that you print out the instructions for all the various games here so you can refer back to them for a fun weekly night of cards!
11. Comedy. Have everyone in your group either put together a small list of jokes, do some improv, or perform a short comedy routine. Laughter really does a lot to boost morale.
12. Have a potluck picnic. Let everyone make something special with whatever y’all have on hand. Bring a blanket outside and enjoy the sunshine while you eat together.
13. Outdoor games. There are some fun games to play outside that can bring endless hours of good-hearted fun. Try playing horse-shoes, corn-hole, lawn-bowling, lawn-darts, limbo, relay races, frisbee, dodge ball, capture the flag, mini-golf, or even a DIY obstacle course!
14. Fireworks. This is one to plan ahead for, but go ahead and stock up around the fourth of July when they are on sale! Sparklers and fireworks do a lot to bring joy and excitement to a group. Just be careful!
15. Have a “just because” party. Who needs a reason? Blow up balloons, make a homemade cake, the works!
16. Scavenger hunt. Use whatever is around you to create a scavenger hunt list. See who can complete it the fastest.
17. Trivia-nights. Use your memory, books you have on hand, or questionnaires to have a fun trivia night.
18. Get in the water – go to the lake, beach, river, swimming hole, or creek!
19. Variety Show / Talent Show! Everyone can do something different that they’re good at. Showcase it at a diy talent show!
20. Share-a-skill. What are you good at? What about other members of your group? Stay busy by teaching and learning new skills. Not only is this entertaining, but it can drastically help you in your preps.

Hobbies are my favorite way to bust the boredom. These are things you can do on your own without a group, and that you find both entertaining and fun. Many times they are also constructive, though they don’t have to be. Here are some suggestions!

1. Writing – fiction, non-fiction, biography, articles, research, poetry, etc.
2. Journaling
3. Scrapbooking
4. Reading
5. Wine-making
6. Home-brewing beer
7. Cheese-making
8. Beekeeping
9. Tattooing – it would be best to learn stick-and-poke techniques from a professional for off-grid tattoos.
10. Painting wargame figures and making terrain
11. Construction (large scale building construction)
12. Woodworking (smaller scale furniture and accessories)
13. Wood-carving
14. Whittling
15. Mechanic work
16. Playing an instrument
17. Writing music
18. Singing
19. Fine art painting (watercolor, acrylic, or oil)
20. Drawing
21. Adult coloring
22. Sculpture
23. Rock painting
24. Meditation
25. Tarot card reading
26. Pendulum reading
27. Rune reading
28. Candle-making
29. Soap-making
30. Gold-panning
31. Learning magic tricks
32. Macrame
33. Knitting
34. Crochet
35. Embroidery
36. Sewing
37. Spinning yarn
38. Weaving
39. Vegetable gardening
40. Herb gardening
41. Sprouts and Microgreens gardening
42. Aquaponics
43. Raising rabbits
44. Raising livestock
45. Foraging for food and herbs
46. Dumpster diving
47. Fishing
48. Noodling
49. Hunting
50. Origami
51. Caving
52. Spear fishing
53. Ice fishing
54. Fly fishing
55. Deep sea fishing
56. Firearms training and marksmanship
57. Gunsmithing
58. Bow hunting
59. Barbecuing (especially over an open flame)
60. Smoking meats
61. Camping
62. Beat Boxing
63. Hatchet throwing
64. Paragliding
65. Star gazing
66. Learning a foreign language
67. Aerial silk dancing and yoga
68. Self-care
69. Cosplay
70. Self-defense
71. Lego building
72. Botany
73. Entomology
74. Jewelry making
75. Juggling
76. Sling shots
77. Stone-skipping
78. Caligraphy
79. Knife-making
80. Blacksmithing
81. Lock-picking
82. Knotting
83. Crossword puzzles
84. Sudoku
85. Sign language
86. Fire poi
87. Knife throwing
88. Lifeguard skills
89. First Aid / CPR
90. Photography
91. Mountaineering
92. Horseback riding
93. Caving
94. Paper making
95. Falconry
96. Slack-lining
97. Leather-making
98. Taxidermy
99. Herbology
100. Tea making

WHEW! That’s a lot of things to keep you busy in the apocalypse. What kinds of things do you like to do now? What did I miss on these lists??