We are now halfway through February, and at my house, everybody is tired.
There are signs of spring, but it is still cold, the mornings are dark still when I get up (although I did notice today that it was light at 7 o’clock while I was in my front room drinking a cup of tea). Persuading reluctant teenagers to get up to go to school is difficult, and I’m finding it difficult myself to haul myself out of bed in the morning. It’s dark in the evenings too, although the days are drawing out at that end as well.
I think we are all tired of winter, and we’ll feel so much better when spring arrives. It’s on its way, but it could still be a little while.
I’ve said before that I think it is probably normal to feel more tired in winter. Plenty of creatures hibernate and lots of plants are dormant. Modern life expects us to have the same amount of energy all year round, but wanting to stay home and sleep more during the winter because our energy levels are low actually makes more sense.
Winter isn’t the only thing that can make us feel tired. A stressful situation, mental health struggles, family issues, the state of the world and ongoing health challenges can all result in us having less energy.
When we feel like this, we might not have the energy we need in order to do the things we love to do. But if we do something creative when we are feeling under the weather, it can help us to feel a bit better.
Although there hasn’t yet been extensive research into the benefits of crafts on our mental health, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that it does help.
You’ve probably found this to be the case yourself. Making things involves concentrating on what we are doing, which means we have little brain space left to worry about our own problems or the state of the world. It gives us a break from thinking about things that make us feel stressed or unhappy.
Tips For Doing Creative Things When Your Energy Levels Are Low
Keep a little project near where you usually sit. Then if you have a few minutes, you won’t have to hunt around for something to do, or remember where you left it. It will be there all ready and waiting.
If you have some issues with your eyesight, it’s worth making sure that you have good light. This might mean moving a comfy chair next to a window, or checking that you have a lamp nearby, and moving one if you don’t. If you need to use reading glasses but you find yourself spending a lot of time looking for them, it might be worth getting a second pair to keep with your current project if your circumstances allow it.
Decide whether you want to follow a pattern or do your own thing. Sometimes it’s easier to follow somebody else’s instructions than to come up with your own ideas.
But equally, instructions can feel overwhelming or restrictive, and it can be easier to ignore them and do your own thing!
There’s no right answer. It’s up to you what you feel you would prefer at that moment.
Choose simpler projects over ones that have a lot of steps. Something simple is likely to be easier to manage, until you feel up to tackling more complicated projects.
Avoid doing anything that involves getting a lot of stuff out. Having to put it all away again afterwards is unlikely to be helpful if your energy levels are low. Being creative ought to be a fun way to relax. So unless you find putting things away relaxing (which I don’t!), stick to projects that don’t create too much mess.
Think twice about anything that means learning new stitches or new techniques. You might find learning new things enjoyable, and learning a new stitch might be just what you need. But if it’s a project that involves learning a lot of new things, it might be too much and result in frustration.
Ask for help. If having to lift your sewing machine puts you off using it, even though you want to, see if somebody else could lift it for you.
You could also see if there is somewhere where you could leave it out, even if it is only for a week or two.
If there are other people around you, there might be other ways in which they could help. Perhaps they could cook dinner or get the washing in while you rest or take a moment.
Stop when you feel tired. It’s ok if you’ve had enough, even if you’ve only been knitting for a few minutes, or if you’ve only sewn a few stitches. Our bodies have to work harder when we are ill or stressed, so feeling more tired than normal is to be expected. If your body is telling you to rest, then you should rest.
Take care of yourself in other ways. If you are tired, and you can, then sleep. Eat things you like to eat that are nutritious. Get outside and move about. Connect with people close to you. If you are really finding things hard, it might be a good idea to see a doctor.
Ideas For Creative Projects When Your Energy Levels Are Low
A little bit of embroidery. Nothing too complicated or involved. You could try an embroidered seasonal wreath, or this cherry tree thing, or a little bit of cross stitch. Or you might even like to just pick some colours you like, and sew your favourite stitches and see what happens.
Crochet. A ripple blanket or something else repetitive can be nice, especially if you can remember what to do without having to keep checking the pattern.
Modular projects are also good. I like granny squares, partly because I don’t have to commit myself to making something big like a blanket if I lose interest after only making a few! There’s a granny square pattern here, and there are plenty of different designs on line.
A little bit of hand sewing. Pin cushions are small enough to sew by hand, and a needlebook allows you to add your own ideas.
If the noise and smell of your sewing machine is what truly makes you happy (I could write a whole post about that!), then I would recommend making something easy and not complicated. Perhaps something that doesn’t have too many bits. A simple skirt would be good, or some shorts.
It’s also less taxing to make something familiar, so you might like to choose a pattern that you have used before.
If you don’t like making the same thing more than once or twice, you could change something about it that would make it feel more interesting. You could use different fabric, change the length, or the neckline, or the sleeves, or you could add pockets.
If you have any ideas for what you like to do when your energy levels are low, I’d to love to know about them! If you’d like to share, you can leave a comment below.
Leave a Reply