here - Kim Chamberlain
Contents
1. Kim Chamberlain 5 minutes 199 activities to put more life into your life Copyright 2012 by Kim Chamberlain This e book is copyright Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study research criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission from the author Author details Written and published by Kim Chamberlain www kimchamberlain com First published June 2012 Contents Introduction People and relationships Fun and pleasure Personal development Skills and knowledge You and your body Something practical Answers List your own activities Notes Index 10 18 26 33 43 46 48 50 52 Introduction What can you do in 5 minutes Quite a lot actually You could give a powerful presentation write an important letter to a loved one spend precious time genuinely listening to your child And if you spend 5 minutes doing something regularly over a period of time the difference could be enormous 5 minutes a day taking time out to de stress could be extremely benefi cial 5 minutes a day with a skipping rope could make a big difference to your level of fitness 5 minutes a day taking small steps to expand your comfort zone could bring untold benefits Of course you might just want to spend 5 minutes doing something fun or light hearted like reading the cartoons in the paper sitting with your feet2. 47 List your own activities 48 List your own activities 49 Notes Notes Index Books Children young Children older Contemplate Contribution Coordination Create Daydream De clutter Discover something new Drawing Exercise Fashion Frustration Fun Health Health treatments Imagination Increase your skills Increase your knowledge 10 22 20 30 43 20 44 22 11 33 39 23 10 35 36 24 26 28 52 Language Marriage amp relationships Memories Nature Observe Personal Development Plan Read Relationships Share Show Silly Sing Speaking Stress Busters Train your Brain Walk Word games Your attire Your body 29 N 13 13 24 21 31 14 15 12 31 19 28 35 16 41 34
3. Choose 10 single digit numbers Add them up Then multiply them e g 7 x 6 x 3 x 9 etc Work these out without using a calculator Look at 10 items around you Now memorise them in alphabetical order Get a pack of 52 cards Shuffle them Time yourself while putting them into the four suits in the right order 28 from Ace to King Do it again aiming to improve on your time Language Think of someone you know whose main language you don t speak or don t speak well Learn some phrases in their language Use a phrase book dictionary or go online You could keep a phrase book handy and learn a couple at a time Teach yourself to say Hello in three new languages Think of some foreign words or phrases in use in your own language the original meaning of which you are not aware and find out their original meaning For example vis a vis schmaltz hara kiri ad lib Learn the meaning of an unusual word or two Look in the dictionary or do an internet search on learn a new word or unusual words For example sublunary syzygy pelf talipot theremin We store all the words we know not in any random fashion in our head but in word groups called Semantic Fields For example we would probably store the words happy laughing amusing smiling funny and so on in the same semantic field For everyday speaking it s useful to be able to become familiar with our semantic fields expand them and retrieve wo
4. and prevent asthma They can reduce the risk of developing the eye related disease ARMD age related macular degen eration e Pure lemon juice placed on wasp and bee stings will help relieve pain Laugh it off Laughter is the best medicine Laughter can bring your mind and body back into balance and is said to have many benefits It can for example trigger the release of endorphins protect you from the damaging effects of stress lower blood pressure boost your ener gy relax the whole body relieve pain protect the heart boost the immune system increase memory and learn ing give you a mini work out increase the response of tumour disease killing cells help against respiratory in fections improve your breathing improve alertness cre ativity and memory improve your social life if you can make people laugh you re likely to have more friends help relieve depression boost your relationship Laughter is as much about social relationships as it is about humour and laughing with others is more power ful than laughing alone as it binds people together and 38 increases intimacy and happiness There are many activi ties to make you laugh For example In a group play Chinese whispers or a variation on this where instead of saying something to the next person you have to mime an action to the next person making sure the others look away Look through some old photos Play charades Use a sock and entertain peop
5. impartial observer See how things work and what people do See if you can notice a pattern a rhythm ora particular way that things happen When at a networking event observe how people come together how long they interact for and how they split up Watch a debate or a politician being interviewed on TV and observe how people deal with tricky questions Observe how people go into or come out of a large event When watching a film be aware of the mise en sc ne the arrangement of everything that appears on cam era the set design and props the lighting the loca tion the costume designs and colours the acting style Do some people watching unobtrusively For example sit in a caf with a drink and possibly some reading matter and observe people going past on a busy street or in a shopping area It s interesting to watch body language people s interactions the speed that people walk at what they are carrying what their clothes say about them how children behave 25 Skills and knowledge Increase your skills Practise a musical instrument Keep it easily accessible so that you can simply pick it up and start Keep acces sible anything else you might need such as books mu sic sheets timer Practise a short section at a time Note this type of practice is aimed at those who want to learn for fun More practice is needed for those who want to take it seriously Learn a simple card trick Fi
6. sized piece of paper and scissors Method Fold your paper in half three times until it is in eighths Unfold the paper fully and then fold in half once widthways Using the scissors cut from the mid dle of the centre fold down the crease to the middle point of the paper Unfold the paper and fold it again lengthwise so that the cut you made is at the top Push the ends together until the cut forms a diamond shape Continue pushing until it goes flat Then crease all the folds Alternatively search on YouTube for a video giving in 43 structions Take a photograph with a camera or your phone Print it off and put it in a frame or trim it and put it onto a blank greeting card or piece of card to make a person alised greeting card or enclose it in a card to send to someone Make a mini hot house for growing seeds e Requirements Small plant pot potting mix a 2 litre soft drink bottle seeds such as tomato seeds e Method Place damp potting mix in the pot almost to the top Place a few seeds in the pot and water gently Cut the top tapered part off the drink bottle and place it upside down over the top of the pot Place in a warm brightly lit area away from direct sunlight De clutter Look in the bathroom cabinet and throw away items no longer needed such as old medicines almost fin ished bottles of shampoo and freebies from hotels that you will never use Look through all the compartments in your car and throw o
7. the third word would then start with R and end with Y again and so on Example REALLY YOUR RAY YONDER RARITY YEAR RATIFY YOUNGER ROMANY YORKER 16 Aim to choose words without difficult first or last letters for example F I J V or Q X Z Words to try include ARM SHOT ENTER POOL HINT EVEN MAIL SOUP COUNT RACING Alphabet conversation You need at least one other person for this The aim is to tell a story with each person saying a sentence that begins with a letter of the alphabet Firstly choose a story topic for example Planning a holiday The first person starts off with a sentence beginning with the letter A For example Are you going to book the hotel The next person says the following sentence starting with the letter B For example By the beach or in the town The next person says a sentence starting with the letter C and so on until all 26 letters have been used Ten Words Think of a word with six letters starting with G with two syllables ending in LL e that rhymes with teacher that starts and ends with the same two letters with 10 letters ending in E e with four letters that looks the same in the mirror beginning with Q that has three syllables that has more than five letters and ends in X that has six letters in alphabetical order e with three Ks in it Choose any three letters and think of ten adjectives starting
8. to your favourite song preferably with others as loudly as you can Have a pillow fight in a safe environment Have a running race Remember to do some warm up exercises first Play a quick game on the Wii Xbox or PlayStation Books Choose a book that you feel happy to part with Tape a note to the front of the book saying This book is freely available for anyone to read Please take it and when you have finished reading leave it somewhere for an other person to use Leave it in a suitable place such as in a caf on public transport at the train station Pick out one of your factual books such as a diction ary user s manual or fact book turn to page 15 and see if you can learn something new 10 Choose two or three books and see exactly how they are laid out For example check what is on the spine what is on the front cover what is on the title page where the dedication page comes if there is a con tents page or index and so on Choose the oldest and newest books you possess Study them to see what changes have occurred in book production over the years Choose a map book or a book containing a map of a real place and study it to see the interesting place names and the layout of the area Alternatively look at a detailed map of a place you are familiar with and see if there are any places you didn t know were there Drawing re Draw your family tree Find a colouring in picture or draw one
9. up and a nice hot drink or chatting to a friend These are important too This book gives many suggestions for how you can use 5 minutes It could be a spare 5 minutes while waiting for the evening meal to cook a5 minute break between tasks a regular planned 5 minutes daily or any other situation where you have 5 minutes you could spend doing something useful Many of the activities are low cost or no cost For some of the activities you may need to do some prepara 4 tion beforehand 5 minutes practising a musical instrument isn t going to go very far if you have to spend time digging your guitar out of the wardrobe and working out if it s tuned or not 5 minutes dipping into a book won t amount to much if you are in the office and the book is in your car in the car park in the next street If it is going to be a regular activity it pays to have the appropriate items ready Activities that require some form of preparation beforehand are marked with a star How to use this book 5 minutes is split into chapters containing activities of a similar nature Within each chapter are categories each with five suggestions for 5 minute activities Of course you don t have to prolong the activity for exactly 5 minutes if you finish early nor do you need to stop after that amount of time If you feel you want to carry on then by all means do so Some activities may take several 5 minute sessions for example tidy
10. with each of the letters 17 Personal development Personal Development Make a decision to do something that takes you out of your comfort zone today or once a week or every day for a year Choose activities that don t endanger you Write down the top five actions you are going to start off with along with the dates you will do them in the very near future The more you confront your fears the more your confidence can build and the more you get out of life Can you decide to make an appointment with the dentist agree to speak at an event go to a party on your own jump off the diving board at the pool ask someone out on a date leave your job spend the day on your own pick up a spider and look at it Think of an area of your life you would like to improve on for example your finances public speaking losing weight improving your marriage or relationship Go online and order a book about it It is said that successful people ask better questions and as a result get better answers What issue are you dealing with at the moment Work out useful ques tions you can ask yourself about it or chat with some one and ask them to ask you questions Unsure of what your real passion is Start the process of finding out by taking a piece of paper and drawing a line down the middle On the left hand side write down 18 things you love Anything no matter how big or small especially those things you do when you don t
11. AGER REVERSE ELDER ROSE EV ER RECOMPENSE POOL LAMP PILL LOOP PAIL LIMP PENAL LISP PERENNI AL LUMP HINT TOOTH HAT TENTH HILT TRENCH HURT TEETH HABIT TICKLISH EVEN NOSE EASTERN NAVE ELECTION NAPE ENSIGN NERVE EMANCIPATION NOTICE MAIL LOOM MILL LOAM MALL LOCUM MENIAL LUKE WARM MARSUPIAL LOGARITHM SOUP PASS SHIP PRESS SLIP PLUS STAMP PRECIS SHOP POSSESS 46 COUNT TACTIC CAT TOPIC CABARET TRAFFIC CLOSET TRAGIC CHANT TURMERIC RACING GEAR RING GANDER RANG GLACIER ROTATING GAFFER ROWING GEYSER Think of a word There will be many answers including GARAGE FOOTBALL PREACHER DECIDE ABBREVIATE TOOT QUARRELSOME APPENDIX BEGINS KNICKERBOCKER TRAIN YOUR BRAIN Countries with 5 letters Answers vary slightly but can include Benin Burma Chile China Congo Egypt Gabon Ghana Haiti India Italy Japan Kenya Libya Macau Malta Nauru Nepal Niger Palau Qatar Samoa Spain Sudan Syria Tonga Wales Yemen Zaire Girls names There will be many answers including Amy Bethany Christine Delia Evelyn Frances Gloria Helen Irene Jacinta Kira Lesley Marian Norma Olive Priscilla Queenie Rose Sheila Teresa Una Vera Wanda Xanthippe Yolanda Zillah
12. It could be any thing that can be done in 5 minutes for example how to fold a napkin how to do a mail merge how to count to five in another language Show your appreciation of good customer service you have received If you are still in the place ask to speak to a supervisor to pass on your compliments Alterna tively write a brief note send an email or make a phone call complimenting a person or an organisation Show someone a photo of something that is special to you and explain why 14 Show someone one of your favourite books and give a brief synopsis of it Show your support for a worthy cause Take the first step by deciding on a cause you would like to support and finding out more about it for example getting their contact details subscribing to their newsletter calling and asking for information Alternatively start checking out what local national or international community organisations or causes there are For example your local voluntary service or search online for a list of non profit organisations Silly Sometimes it s good to stop what you re doing and do something silly Get everyone in the house to put on their most ridicu lous combination of clothes and then take a group photo Sing along to a song making up silly words to it Find a photo of someone in a magazine or newspaper and draw silly things on them a moustache big ears etc Play Silly Stories with a gr
13. could change your physical appearance to whatever you wanted What would you look like Imagine you could make a major beneficial change in the life or circumstances of one of your family mem bers What would you change Imagine you could make a major change to one of the issues facing your country What would you change and how would you do it If an enormous change were to take place in the world such as an end to poverty hunger or war for example how would the world be Contribution Who do you know who is lonely and could do with some company Can you work out a way to help Make your street more attractive for all sweep up outside someone else s house put a plant at the base of a street lamp pick up litter from the kerbside Plan a way to contribute financially Can you give a per centage of your income to a worthy cause Some peo ple arrange to have donations taken from their salary 20 Speak to one of your neighbours and ask if they would like to help you organise a street barbeque When you are out at the shops how can you spend 5 minutes giving to others Can you give a smile to peo ple give a compliment to the shop assistant give mon ey to people collecting for worthy causes give your car park ticket that has time remaining on it to someone else Plan Plan how you can make the best use of the next 24 hours Write down all the activities that have to be done and then brainstorm the a
14. ctivities that could be done Choose the most important you can achieve in the timeframe e Draw up a plan for your evening meals for the week Make a note in your diary of birthday dates for family and friends along with dates when you are going to buy and or send cards and presents Decide on a purchase you would like to make but can not yet afford then work out a plan as to how you will achieve it It can be any type of purchase from some thing inexpensive through to a large purchase such as a house Draw up an escape plan in case there is a fire in your house This may take more than one session Get a leaflet from the fire service or local council or search online for Fire escape plan and draw up your plan 21 Discover something new When out walking driving or shopping take a slight detour to a different street or different shop that you haven t been to before See what you notice When food shopping look at different shelves or differ ent parts of the shop and buy a type of food you have n t tried before Go to the library and into a section you don t normally go to Borrow an interesting book Try an unusual combination of drink either alcoholic or non alcoholic There are many combinations you could choose Fancy a new occupation Do an internet search on unusual occupations different careers or interesting occupations You might be inspired Contemplate Contemplation in
15. d kit make a note now to buy one There are various recommendations for suitable items a kit should contain Here s a sample First Aid Booklet Antiseptic wash Dressings Scissors Bandages Safety pins Assorted plas ters Regular strength pain medication Latex gloves Ad hesive tape Gauze pads Sterile cleansing wipes Low grade disinfectant Tweezers Sting and bite treatment Instant cold pack There are also specialist kits for those in specific situations It pays to check the requirements for your circumstances Treat yourself to a nice relaxing bath It can help you re lax tensed nerves and give you some beneficial me time Prepare the environment by making it warm and inviting for example use music and candles put a relaxing essen tial oil in the bath water and get out your best towels Afterwards apply a nourishing body moisturiser Spend 5 minutes at a time researching the health bene fits of fruits and how to make use of them in order to gain these benefits Please also take appropriate medical advice For example it is said that 37 e Figs are good for those with diabetes high blood pressure breast cancer and for post menopausal women e Bananas have a natural antacid effect that helps with heartburn They can help diminish the effects of diarrhoea and constipation while the potassium prevents the weakening of the body s bones e Kiwi fruits bring benefits to the respiratory tract to reduce wheezing and coughing
16. e meaning of it Go onto a quotes website choose a category and read a selection of quotes Read a blog post It may be a blog you are already aware of or you might like to search on a topic you are interested in and read an appropriate blog Read the small print of something you are going to sign Speaking Build your public speaking skills and confidence by spending small regular amounts of time speaking ona variety of topics Give a mini speech which has a short opening a longer body containing two to three main points and a short ending Each time you practise work on a different issue for example how you enunci ate how you stand how you will have eye contact with the audience how you will bring in props how you will use notes etc If you tend to slur your words or mumble practise your enunciation by doing some speaking exercises The more clearly you speak the more people will see you as an educated trustworthy person worth listening to They will be able to focus on what you say rather than be distracted by how you say it Work out something to say preferably the kind of topic you would usually speak about Stand in front of a mirror and say it as you would normally say it Then say it again this time slowing down slightly and being aware of your enunci 31 ation What can you improve Ideally have someone with you as they are more likely to notice your speech habits more easily than you To gain the most benef
17. er for 5 minutes Listen to music whichever type will get you into a good frame of mind calming music fun music rock 23 Imagination Imagination is more important than knowledge Albert Ein stein Think of a character in a novel film or programme Now imagine what their life is like in detail This is what the writer will have done to be able to create them What were their parents like What was their school ing like What kinds of book would they read What is in their wardrobe What kinds of food do they eat What are their views on religion And so on Take a piece of paper and a few types of pens or pen cils Pick up a pen close your eyes and draw random shapes Then turn the paper slightly and using another pen draw more random shapes Continue for a while When you have finished imagine that it is a very ex pensive work of art by a modern artist Now give an ex planation of the deep meaning of the work to an imagi nary potential buyer Imagine what could be a simple suggestion to reduce the level of poverty in third world countries Think up a new invention that could be an alternative to using an umbrella Start a simple story either in your head or written down starting with When left the house in the morn ing met and continue the story Each time you do this exercise imagine a different storyline 24 Observe When you are in a variety of situations stop for 5 minutes and be an
18. have to and those things you dream about On the right hand side write down things that challenge you or you find difficult The items you put here are in your life to chal lenge you and build strength of character The items on the left hand side are what you are here to do Perhaps as a job career vocation hobby or interest This exer cise may take more than one session Start a Gratitude Diary where you spend 5 minutes a day writing down all that you are grateful for It is said that when you think about all the things you are grateful for in your life then the law of attraction dic tates that you will attract more just like them Having an attitude of gratitude can help boost your feelings of self esteem optimism and motivation as well as having a positive impact on your health relation ships and work Stress Busters Sit down or lie down and do NOTHING Meditate You can do this silently or use meditation music or play a guided meditation You can find some online if you don t have a CD or similar If choosing your own meditation choose one you know or read one and practise it or ask someone to read one out to you Go for a jog Remember to do some warm up exercises first 19 Watch an entertaining YouTube video Do a puzzle such as a crossword or Sudoku or 5 minutes worth of a jigsaw puzzle Daydream Imagine you have won a million on the lottery Work out exactly what you would do with it Imagine you
19. ing up your inbox or tidying up a room In these cases you may like to set a timer for 5 minutes each time The length of some activities may be dependent on other people for example if you Call a friend who laughs easily it may be a friend who is unable to limit their conver sation to 5 minutes The topics may trigger ideas for other activities you would like to include so there is space for you to write your own at the back of the book There are also blank pages for the activities where it s suggested you write or make notes Enjoy Kim Chamberlain People and relationships Relationships Contact someone you haven t been in touch with for a while to rekindle your friendship You could email text write phone send a card connect on a social media site Send someone a thank you message It could be for any reason for example for providing a service for offering a listening ear for helping you when you needed it simply for being a great friend Have a quick meeting standing up with your family where everyone puts in their ideas for a fun day out Choose one and decide on the day you will do it With your family members choose a dinner plate that is different from any others you might use and ear mark this as the special plate When someone does something special they will have their meal served on this plate Make positive comments on people s social media postings A few words even infreq
20. it you will need to do this on a regular basis over a peri od of time Learn to control your communication Think of a commu nication situation that usually irritates or angers you Do a role play with someone training yourself to deal with the situation with a suitable level of control If you are going to a meeting where you have to intro duce yourself and explain what you do practise before hand what you are going to say Getting the first part of your contribution right will build your confidence for the rest of the meeting Practise impromptu speaking in a fun environment In a group get one person to start giving a presentation or telling a story and speak to it for around 30 seconds The next person takes over and continues the presentation or story and so on This will enhance your listening skills and your thinking on your feet skills 32 You and your body Exercise Do some stretching exercises and a warm up before you start and finish off with a warm down and stretching to let your body recover Please take medical advice before doing exercise if you are unsure Do some star jumps Begin with your feet together and your hands by your side Jump raising both feet to the side while raising your arms to the side slightly above shoulder height Finish with feet together and hands at your side Go on a treadmill either walking or running Begin slowly If using a motorised treadmill step on the belt once you k
21. le with your sock puppet Watch a humorous You Tube clip for example a baby laughing Post something amusing on Facebook Read a joke book or a humorous quotes book Find a screen saver that will make you laugh Call a friend who laughs easily Fashion Find some Before and after photos of someone the same gender as you for example in a magazine or on an image consultant s website Work out the main issues that have been addressed from a fashion point of view See if there are any ideas you could use or adapt for yourself Look through a fashion magazine or website and choose an outfit you would like Work out a way to get it or something similar For example can your order it through the magazine or online Is there a suitable retailer in your area Work out your clothing style There are several ways to describe clothing styles for women Here is a simplified 39 guide See if you can work out your style Alternatively arrange to see an image consultant Romantic Feminine Likes soft colours flowing style lines and materials such as silk that drape the body Likes lace ruffles dainty jewellery soft pinks and peaches Classic Dramatic Likes simplicity sometimes show ing a level of authority in dress style Likes tailored clothing with angular necklines stripes edges and neutral colour combinations Casual Natural Likes comfortable clothing made of natural fabrics Not keen on accessories make up or fussy hai
22. les repaired to be polished insoles glued down thrown away Check jewellery and accessories For example are the clasps holding the diamond in your ring securely are the screws secure in your glasses or watch are the fas tenings on necklaces and bracelets OK Women check you are wearing the correct size of bra To work out your size you need two measurements First measure underneath your bust with the tape measure straight across your back If it is an even num ber add 4 if it is an odd number add 5 So if your measurement is 32 your bra size is 36 If it is 33 your bra size is 38 For the cup size measure the full est part of your bust and then subtract the first meas 41 urement from this number If the difference is minus 1 the cup size is AA if 0 the cup size is A if it s plus 1 the cup size is B and so on 42 Something practical Create Decorate a t shirt for an adult or child using a suitable glue and haberdashery items such as beads sequins or motifs Make a stress ball e Requirements 2 balloons scissors flour spoon Method Spoon as much flour as you can into one of the balloons compacting it with the back of the spoon e Place this balloon inside the other balloon putting the open side in first making sure that flour does not spill out Optional Decorate it with a permanent marker pen Make a small book from a piece of paper You need an A4 or similar
23. nd one in a book or look online There are a number on YouTube Over time you can progress from very simple tricks to harder ones An easy one to start off with Take two cards from the top of the deck Make sure you hold them together carefully so that it looks like you only took one card Show it to the other person Then put the two cards back on top of the pile and this time take only the top card and place it at the bottom of the pile Then turn over the top card and it appears to be their card Spelling Think of a word you have difficulty spelling Find the correct spelling and practise writing it out Then practise including it in different sentences Write this word on a sticky note and attach it to the bath room mirror Leave it there till you feel confident you can spell it You may like to check online for a list of common spelling errors to see if there are any you need to be aware of Common errors include such 26 words as accommodation beginning committee defi nitely development government independent neces sary separate successful Improve your balance Physical balance is a learned skill and if we don t continue to practise it we are likely to become dependent on supports such as sticks and hand rails as we get older Here are three simple balance exer cises e Stand on your toes Do it in front of a mirror for at least 30 seconds at a time e Stand on one leg Do it in front of a mirror aiming for 15 second
24. now that it s moving at the slow set up speed Use the handrails only if you need to It s OK to hold on when learning to use the treadmill or if you have balance issues but otherwise let go when you feel comfortable and move naturally Always look straight ahead and don t turn if someone Calls you e Always wear walking or running shoes don t go barefoot e The first few times you may feel dizzy when you get off This is normal and will stop Don t read while using the treadmill Walk or run up and down some stairs You can try tim 33 ing yourself or seeing how many times you can run up and down in 60 seconds and aim to beat your score Do some step exercises using the bottom step Simply step up and then down Smoothly step up with one foot while keeping the other foot on the floor until you transfer your bodyweight onto your raised foot Finish the movement with both legs straight Do some squats Stand with your feet the same distance apart as your hips keeping your knees hips and toes ina straight line Pull your belly button towards your spine Imagine you are going to sit in a chair and slowly lower your body If possible go down until your bottom is in line with your knees checking to see that your knees are behind your toes Keep the weight in your heels and slowly bring your body back to the starting position e At the top of the movement do not lock your knees keep them sligh
25. or find one in a book or print one off Colour it in using only one colour There are various colouring techniques you can use for example light shading heavy shading pointil lism using small dots vertical lines cross hatching short strokes vertically crossed with horizontal strokes placing a textured item underneath the pa per and shading over it etc Find a colouring in picture or draw one or find one in a book or print one off Colour it in using as many colours as you like 11 Study a small simple item such as a book cup or flow er and do a simple sketch of it Next time either aim to do it better or continue with the sketch Copy a picture using a grid technique Find a picture draw a grid over it then draw a blank grid the same size and copy the picture into the blank grid For example Choose a song you don t know the lyrics to print them off and sing along Choose a suitable song and sing a duet with someone In a group sing a round For example Row row row your boat Frere Jacques London s burning Sing the lyrics from one song to the tune of another It will be easier if you can print off the alternative lyrics so you don t get tempted to sing the original lyrics Great fun especially when done with a group 12 If you have a home karaoke machine sing along in pairs in groups on your own Nature Sit amongst nature close yo
26. oup of people Get some thing to write on that all people can see such as a whiteboard flipchart of large piece of paper Two peo ple stand up with one acting as a prompter The prompter asks the other player to start telling a story for example My last holiday As they talk the prompt 15 er writes a word or short phrase on the board that is n t related to their topic such as sausages alien inva sion Albert Einstein The player has to adapt their story to include this word or phrase The prompter writes a couple more words or phrases and the player has to use them while trying to continue the original story After a minute another player has a turn and so on Have several slips of paper On half of them write the names of animals On the other half write an adjective or emotion Put the slips into two separate bags One person at a time picks out one from each bag the name of an animal and an adjective and has to mime it while the others guess For example you may have to mime a pompous Snail a bored chimpanzee an intellectual giraffe Word games Answers are at the end Make as many words of four or more letters as you can from the word NEWSPAPER Avoid using proper nouns and plurals First and Last Letters Can you think of 10 words where the first and last letters alternate For example if the first word is REALLY the next word would need to start with Y and end with R
27. p do you get on an average night Research shows that most average adults need about seven to nine hours of sleep each night e Do you have good habits that allow you to get to sleep easily Do you drink coffee or other stimu lants too late Do you watch TV too late Is your sleeping environment comfortable e Do you lie awake worrying about things to do the next day Could you write a to do list to help you let go of the issues Start a health journal Keep a written medical history and educate yourself about any family problems Health treatments There are many therapies available Researching a few for 5 minutes at a time can let you see if you would be interested in finding out more about them For example Acupressure Acupuncture Aromatherapy Alexander Technique Biofeedback Bach Flower Remedies Chela tion Therapy Chinese Medicine Colonics Cupping Craniosacral Therapy Dance Movement Therapies Dowsing Ear Candling Feng Shui Feldenkrais Method Flower Essences Herbalism Heliotherapy Holistic den 36 tistry Homoeopathy Hypnotherapy Hydrotherapy Iridology Kinesiology Lymph Drainage Therapy Natur opathic Medicine Reflexology Reiki Rolfing Shiatsu Sound Therapy Check your first aid kit and see if contains the appropri ate items Decide if you have enough first aid kits in the appropriate places for example in the house in the car at an activity you attend at work If you don t have a first ai
28. r put away items that don t need to be there Tidy up your inbox 5 minutes at a time Search down the back and sides of your sofa and chairs to see what you find Tidy out your handbag purse or wallet Take out what you don t need and then place the remaining items in 44 specific places Make it a habit to always put these items in the same place 45 Answers WORD GAMES Words from NEWSPAPER include words anew answer aper apes apse aspen asper earn earns ease enwrap enwraps erase erne ewer nape nappe napper naps nares neap neaps near nears neep newer news pane pans paper pare pares pars parse pase pawn pawnee pawner pawns paws pean pear pease peen peens peep peeps peer peers pees pens pere perp prase prawn preen preens prep rape rapes rappee rappees rappen raps rasp reap reaps renew renews resaw resawn resew resewn sane saner sapper saree sawer Sawn Sear seen seep seer sene serape sere sewer sewn snap snapper snare sneer spae span spar spare spawn spawner spear spew spewer spree swan swap swapper swear sweep wane wanes wans waps ware warn warns warp warps wasp wean weaner weans wear wears weep weeps weer were wrap wraps wren First and last letters There will be many answers including ARM MALARIA ALARM MANTRA AHEM MYOPIA ALBUM MANIA AQUARIUM MEDIA SHOT THIS SWAT TRUSS SWEET THUS SLANT TENACIOUS SIGHT TETANUS ENTER RATE EAR RISE E
29. rds from them easily and quickly One way to do this is practise thinking of as many words you can in a partic ular semantic field Choose a word or concept and see how many words or phrases you can think of in the 29 same semantic field For example Large Clever Red Beautiful Words that describe chocolate Words that describe Australia Coordination Try juggling two items such as bean bags or balls If you can already do this use a larger number items Do a simple drawing such as a house or Christmas tree on a piece of paper Now get a small mirror and hold it at right angles to the paper so that you can see the drawing Looking only in the mirror trace over your drawing Sit down Clap your hands twice and stamp your foot once Do this five times Then clap your hands three times and stamp your foot twice Do this five times Now clap your hands once and stamp your foot twice Do this five times Finally clap your hands twice and stamp your foot three times Do this twice Repeat the exercise doing it slightly faster each time Write a passage with your non dominant hand See how your writing improves over time Get a skipping rope and skip There are many benefits to skipping For example it involves a high level of coor dination and involves both sides of the body and both sides of the brain Read Read a part of a newspaper or magazine that you nor mally skip 30 Read a short poem and really appreciate th
30. rstyles If wearing jewellery items prefers ones made from natural materials Expressive Eclectic Likes to be bold creative and unique and can wear clashing outfits or patterns Likes to use colour and wear expressive accessories and jewellery Work out your colour palette There are several ways to describe colour palettes Here is a simplified guide See if you can work out which colours suit you Alternatively arrange to see a colour consultant Colour is usually sep arated into two main categories cool blue based which is often associated with winter and summer colours and warm yellow based which is often associated with spring and autumn colours Some colours can be either warm or cool depending on their make up For example a pink with a yellow base could be salmon while pink with a blue base could be fuchsia 40 e Warm colours include cream orange gold warm yellow beige brown rust salmon pink peach lime warm blue teal e Cool colours include black white fuchsia cherry red purple lilac navy turquoise sapphire Look in your wardrobe and throw away anything that is seriously out of fashion Your attire Look in your wardrobe and chest of drawers and check your clothes jackets and underwear to see if they need repairing or cleaning Are the seams coming loose are there holes or tears are buttons missing are there stains Check your footwear shoes boots trainers etc Do any need re heeling so
31. s at a time on one leg then 15 seconds on the other Keep your head straight and look into the mirror e Stand on your heels Take off your shoes and rock back on your heels and hold your stance As the weight will be on your heels keep focusing to avoid tipping over backwards Practise a foreign language Simple ways to increase your skills include watch short videos read children s books or comics arrange to call or email a fluent speaker of the language on a regular basis make up flash cards of use ful words and carry them with you listen to music and see if you can pick up any of the lyrics memorise irregu lar verbs ask someone to read out 10 words while you write them down then check the spelling write out con jugations of verbs 27 Increase your knowledge Ask someone to share their knowledge on a topic you are not familiar with Sit in front of a computer click in the Internet search box close your eyes and type letters randomly Follow some of the links it brings up Obtain a book on a topic you know little about Read or dip into it in 5 minute bursts Choose a topic you know little about and watch a short You Tube video on it Read a page of an encyclopaedia Train your Brain Answers are at the end Think of as many countries as you can that have five letters in them Write down the letters A to Z one underneath each other Now write down 26 girls names beginning with each letter of the alphabet
32. tly bent Afterwards stretch your quadriceps and ham strings Your body Ask someone else if possible to check your body for marks moles etc and make a note of them Check on a regular basis to see if there are changes Give your breasts or testicles a health check feeling for 34 any lumps or changes Move every part of your body stretch your mouth rotate your neck shoulders and arms Continue through all parts of the body Give yourself an eyesight test Do a search online for a free eyesight test Give yourself a hearing test Do a search online for a free hearing test Walk Walk on the spot starting off gently and becoming more energetic Have a brisk walk before you eat It can speed up your metabolism Walk for 5 minutes while counting your steps or using a pedometer Next time see if you can increase the number of steps Walk up the stairs instead of taking the lift Get off the bus a stop early and walk the rest of the way Health Prepare some raw fruit or vegetables to keep as a handy healthy snack Store them in a suitable contain er Drink a glass of cold water or a cup of hot water You can add a slice of lemon or some lemon juice Drink it instead of the caffeine sugar or energy drink you were 35 going to drink Look in your fridge or food cupboards and take out at least one unhealthy item Make a mental note not to buy it again Analyse your sleep For example e How much slee
33. uently can nurture a relationship connection Marriage amp relationships Write some love notes for your partner and leave them in unexpected places for example in their pock et in the coffee jar taped to the sun visor of their car on the bathroom mirror in their shoe 7 e Re live a happy memory by discussing it with your partner such as what attracted you to each other in the first place the proposal your wedding day e Get out your diaries and book several date nights e If your partner is feeling stressed listen to their con cerns and then give them a head and neck massage e Send each other a text message saying I love you because Do it every day for a week giving a differ ent reason each time Children young Help your child to learn a simple rhyme that you learnt as a child Make up a story Ask them to contribute and include their ideas in the story For example What do you think the bunny s name is And what do you think the girl did next Pretend that you are the child and they are the parent and act out a fun scenario together se Create a quick and simple dress up by making a crown out of paper a robe from a towel or small blanket and using a stick as a wand b Walk round the house and count 10 red items Children older Sit down with them and ask if there is one thing you could do that would be of help to them Discuss their main interest or hobb
34. ur eyes and completely relax Watch clouds preferably with someone else and work out what shapes they make Use a poetry book or search online and read a poem about nature or write a poem about nature Re pot a pot bound plant Go outside and collect as many types of leaves as you can in 5 minutes In the next 5 minute session see how many of the leaves you can identify Memories Look over some old photographs ideally with some one else Think about the best day of your life Recall the col ours the sights the sounds the smells the environ ment the people Especially remember your emotions Pick out an item you have had for many years Think back to the time you acquired it and what has hap pened to it since Share your best childhood incident with a friend Create memories by writing a diary There are many ways to write a diary Your diary could be simply to create memories for yourself a diary that no one else 13 will see or it could be to create memories for others in the future There is no right or wrong way to write a diary Some ideas to consider Show write it in the first person write it as a chronological overview of your day write down your reflections on what is happening in your life include how you feel and say why include photos tickets letters do some drawings include poems write down your plans hopes daydreams prayers make it colourful Show someone how to do something
35. volves focusing your thinking for a period of time It can help you to gain more understanding of an issue to feel calmer or to gain insight into life Before you start take a moment to settle and feel calm Look at an item such as a plant flower tree painting ornament or piece of jewellery and fully appreciate its beauty Look at the sky and contemplate the vastness of the universe 22 Think about the amazing journey that long distance migratory birds make Contemplate all the positive aspects in your life What qualities have you been endowed with What qualities have you developed Which people are in your life that you appreciate What have you contributed to others Appreciate everything you have Think about what people might say about you at your funeral What are some of the positive aspects What might some of the negative aspects be What can you do in the time you have left that will turn some of those negative aspects round Frustration To deal with frustration Burn off energy by doing something physical such as going for arun skipping kneading some dough Use a journal to write down how you feel and write the journal regularly Or write what you would really like to say to Someone in a letter or email to get it off your chest but don t send it Stop take a deep breath take a break remove your self from the situation have a cup of tea go for a brisk walk Rant to a trusted friend or partn
36. y Really take an 8 interest Look round their bedroom with them and see if there is an item they could sell Ask them to teach you something simple Play a card game The loser has to sing a song in as out of tune voice as possible Share Share something that is special to you that you don t normally share with someone else It could be a bar of chocolate your favourite wine a gadget use of your car etc Share silent time with someone Simply sit with someone and listen to the surrounding noises or when you are out in nature sit and silently observe and listen Have a family meeting where you each briefly share your views on a particular issue Share kindness Write down as many ways as you can in 5 minutes the kindness you could share with oth ers For example could you offer to babysit tidy a neighbour s garden clean out your parent s garage etc Go onto a forum or suitable blog and share some of your knowledge for example tips for health finance travelling parenting Fun and pleasure Fun Play Twenty Questions One person thinks of an item or subject They can say whether it is Animal Vegeta ble or Mineral or can give a category such as TV pro gramme Sports person Food The others have to guess what this item or subject is by asking up to 20 questions The responses to the questions can only be Yes or No or Yes No and Maybe Sing along
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