As we learn to navigate our shared new reality, it’s important to find worthwhile ways to maintain our mental health and physical well being. It’s easy to get bogged down in the news reports and case maps, so we at Operator Collective try our best to reframe the situation and find positive outlets when possible. Perhaps we can mold our abundant home time into an opportunity to learn and connect in new ways.
To that end, we turned to our own community for suggestions. Here’s how our Operator Collective LPs are staying engaged and active. What activities are you enjoying? We hope you’ll share your recs with us on Twitter at @OperatorCollect.
GET COOKING.
Many of us have been flexing our cooking muscles lately. Elena Gomez suggests a comforting chili poblano soup with corn, while Robin Joy has been making slow-cooked dishes like these red-wine braised short ribs and Monique Covington says her family can’t get enough of this Garlic Knot Chicken Alfredo.
If you enjoy celebrity cookbooks, Katy Dormer recommends both of Chrissy Teigen’s, adding that Teigen’s recipe for Cacio e Pepe has become her go-to dish. Ambrosia Vertesi prefers Snoop Dogg’s cookbook (yes really), especially this recipe for Orange (but Really Kinda Burgundy) Chicken.
On the lighter side, JJ Ramberg suggests these vegetarian lettuce wraps, while Ruthie Miller raves about this Power Plates cookbook. And for something totally different, Laura Butler recommends a fondue night: cheese, wine, veggies, and meat in endless combinations. For a treat? Mallun Yen and her daughter have been making bubble tea, dragon fruit smoothies, and amazing scallion pancakes.
CONNECT ACROSS THE MILES.
Had enough of the #QuaranTiki parties? Cathy Polinsky has been staying connected to family and friends by doing remote escape room boxes; participants need only to order the same mystery box and then open them at the same time from their own homes and discuss via Zoom. Nicolas Dessaigne and his family have been using Roll20 to play board games online with family and friends.
MAKE TIME FOR WELLNESS.
Lisa Campbell recommends the Headspace app, which offers exercises and videos on things like meditation, stress, and healthy living. Similarly, JJ Ramberg likes Ten Percent Happier, an app offering guided meditations to help with stress, happiness, and sleep. Molly Ford, on the other hand, says part of her wellness routine focuses on purging and organizing her closets.
If you need something more physical, do as Nick Mehta suggests and try a Peloton bike. And if you can’t get your hands on one, Erica Dorfman has been streaming yoga and meditation classes via the Peloton app — no bike required, and it’s currently free for 90 days.
LISTEN TO MUSIC.
Meagen Eisenberg has been filling her brain with the soothing sounds of The Very Best of Kenny Rogers lately, resurfacing some nostalgia from when she listened to the same album with her parents via 8 track. If that’s not enough, try our Operator Collective #Quarantunes playlist, which is full of positive vibes.
WATCH SOMETHING LIGHT.
Looking for a show to binge? Anirma Gupta recommends The Great British Baking Show on Netflix. And when you’ve watched all those episodes, but still need the soothing tones of British accents, Katy Dormer suggests Repair Shop. If that’s not your style, she also suggests Tiger King (since we are in absolutely crazy times, it’s good to watch a show of a world that might be crazier) and Crip Camp (which offers an incredible reminder of what people are capable of; have a box of Kleenex ready).
Laura Butler recommends Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, a series about a glamorous and rebellious lady detective set in the Roaring Twenties in Australia, while Robin Joy suggests The Morning Show and Stumptown. Molly Ford likes to watch Self Made, Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker on Netflix, Lolita Taub prefers 100 Humans and Night on Earth, and Reshma Saujani enjoys Hulu’s Hillary series.
Whew! We hope these suggestions add a few positive vibes to your day. What are some activities you’re enjoying at home? Don’t forget to share them with us on Twitter at @OperatorCollect.
