Disability services: Listening libraries (updated)

For some people with a chronic illness/disability audiobooks can be more accessible for a number of reasons.

There are a number of listening libraries available free of charge to those in the UK who need to access audiobooks whether it be because of a visual impairment or a print disability. There are also ones you can subscribe to. I have listed the main listening libraries we have in the UK.

So what is a ‘Print Disability’?

My Irlen’s glasses

A print disability covers a wide range of things. 

It could mean you struggle to read print because of a specific learning disability like dyslexia. You could have Irlens Syndrome (also known as Scotopic Sensitivity). Also you don’t have a visual impairment but you struggle to read standard size or written print. 

Print disabilities also cover cognitive difficulties with reading such as poor concentration, brain fog and conditions like brain injuries. 

They also cover physical difficulties with books too. For example struggling to hold a book or turn a page due to disabilities and conditions like having a Spinal Cord Injuries, MS, arthritis, M.E., MND, Parkinson’s and more.

I also feel that Print Disability’s should include difficulty reading, using and holding e-readers as well.

Listening Books

Listening Books is “an audiobook lending charity for those that find their illness, mental health, physical or learning disability affects their ability to read the printed word or hold a book.”

Their books can be accessed through their website or through the Libby audiobook library app.

Magazines and newspapers can also be accessed.

To qualify for Listening Books you must have a disability, illness, learning disability or mental health condition that impacts your ability to read or hold a book.

Membership costs £25 for the year. When you sign up there is a long list of medical conditions and you can select your conditions to be eligible to join. 

If there is a title Listening Books doesn’t have that you’d like to listen to you can contact them and if they can buy the book they will add it to the library. This is something that I have done before.

BorrowBox

BorrowBox is a library in one app, from it; from it audiobooks and eBooks can be borrowed.

It’s a free service some local libraries now use to allow members to access digital content. You can check with your local library to see if they’re using BorrowBox.

Link to BorrowBox: Find out if your local library is using this service.

RNIB Reading Services

RNIB Reading Services is open only to those who are blind, partially sighted or has a print or physical impairment that prevents them from reading standard print.

Their Reading Service is available in a number of different formats. There is a link between Amazon’s Alexa and RNIB’s talking books. They also offer books in braille and now a new service e-Braille. Books can also be loaned on Daisy CD’s and USB. They also have a library of books through the Dolphin EasyReader app audiobook library.

As well as books magazines and newspapers can also be accessed on audio.

Calibre Audio

Calibre Audio is a “a UK-based charity providing a audiobook lending service for people with a print disability.”

“Who can join… We support anyone unable to see, read, or comprehend printed text due to difficulty or inability. This can include:

• A specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia 
• A brain injury or cognitive impairment such as head trauma or stroke
• A visual impairment or blindness 
• Physical dexterity problems, such as Parkinson’s disease, arthritis, MND
• Learn more on who can join
  

For those over 25 the fee is £3 a month or £30 for the year. For those using the USB stick service for books or those under 25 the service is free.

Calibre Audio uses to Dolphin EasyReader app or the Libby app, streaming through their website, USB stick, and through the Synapptic software used by those with visual impairments. 

Link to Calibre Audio

Audible

This is a well known listening library. I often find Audible has titles other listening libraries don’t have and some audiobooks are exclusive to Audible.

There are different subscription levels each with different benefits. You can pay monthly or yearly. Often there are offers to get Audible for free or at a reduced rate. You can also buy more credits to buy books. Sometimes there are 2 for 1 offers too, so you can on selected titles get two books for one credit.

Link to Audible

Kindle Unlimited

You don’t need a Kindle to access Kindle Unlimited. You can download the free Kindle app onto your phone or table too (both Apple Store and Android). Kindle Unlimited offers unlimited access to a wide range of ebooks, with quite a wide selection that come with audio which you can listen to via Audible without paying for Audible. You can choose to do a mixture of reading and listening or you can purely listen to the book if you wish.

You do have to pay for Kindle Unlimited but there are often offers such as free trials of the service.

Link to Amazon Unlimited: if you sign in you can view what offers they have available which may include a free trial.

Everand

This listening library has now changed since the last time I used it. It now operates similar to Audible with different levels of membership all at different fees and each with different benefits. I do think this is a bit of a shame as before you just paid one subscription fee and it gave you access to unlimited audiobooks and ebooks. There is however an offer for 30 days free subscription if you wanted to take advantage of Everand for 30 and listen to what they have on offer for that free month.

Link to Everand

Polite Notice

I have made it clear who is eligible for certain listening libraries. Please only sign up if you meet the eligibility criteria for that service; not just because you want to access free audiobooks. By kindly following this criteria you allow that charity to provide a service free of charge and grow their service to those they provide for.

Thank you.

The 2025 jar project

So how does the jar project work?

You and someone close to you exchange jars - I’m doing it with my best friend. So I’ll her jar and she’ll have mine. I’ve just bought some 1litre plastic jars as they’ll be easier to post and they’re a nice size to fill.

Over the course of 2025 (or any year you’re doing this project) fill the jar with things like

• Positive quotes
• Messages of encouragement, hope or positivity
• Achievements you want to share with your jar buddy
• Uplifting messages or song lyrics or poems etc
• Anything else positive that you can think of

I also encourage you to decorate your jars.

Just before New Year exchange jars and give your jar back to the person you have made the jar for.

New Year can often be a difficult time for our mental health so the purpose of the jar is to have something to open at New Year and to look through all the positive messages and quotes and achievements your jar buddy has written for you (or drawn) and to have something uplifting to look through.

Podcast recommendations

Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley

I really like Lucy Worsley’s historical documentaries on the BBC so when BBC Sounds released this podcast series I thought it would be interesting to listen to and something different to my usual listening. I love the feminist angle to this podcast series and Lucy Worsley is such a wonderful historian and so passionate and great to listen to. Each episode in the series features a different female killer in history and Lucy deep dives into the Lady Killer’s life, their crime and factors surrounding the story as well as interviews with special guests. It covers all periods in history and there are special episodes in the podcast series such as exploring topics such as ‘Women on Trial’ and ‘Is the law gender blind?’ In a follow on series Lucy presents a new podcast series called ‘Lady Swindlers’.

A Bit of A Stretch

This is presented by Chis Atkins who wrote a book under this title. In this podcast he explores different aspects of the British criminal justice system in particular prisons. Chris himself did a stretch in prison for tax which is what his book documents. In his podcast series he shares his own experience and also speaks with other men and women who have also spent time in prison and discusses their experiences with them. Each podcast episode explores a different subject that affects those whilst in prison such as children, relationships, mental health and rehabilitation among other topics. 

I’ve found it a very insightful and informative podcast series especially to hear directly from those who have spent time in prison and to hear they think the prison and probation system should be reformed to better meet their needs especially to potentially help reduce reoffending rates and issues within the prison system.

The Rise & Fall of Ruby Franke

You may or may not be familiar with the Ruby Franke story. She was a successful Mormon YouTube vlogger who is currently in prison for child cruelty charges against her own family. This podcast series by the Law and Crime Network looks behind the Ruby Franke story and what went on behind closed doors of her family’s YouTube channel ‘8 Passengers’, the crimes and abuse she and her business partner committed against her children, the criminal investigation and her prosecution and sentencing.

I’d already been following the story on the Law and Crime Network’s Sidebar channel (both on YouTube and the Sidebar podcast) but this podcast went into more detail about the Ruby Franke story and it was all collated into one podcast series making it easier to follow and understand the full story of the case. It was really well presented with inserts such a 911 calls and police recordings and from Ruby Franke’s vlogging for her YouTube channel to back the documentary series up.

Welcome to The Neighbourhood 

If I’m looking for something light and laughable then this is my go to podcast. Unfortunately only one series has been made so I’m soon running out of episodes. It’s hosted by Jade Adam’s (aka Dawn French) and each episode features a guest such as a comedian or radio DJ. 

In the podcast episodes they basically take a look at neighbourhood group chats from all over the UK and pull out the best conversations exchanged, the more laughable the better and Jade and the guest go over these neighbourhood conversations in the podcast. They put on the local accents for the area of the country for the neighbourhood and the guest will bring with them a conversation exchange from their local neighbourhood group chat too. It’s something very different to my usual listening as I’m not usually a comedy person but I do enjoy this podcast.

Hysterical

This podcast is another Wondery investigative documentary series following a mysterious illness that happened to a group of high school girls in LeRoy, New York. The podcast episodes investigates the case as to what happened to the girls and what might be the source of the sudden onset of the spread of the illness, was it in the water or the soil in town or was it all mass hysteria, what really happened and why did it suddenly stop as suddenly as it began? The podcast interviews some of the girls and others in LeRoy who were affiliated as well as experts to try and get to the bottom of what happened in the town.

Why Do You Hate Me?

This podcast is hosted by Marianna Spring who is the BBC’s Disinformation and Social Media Correspondent, I really like her work as a journalist. It’s one in a season of podcasts that she’s brought out through BBC Sounds. 

In ‘Why Do You Hate Me’ and the second season of this a USA season of the series Marianna meets with people hated online for various reasons including Marianna’s own experiences of online hate from social media trolls. She meets with people at the centre of conflicts and in some cases brings them together to see if there can be a resolution. Some of the people she meets include someone who publicly believed they were Madaline McCann, people who believed the assassination attempts on President Trump were staged, conspiracy theorists and online trolls asking them why they spread online hate to her inbox.

Access All

This is another BBC Sounds podcast, it’s a disability focused podcast and each episode will feature different things such as a special guest to come and chat on the show or the shows hosts will discuss different disability related issues especially topics that a current.

It’s a very niche podcast but I think it’s important to have something for the disabled community to listen to. I remember way back during the pandemic I really enjoyed Kate’s one of the hosts at the time she recorded a diary of that was featured on the podcast as she shielded with her wife and toddler and what life was like for her and her family and also her and her wife as they both had the shield how they felt about things medically during the pandemic. It’s also nice to listen to disability related current topics that I might be made aware about or be able to relate to that might not be featured in the mainstream media.

Redhanded

This is a true crime/comedy in one podcast. I wanted to feature a true crime podcast in this post but I wasn’t sure which one to feature as there are a few I listen to. Redhanded is one I’m enjoying at the moment.

I like how Hannah a Suruthi go off script a lot talking about random things, sometimes to do with the case sometimes not but it can be a bit Marmite at times along with the amount of swearing they do too so there reviews on Apple Podcasts are mixed.

It would also be nice if they featured cases that aren’t always murder or serial killer cases - I like true crime podcasts that feature all types of true crime.

Every podcast has its pros and cons though and on the whole I do enjoy Redhanded and I would recommend it.

Uncanny

This is the BBC’s paranormal podcast hosted by Danny Robins. It’s lead to a book and even a TV program and spinoff podcast series such as the lasted Halloween special series, Christmas specials and live-streamed podcasts in front of an outdoor audience, and also a USA series.

It features both well known paranormal cases and cases brought in by listeners to the podcast. Danny analyses each case and has on to help him he brings on a ‘team skeptic’ and a ‘team believer’ paranormal psychologist to help him look at each case and rationalise what can and maybe what can’t be explained.

It’s not a dark paranormal podcast like some others out there on Apple Podcasts (or other platforms for podcasts). It does get a bit spooky depending on what horror level you’re used to. The podcast is also brought to life with sound effects which does make it a little more haunting but I’d say there’s more horrifying podcasts out there.

Books or Audiobooks?

I’m a big reader I love books and audiobooks but some people prefer one or the other so are books a hit or miss or are audiobooks, or do you like both?

Books

One of the things some people find with books are that they’re more tactile and visual. It can be nice to hold a book in your hands and feel the pages. They can also be a nice feature on a bookshelf; I know I like to order my bookshelf in order of colour.

You can either buy books, new or pre-loved. I think a good quality pre-loved book saves both me money and a little bit of the planet too. Alternatively you can borrow them for free from your local library, if you can get to your library, if not some libraries do offer a home library service run by volunteers and in rural areas a mobile library service both things to make getting books accessible to more people. I personally feel it’s important to keep libraries open.

Some of the downsides to books is they’re less portable, for example to take on your commute to work or when travelling. 

Books can also be difficult for some people such as the font could be too small, reading may be difficult if you have dyslexia or cognitive difficulties. Irlens Syndrome may also make reading difficult unless you use coloured lenses or overlays. I have dyslexia and Irlens myself and my M.E. can make it even harder to concentrate on the text and I get easily brain fogged and fatigued when reading at times. I love reading but sometimes I don’t have the cognitive ability to read.

e-books

A more tech version to books are e-readers like nook books and kindles. These are more portable than books and you can carry multiple books at once on them. The downside is the cost to buy an e-reader but e-books are often cheaper than the physical copy. You can also change the settings to make it more accessible such as to enlarge the text and change the font and line spacing. I use the kindle app on my iPad and I can even put a colour filter on my iPad settings for my Irlens. It still doesn’t feel like I’m reading a physical book though, I did enjoy my nook e-reader though.

Audiobooks 

One of the things with audiobooks is I find is I still find they offer me the visual imagination that books do.

Another thing with audiobooks is the cost. Sometimes you have to pay a subscription to access audiobook libraries such as Audible and Scribd. These are cheaper however than the cost it used to be to buy audiobooks on CD or Daisy Players. Some audiobook libraries are free to those who are eligible such as the RNIB Reading Service, and often local libraries offer free online audiobook libraries too, mine is on the Libby App which Listening Books also uses and this fee can be wavered also. Some libraries also use Borrow Box for free audiobooks.

Audiobooks are also a lot more portable than anything else as you can commute to work with your mobile phone and have your audiobooks downloaded on there, or you can travel and take your books with you which is much easier than trying to pack three books in your bag. It’s also easier to listen with noise cancelling headphones to an audiobook when going places than trying to read with noise and distractions around you.

One big downside to audiobooks is that not all books are made into audiobooks, this is really frustrating I find especially when audiobooks are your main source of books. There’s this trilogy of books that I really want to access but only the first book has be made into an audiobook so I haven’t yet been able to access the second and third books. I personally believe under the Equality Act 2010 which covers disability that all books should be made into audiobooks.

Another downside to some audiobooks is the narration is a bit hit and miss, sometimes you can have great narration like Steven Fry’s narration of the Harry Potter series or just general good narration then you have books with bad narration. Good narration is really important as it helps bring the book to life I find.

A big pro for audiobooks is that they are a lot easier and more accessible for people like myself with dyslexia, or Irlens syndrome and those with a chronic illness/disability that affects a person cognitively or from being able to hold a book or affecting their vision etc. It means they can still access the vast majority of books with a lot more ease and independence without hindrance.

So books or audiobooks?

So whether you go for a book, e-reader or audiobook it’s all down to personal choice and also what meets your needs best. For some physically holding a book is preferred, some a more high tech and go for 3-readers, others may struggle to read and therefore audiobooks are more suited. They all have their pro and cons.

A day in my life

Waking up 

9am: This is when my alarm goes off to wake me up, I find it helpful to keep to a routine and wake up the same time each morning. Sometimes I’m awake before 9am, usually because I’m in pain; if I do wake early I just take some pain relief if needed and lay in bed and listen to a podcast or audiobook until its time to start my morning routine. I have an Apple Watch and I monitor my sleep on the Apple Health app, my aim is to get 10 hours of sleep. If I sleep well it helps me to function a bit better during the day; if I don’t sleep well then it makes it harder to function and it has a negative impact on my symptoms.

Recently I’ve been waking up with a lot of neuropathic (nerve) pain in my left hand affecting its function too. I can also wake up with subluxed or dislocated joints as a result of my Ehlers-Danlos (EDS).

9.15am: This is when I take my morning medication. I use a Pivotell® medication carousel that sets off an alarm to help me to remember to take my medication; I also take my pink inhaler which has a lovely floral case from Inhaler Tailor - I like to accessorise medical devices as much as possible to make them look less clinical. I also find it easier to use a spacer with my inhaler. - I log all the medication I take, both regular and PRN (as and when needed) plus every time I use my inhaler on the Apple Health app to help me monitor and keep track of things especially as I get so forgetful, it also serves a great help for things such as medical appointments such as my asthma reviews or when I’m asked what medication I take.

I allow my meds to kick in and then I start to slowly sit myself up. I have to do this because of the problems I have with dysautonomia and orthostatic intolerance, basically if I sit up too quickly my blood pressure drops and my heart rate goes up and I get really dizzy and I’m at risk of passing out. I also have to spend a lot of my time laid or reclined during the day as my body can’t tolerate being upright for too long. This is one of the many reasons why having my profiling bed is so helpful as I can sit myself up in little increments or recline if it gets too much until I’m fully sat up and ready to get out of bed; I can also tilt my bed to raise my legs higher up which helps if my dysautonomia symptoms are playing up. Dealing with a dysfunctional autonomic nervous system (dysautonomia) can be really difficult as there are a multitude of symptoms and things that can go wrong in the body all of which are very unpredictable.

9.30am: Once I’m sat up I put on my CareLink around my wrist, I can press it if I need assistance in emergencies and someone will come through on the intercom box, it also detects falls so should I fall it immediately alerts CareLink. I allowed my body to adjust and I’m able to safely get out of bed - so if I get out of bed before my body is ready and I pass out my CareLink falls detector will be alerted. I then disconnect from my night bag. Next I’ll make myself a coffee and the return to rest in bed. I’ll usually listen to something on my iPad like my audiobook or a podcast and I’ll play a game like The Sims or do a jigsaw puzzle, some mornings if I’m not feeling great I prefer to just lay and listen. - I find my MERU Flexzi iPad stand really helpful, it’s attached to the bar on my bed and allows me to use my iPad more easily especially when I’m reclined or laid down in bed. 

If I can tolerate it I’ll open one of my blinds a bit to allow me to start adjusting to the light, later, once I’m dressed I’ll open the other blind a bit if it’s a day where I can tolerate a bit more light. On my bad days with M.E. or my migraines my hypersensitivity to light is worse and so I find the light painful so I’ll keep my blinds closed.

If it’s a day where I’ve got agency care I’ll get my breakfast around 10am which I usually make the night before to make it easier on my morning routine as all I have to do is simply get my breakfast out the fridge.

I’m not completely my best in the mornings; I usually wake up more tired than when I went to bed which is a feeling often felt by people with M.E., I’m also just generally not a morning person either.

When my PA arrives

I have a PA to support me in the day but once a fortnight I have three mornings when I have an agency carer instead as I’m struggling to recruit PAs. My PAs work for either 2½ or 4½ hours depending on what day it is, agency carers are here for 1½ hours. - I’ll write this as though it’s one of my PA’s shorter days to work so you can get an idea of what I enjoy doing in my free time and also what my symptoms are like during the rest of the day.

10am is the time my PAs Diane or Jo start. (My agency carer usually arrives around 11/11.30am)

My PA will make my breakfast for me, usually porridge along with a drink and we’ll have a chat. Sometimes at this point I’m still not feeling fully awake. After breakfast and chatting for a bit we’ll put the bath on to run (my bath is the slowest filling bath in the world!)

My bath lift

Whilst the bath is running we get my clothes out for the day along with my creams. I have a few creams that I apply which are different barrier creams to prevent me from developing pressure sores. Alongside my creams I also have a hybrid airflow mattress which one of my nurses provided me with and this also helps alleviate my risk of developing pressure sores. - I’m assessed as being a higher risk for pressure sores as my skin is more fragile and I have poor healing because of my EDS as well as this even though I’m not bed bound I still have to spend the majority of my day in bed so the creams and mattress help as a preventative and so far they’ve done their job.

With the support and enablement from PAs/carers I have a bath. I try to remain as independent as I can by doing as much as I can without exhausting myself out with Post Exertion Malaise (PEM) either now or later in the day. I usually what I can manage to do is wash my face and brush my teeth and I help to dry myself too. I can’t tolerate showers as with my hypersensitivity showers to me feel like a powerful painful jet wash. To get in an out of the bath I use a bath lift which is a seat that lowers and then reclines me into the bath and then it will do the reverse to get me out. I’ll get dressed on my bed, to protect my PA/carer or if I have a nurse visiting me I’ll raise up the height of my bed to protect their back so my profiling bed not only benefits me it also benefits those caring for me.

12pm: I’m usually dressed by this time. It’s important to pace everything I do to lessen my PEM, pain, fatigue and other symptoms. My PA will make my lunch along with another drink and they’ll also wash some pots and maybe do some other jobs like load the washing machine, make a hot water bottle, and put a drink in a thermal tumbler for me to drink later.

Afternoon

12.30pm: Is when my PA finishes work. After they leave I’m usually feeling exhausted so I take my hot drink and hot water bottle to bed and I put on a podcast or audiobook. Usually I’ll just lay and listen sometimes on my good days I’ll also do something like a jigsaw puzzle on my iPad or some other low-level activity.

1.30-2.30pm: Later I might have some energy for day’s main activity. Depending on what kind of a day I’m having will decide what activity I do, from a lower-energy activity to an activity that will require more energy for me that day, or spoons if you want to use Spoon Theory. Also depending on how much energy or spoons I have and the activity I can usually do an activity for about 20-60 minutes. I have to keep a check on how I’m feeling to ensure I’m not going to overdo it and bring on PEM which is very easy to do.

PEM can be very unpredictable and you never know how bad it will be or how long it will last for. PEM is one of the main symptoms of M.E.

Some of the activities I enjoy doing in an afternoon might include:

• Writing to a pen pal
• Crafting e.g. kits, card making, iris folding, diamond painting, crochet
• Assembling die cut sets onto cards (a nice low-level activity)
• Colouring
• Activity books like sticker-by-numbers 
• Blogging 
• Doing my nails
• Going out for a ride with my Batec on my wheelchair (if it’s a longer day I have with my PA or my Dad is visiting me)
• Put some makeup on

On a really really good day I’ll also do some of my to-do list such as medical admin and other admin tasks such as emails, telephone calls and form filling, I might also do some very basic jobs around my home that are doable for me and leave the more energy zapping or difficult jobs for my PAs or carers, just things like tidying my craft table or over bed table and cleaning it with and antibac wipe. It’s nice on my really really good days to feel like a home owner by doing simple house jobs it also makes me feel more productive and independent too.

If I do an activity I’m usually pretty exhausted with PEM especially if I’ve over done it and often my pain levels flare up too. I also especially get a lot of pain in my legs with my M.E. alongside hip pain due to my EDS. I also often experience headaches and migraines. When I get really exhausted my immune system can flare up too and I can experience flu-like symptoms as well - this is the Malaise which means generally feeling unwell and feeling in discomfort. All these symptoms often require additional pain relief and other medications to help relieve the symptoms as well as the use of other pain and symptom management techniques.

3pm: by about this point (sometimes it’s earlier) I’m in desperate need to just simply rest. I’ll usually close my blinds as the dimmed room helps as the light only adds to my pain. I put in my noise cancelling AirPods to block out background noise as this can exacerbate my symptoms. My profiling bed helps me get as comfortable as possible. I use the app Calm and I put on a soundscape and I just lay in bed and listen to this to rest. 

On my worst days I’m unable to tolerate any noise so I just put in my noise cancelling earbuds and lay in bed to rest. This can be difficult emotionally as I have no distraction from my symptoms and I just have to simply lay in bed. 

I’ve developed a good setup around my bed to have everything I need to hand for occasions when I’m unable to get out of bed.

Depending upon how I’m feeling and if I’m having a good or bad afternoon will determine how long I need to rest for. On a good day I’ll rest for 30-60 minutes on a bad afternoon I’ll rest until my evening carer arrives around 4-5pm

4pm: On a good afternoon afternoon after I’ve rested I’ll listen to something, a book or some podcast episodes and do a low-level activity, or I’ll watch something on my iPad so it’s still restful-ish until my evening PA/carer arrives. 

Evening care

My carers/PAs get to me around 4-5pm(ish)

On a really good day if I haven’t been out earlier I might go out for a ride with my PA on my Batec for about 20 minutes usually around the area where I live.

Once I’m back from my Batec ride or if I haven’t been out I’ll begin my evening care with getting a wash. Sometimes I’ll have a wash at the sink, on not-so-good days I just use Fresh Wipes to wash or Nilaqua waterless foam cleaner. On a bad day and I’m not up for a wash at all I’ll just get into my pjs. In an evening we reapply my barrier creams again. I like to wash as it helps with my sleep time routine; also washing is important when you have barrier creams on your skin as a build up of cream can cause the skin to break down so it’s very important to keep it washed off before reapplying it.

Afterwards my PA/carer will make my tea for me. On my good days I’ll join in and help where I can like if passing things out the fridge and freezer and deciding my portions. My PAs/carers will do other things for me like washing the pots, drying and putting them away, cleaning the kitchen space, preparing my night time and morning drinks, making me a hot water bottle, setting up my night bag, emptying the bins and recycling box, folding laundry or anything else that I need help with.

On my really bad days my carers will let themselves in as I’m unable to get out of bed. If I’m experiencing a crash (when my M.E. symptoms are worse) my carers will ensure they talk quietly and keep conversations to a minimum. They’ll also be careful not to bang my bed or make sudden noises and to be gentle when helping me into my pyjamas. They’ll keep the door shut and keep the noise down in the front room when preparing my tea and doing other jobs. Additional things they do is ensure my pain is managed and give me pain relief if I haven’t been able to take it myself. They’ll also ensure my Hydrant bottle is refilled for me - this is a litre water bottle with a long straw that clips to my pillow, it means I can sip on water and stay hydrated hands free when lifting a water bottle would be a challenge.

5pm: this is when I take my evening medication.

Evening and bedtime routine 

5-6pm(ish): is when my PA/carer leaves depending on when they arrive. I’m usually pretty exhausted afterwards and ready to settle down.

After they leave if I’m feeling up to it (on a good day) I’ll update my bullet journal for the day. Then I’ll brush my teeth. I keep water wipes and travel face products next to my bed so I usually do my evening skincare routine in bed.

On bad days when I can’t get out of bed or I’m already in bed I’ll just be resting washing or listening to something on my iPad. In terms of my personal care I’ll just skip brushing my teeth as much as I dislike it and I’ll also miss out my evening skincare routine too as I just don’t have the energy as I have to prioritise where the last of my my energy goes.

7pm: I’ll get into bed if I’m not already there. Depending on how I’m feeling I’ll maybe watch some easy watching TV show of for a short while. If not I might listen to a book or podcast I might do a jigsaw puzzle on my iPad at the same time or I might just lay and listen if I’m too tired. My symptoms usually gets worse the later it gets in the day.

8.10pm: is when I take my bedtime medication 

8.10pm-10.30pm(ish): I used to always go to bed at 9pm whether I was tired or not but a few months ago I did a sleep session for people with chronic pain and since then I’ve learnt to go to bed when I’m tired so when I go to sleep varies. Sometimes I’m nodding off at 7pm so I’ll go to bed as soon as I’ve taken my bedtime medication other times it’ll be later.

What I find hard to understand is despite really struggling during the day with chronic fatigue is at night I can sometimes struggle with insomnia. My way of trying to understand my sleeplessness is because my body doesn’t have the energy to sleep. I can also struggle to sleep sometimes due to high levels of pain.

9pm: I try to avoid screens before I sleep so I’ll lay and listen to my audiobook or a podcast. Sometimes I read a book but there are times like at the moment where I lose the cognitive function to do things like read a book, but I hope to get back reading soon.

I find it really helpful to have smart lighting so I can adjust to brightness of my lights with my voice or on my phone/iPad I can also turn plug sockets on and off too; I can also have settings such as ‘evening’ or if I say ‘good night’ to my HomePod all the lights and plug sockets turn off around my home - this makes it easier for me and my carers too. 

I sleep with a body pillow around me, it’s nice and comfortable but it also supports my joints as when you sleeps your muscles relax and that’s when my joints can sublux or even dislocate in my sleep.

I aim to get 10 hours of sleep at night and then when I wake I’ll repeat all of this the next day!

Activities you can do in bed

This post follows on from my Living with M.E. post where I touched on a number of different topics that I’ve found helpful over the years on things I’ve found to be helpful whilst living with M.E., especially severe M.E. and though I’m not bed bound but I do have to spend much of my day here in bed to best manage my symptoms so I thought I’d put together a post that I know a few people have wanted me to write on activities that can be done in bed.

Whilst I myself have M.E. I’ve written this post to apply to anyone with any illness who requires to spend time in bed and whether your bed bound or you just have to spend a couple of hours in bed each day I hope this post is of help to you in helping you find activities that you can do during the time that you are in bed.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

Some equipment I find helpful:

Some things I’ve found useful to allow me to do activities in bed is my over bed table*. A large portion of this table can tilt which is great for activities and helps with my posture too. My first over bed table* was provided to me by my Occupational Therapist (OT) so it might be helpful to speak with your OT to see if an over bed table can be provided to you.

Alternatively you can get fold out bed tables that can tilt up and you can adjust the height of. I have a bamboo one that I used before I got an over bed table. Another alternative that I still use in place of my table is my beanbag lap tray. These are two great alternatives and are a much cheaper option to an over bed table.

I also have a clip on rechargeable lamp as often I’m not always able to tolerate much light in my room so my lamp allows me to do activities at my table.

Finally is my Flexzi 3* stand that I’ve clipped onto the bed rail of my bed that I can mounts my iPad onto - this has been one of the best gadgets that I’ve ever bought. My Flexi I can also mount my phone onto if I wish and it comes with a part whereby I can clip my Flexzi stand onto a table as well.

An alternative which I also use and used before I got my Flexzi is a tablet beanbag, I have one of these and find them quite helpful.

I also find my noise cancelling headphones or my AirPods (or something similar) good especially to block out background noise as I find this reduces my fatigue as I’m not having to process so much sensory information.

I’ve left links to what I have but I’m sure you can find similar items that might be better for you or your budget. *Items eligible for VAT relief.

 

Note:

These activities will range in level of how energy consuming they are from very/low-level activities to higher level activities. I would colour code them from green, orange to red but I know everyone is different and have different ability levels and what might be a green low-level activity for one person might be an orange activity for someone else or they might be green for you on a good day but orange on a not so good day so I won’t do this and I’ll just list the activities.

Also with pacing more energy consuming activities you might want to limit and do for shorter periods especially if you have an energy limiting illness. This can help manage your symptoms and reduce pain, fatigue, post exertion malaise and other symptoms.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

I’ve put links to products and stores to help you out - if you live outside the UK I’m sure you have similar stores that will sell similar products. - All the products and stores (except supermarkets) I’ve left links to in this post sell online as I know that many of you will probably find it easier to shop online.

Craft activities

Activity books

There’s a wide variety of activity books out there so you’re bound to find something out there that will interest you. 

Here’s a YouTube video I did all about activity books if you’d find it easier to watch.

Some of the activity books out there include:

• Puzzle books: word search, sudoku, kriss kross, crossword etc.
• Sticker-by-numbers
• Journal type activity books
• Art activity books
• Colouring activity books
• Sketch art

You can by activity books from a wide number of places including: bookstores (such as WHSmith, Waterstones, bookshop.org and other bookstores including independent bookstores), Amazon, supermarkets, The Range, The Works

Card making kits

Card making kits are a great activity to do in bed as you get nearly everything you need to make your cards in the kit and then you can add whatever isn’t included like glue and scissors to do the activity. You can also pace yourself such as by only making one or two cards at a time. 

There are a lot of kits out there, check out the brands Violet Studio and Gorguss. Also check out the stores HobbyCraft, The Range and The Works.

Assembling die cuts

One activity that I do really enjoy doing in bed is assembling die cuts to make cards. What I do is on the Sunday I have my social hours with my PA Jo we sit and cut out die cuts on my die cutting machine so then I have die cut sets organised into envelopes ready to use for an in bed activity.

If you are able to spend time out of bed to prepare die cuts for this activity I’d recommend an electric die cutting machine as they’re much easier to use than manual ones. I have the Gemini Junior machine. It cuts up to an A5 piece of card so it’s not too big and it’s a just about lift-able weight.

If you aren’t able to get out of bed and you have a good size over bed table (like the one I have) and you either have a nearby socket or plug extension it would be possible to die cut in bed if you keep yourself tidy and organised with the die cuts you’re using, the paper you’re cutting and the scraps you’ve used, tools and other equipment etc. If you can find a way that works for you it’s an activity that I’d highly recommend.

I’d also recommend Sizzix thinlits die cuts and their card stock packs as well as this and this Violet Studio paper pads for die cutting.

Craft kits

There is a wide variety of craft kits out there and like with card making kits you more-or-less get everything you need and I’m sure you’ll find a kit to try out. There’s needle punch, mosaic coasters, macramé, cross stitch, embroidery, decoupage, diamond art, iris folding and so much more - all activities you can do in bed. Personally I love iris folding and diamond art kits to do in bed.

Places I’ve found kits are HobbyCraft, The Range, The Works, Amazon, Baker Ross, Etsy, Not On The Highstreet, The Craft Kit Company and Pretty in Paper by B (for iris folding kits).

Colouring

This is another great activity that you can easily do from your bed. There are lots of difficulty level colouring books out there. I really enjoy Joanna Basford’s publications. 

Not only are there colouring books out there you can get colour in stickers, postcards and notecards (which you can send to friends and pen pals) as well as other colour in activities such as colouring journals.

Scrapbooking

This isn’t something I do myself but it was an activity a friend suggested. You can keep a scrapbook on almost anything, in memory of a pet or loved one, received mail, special memories, a year in your life. You can make it as plain or as decorative as you wish. You can also buy scrapbook kits to get you started and then the rest is up to your imagination. Pinterest might be good places to go for scrapbook page layout ideas. - For more see ‘journalling’ below.

Crochet and knitting

This is another activity that can easily be done in bed. If you don’t know how to crochet or knit you can learn from YouTube or books - that’s how I learnt to crochet, or you could spend time with a family member or friend who can crochet or knit and get them to teach you.

You could buy a crochet or knitting kit that has everything you need and these kits vary depending on you ability from beginner to advanced or you could buy your own yarn and supplies and follow patterns. You can get patterns from pattern books: beginner patterns for crochet and for knitting, books, Pinterest, YouTube, free projects from HobbyCraft for crochet and knitting, crochet/knitting magazines, websites and blogs such as a crochet one I use called The Turtle Trunk for crochet.

Books, reading etc.

Books

Books I find are a great way to get lost in something. You can spend 5 minutes reading or you can spend an hour it’s entirely up to what you feel able to do. There are lots of book genres out there so I’m sure you’ll find something you enjoy.

I used to love reading but when I got ill I lost the ability to read but I’ve started to pick it back up again. Sometimes I can read a lot others times my reading ability slows down again which is why I love audiobooks as an alternative but I do love reading a book in my hands.

There are things that can help you with reading such as reading windows, reading rulers and coloured overlays to help reduce visual stress. Many smartphones now also come with a built in CCTV magnifier so using that to enlarge the text may help too. If you struggle to hold a book you might want to try a book holder to make it easier for you - the one on the link sits on a table but you can get ones with a clamp that you could attach to a bed side rail or grab rail.

You can buy books from a number of places, bookstores obviously and also Amazon. I personally like to get second hand good quality books as they are a lot cheaper; one place I order from is World Of Books.

e-books

These are a good alternative to traditional books. I like e-books as I find them to be more accessible than traditional books.

You can buy e-readers such as the Amazon Kindle, the Kobo Clara, the Lenovo and many other makes and models depending upon what you want out your e-reader such as Bluetooth, paper white screens, stylus pens, connection to the WiFi and audiobooks etc.

I personally just use the free Kindle app which I’ve downloaded onto my iPad so here I can have all the accessibility options and settings I need. I also get e-books with my subscription to Scribd.

I find e-books cheaper to purchase and some of them can sync with audiobooks I have on Audible. 

If you’re an avid reader on Kindle you can subscribe to Kindle Unlimited which gives you access to a wide range of e-books, audiobooks and some magazines too.

I find my Flexzi great for holding my iPad when I’m reading an e-book and if you have an e-reader you can attach the case via a Velcro patch to the Flexzi so you can mount your e-reader to the Flexzi stand. You can also buy remote controlled page turners for Kindle e-readers, iPads/tablets and iPhones making it easier to read in bed. I find using a remote saving me a lot of arm ache especially when I’m laid in bed reading.

The Happy Newspaper

The Happy Newspaper I find is a nice alternative and it’s a really easy low energy activity I find. It gives me the opportunity to be able to read but in a more accessible way. You can easily dip in and out of the newspaper reading just a couple of articles at a time if that’s all you can manage and as the name suggests it’s full of happy and positive news stories so it’s very positive and upbeat. I love the illustrations and design of the newspaper. It comes in compostable packaging and what I do with old newspapers is I cut out news stories and put them in pen pal letters and I also use the newspaper for my envelope art.

Magazines

I’m not really into magazines like I used to. I used to like Elle, Elle Decoration and Vogue. I also used to subscribe to Mollie Makes magazine which I liked as each magazine came with a free craft kit of some kind. I also get my membership magazines from the charities I’m a member of.

What I like about magazines is you can dip in and out of them. You can read an article here and then put it down to pick up later. They also tend to be filled with a variety of different kind of articles so there might be one aspect that might not particularly take your interest but there might be other features on other topics that do interest you. Articles also vary in length from small columns to two page spreads so you can just read what you feel able to do at that time.

There’s all sorts of magazines out there on a wide range of topics from lifestyle, interior design, fashion, crafts, various hobbies mindfulness and wellbeing to sports and more. The only downside is when buying a magazine you generally want to flick through it to see if it’s something you’ll like before you buy it; you can’t do this if you’re buying a magazine for the first time online if you’re unable to go shopping in person. My advice is if you’re unable to go and buy a magazine in person yourself if possible ask someone who knows you well to browse the magazine aisles for you to find some magazines that they think you might like and if you do enjoy that magazine then you can in future buy it again online. Alternatively you can now read online magazine such as on the Kindle app.

Some places to buy magazines from are supermarkets, local small shops, WHSmith, magazine.co.uk and Kindle Magazines.

Video/Audio content

Audiobooks

Audiobooks are pretty much a lifeline for me. I like listening to a book as I wind down for bed and when my energy levels are low I like to just lay in bed and listen to my current book.

If you have a ‘print disability’: 

A print disability may refer to someone with a visual impairment, cognitive impairment, specific learning disability, such as dyslexia, or physical disability. With a physical disability a print disability may mean that the person struggles to read a book, hold a book or turn a page for example. 

Having a print disability may make you eligible for free audiobook libraries or a subsidised subscriptions with some audiobook libraries.

Some of the audiobook libraries I’ve used and would recommend are:

• RNIB Library (free) - audiobook app or audio CD’s can be sent to you; as many books as you want each month. 
• Listening Books (subscription or you can have the fee waived) - audiobook app; as many books as you want each month.
• Everand aka Scribd (subscription) - audiobook and e-book app; as many books as you want each month. 
• Audible (subscription) - audiobook app, can sync with some kindle books, one credit = 1 book a month; more credits can be purchased, offers available both on signing up to the library and also on books such as 2 books for 1 credit or £1.99 books, there is also the plus catalog with unlimited books available.
• Your local library (free) - many now have an online audiobook library or may have a home library service where volunteers can bring audiobook CD’s out to you.

BBC Sounds

This is an app but you can also access it online too. On there you can listen to live BBC radio stations, past radio shows, check out the radio schedules, listen to music and BBC podcasts.

There’s lots to chose from each radio station and their shows are quite different, some have chat shows, some play a variety of music genres depending on the station, some discuss current affairs, some commentate live sports and more.

The music you can select from a range of playlists of different music genres.

There is a wide of podcasts (most of the podcasts I listen to are BBC podcasts) and they also come in a wide variety of genres and cover a wide variety of interests and you can listen to BBC podcasts on other platforms like Apple Podcasts too.

Podcasts

I really enjoy listening to podcasts and I listen to a wide variety of genres of podcasts from true crime to talk shows through to documentary podcasts.

I listen to a lot of BBC podcasts that are available on BBC Sounds but I get them through Apple Podcasts. You can also get podcasts on other platforms like Spotify or Google Podcasts.

There are a lot of home grown podcasts out there too that people do for enjoyment or as a hobby or because they want to give a platform to others to give their guests a voice on their show a voice. 

Some podcasts are in an interview style, some are chatty, some are more informative and information giving, whilst others are dramatised. There’s so so much out there you’re bound to find something that interests you and in a style you like too.

Radio

I quite enjoy listening to the radio sometimes depending on the station and what show is on. Personally I like BBC Radio and I listen to it through the BBC Sounds app but there are a lot of other commercial stations out there too that you can listen to either through apps, the web or on a DAB radio.

Sometimes I like putting on stations that play music other times I just like the talk shows where they just discuss current affairs and have guest speakers on the show. I find the talking on the radio gives me a bit of company.

Music

This can be something enjoyable to do that won’t require too much energy. You can get music on places like Apple Music, Amazon Music, BBC Sounds or Spotify. - Some of these you can access the music for free others you have to subscribe to and/or you may get ads in between songs.

TV programs and films

Watching TV programs and films is another activity you can do in bed. I love getting into a good box set or having a cosy film night.

You can watch either on a television in your bedroom or on a tablet or laptop. For me this is where my Flexzi 3 iPad/tablet mount comes in super handy especially when I’m reclined or laid in bed.

You can either watch live TV or catch-up streaming TV such as on BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4 etc, or on subscription services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and more. If you don’t have a smart TV you can buy a Roku to access streaming channels on your television. (Also if you’re in the UK make sure your household has a TV license.)

YouTube 

I quite enjoy YouTube and I like the variety of what’s on there; there’s literally something for everyone. I also like that you can find videos that vary in length from 5 minute videos through to 1 hour documentaries. Some TV channels also share their programs or clips of their programs on YouTube. Then you also get more home grown YouTube channels.

Gaming

Handheld Gaming

The first hand held gaming consoles that come to mind is the Nintendo Switch (there’s different versions of these like the Switch Lite) but there are others out there. You can just buy handheld games consoles that play just one game like Tetris or tamagotchi. I don’t have a handheld gaming console myself as it’s not something I think I’d be really into but it’s an easy activity to do in bed and there is a wide choice of devices and games to choose from out there. - I do however miss my Nintendo DS Lite though that I used to own and I wish that I still had that as I enjoyed my DS and the games I had for it.

If you have a television in your bedroom you might also want to play games on things like an Xbox or Play Station.

Tablet/mobile games

I enjoy playing games on my iPad and iPhone. I like to play a variety of games some of my favourite things to play are card games, Angry Birds, 1010, Scrabble, Two Dots, The Sims, design games and more. 

I find it easier personally to play on my iPad as the screen is bigger. I can also also dim the screen and reduce the white point to help with my light sensitivity.

Digital colouring 

If you’re not a big fan of traditional colouring or if it’s something that you find difficult to do you might want to try out colouring game apps instead. There’s lots to choose from from drawing apps, to picture colouring. Some apps are free and others you subscribe to. You can find them on your App Store on you phone or tablet.

Games

I am a big fan of games and many can be played whilst you’re in bed; they’re also a great way to spend time with others and ease some of that isolation you may feel. - This is where an over bed table comes in helpful. 

There are so many games out there, more than I can list. There are different board games; some of my favourite games are Bananagrams, Quirkle, Carcassonne, Rummikub, and Splendor. Some of these games we have to get the travel version of so they fit on my over bed table but me and my family manage to play many different games on an over bed table even my smaller table before I got my bigger over bed table.

Beauty

Nails

I always feel brighter when I’ve done my nails. (I own more bottles of polish than I dare count!) You can buy nail polish bottle holders if you’re worried about knocking over a bottle of polish; I also use an old flannel to put under my hand for any accidental mistakes.

I love doing nail art too from simple nail art animals, using nail foil, stickers, tape or water transfer stickers there’s so much you can learn to do. (Pinterest is a great place for inspiration and tutorials.)

If doing your own nails isn’t something that is possible for you to do you could ask a family member, friend or caregiver to do your nails for you. Alternatively some nail techniques work in the community and can come to you and I’m sure they can find a suitable set up to from your bed. To find mobile nail technicians just search for ones in your area on places like Google or social media such as Facebook or ask someone to ask around for you.

Hair

Another thing I love sitting in bed and doing is styling my hair. Feeling pretty, even when I’m going nowhere nor really seeing anyone makes me feel better and boosts my wellbeing. (I touched upon this in my Living with Severe M.E. post.)

I like doing different styles and watching YouTube video tutorials and learning how to do new styles. I’ve found videos on low-energy hair styles to more complex styles that I still haven’t quite mastered yet. But it’s another activity you can do in bed and something new to learn as well plus making you feel a bit glam at the same time.

Massage

Like nail technicians you can get mobile beauty therapists; you can find specialist beauty therapists who specialise and have training in treating people with chronic health problems. The latter might have more understanding in your needs from massage therapy and how best to treat you.

I see a lady called Hollie and she works in the community and brings a whole set up with her when she comes and Hollie will tailor everything to you. She’ll massage you wherever you feel comfortable so some people she treats in their wheelchair or in a chair but for me I lay in my bed.

To find medically trained massage therapists try looking at the Amethyst Trust 

Rest

Rest means different things to different people. For some it’s not doing nothing and allowing the mind and body to stop for a while, for others this doesn’t work for them and they find they prefer to do a restful activity. Here’s a blog post on rest that I wrote if you want to read more.

Mindfulness meditation 

I find taking time in the day to rest is really important for pacing especially as I have an energy limiting illness so I always try to schedule in at least one rest period in my day especially after a high level activity.

There’s lots of different meditations out there from body scanning, to breathing exercises, visualisation and more. I really like the Calm app but there’s others out there, my advice is to go on your app store download a few and try them out before committing to a paid subscription. You can also get some free mindfulness meditations on YouTube but some do have adds in the middle of them so it’s a bit hit-and-miss. I really like the colour meditation that I found on YouTube that I find very restful.

Soundscapes

Soundscapes are a different to doing a mindfulness meditation. I find listening to soundscapes gives my mind and body the opportunity to just stop for a while so I’m not constantly on the go physically, mentally or cognitively. Sometimes I listen to a soundscape for just 10 minutes sometimes it’s an hour, especially if I’m feeling burnt out and crashed.

Some soundscapes are just repetitive sounds like waves crashing on a beach or rain falling on leaves. I prefer constructed soundscapes (I’m not sure if that’s the proper name for them but I’ll go with that). These are soundscapes that almost take you to a place and take you on a journey, like for example my favourite Central Park soundscape it takes me through a whole sequence of sound effects to make up a narrative to make me feel as though I’m really there. I here dogs barking, people taking as they walk past, passing vehicles, sirens, an overhead plane, the chime of a clock tower bell, a vendor cart being pushed, a  bicycle, children playing and more. I also like the constructed Costa Rican jungle soundscape. Both of these I get on the Calm app but I’m sure you can find them elsewhere on other relaxation apps or on YouTube.

I used to use the Better Sleep app and on there as well as there being a bank of meditations and sleep stories you can also construct your own soundscapes including ASMR sounds.

Other activities 

Pen Palling

Writing letters to friends and pen pals is something that I love doing and it’s something that I’ve done for many years now. I’m definitely a believer than hand written mail is much nicer than a digital message; it’s much more personal I feel too.

You don’t have to have lots of supplies to get you started with pen palling, just a writing set or some note cards or some hand made cards, pens, maybe some stickers and/or washi tape and of course stamps. You can also send postcards too as an alternative.

There isn’t a set amount to how much you write, some of my received/sent letters are a few pages long others are just a little postcard. What I love is that between me and my pen pals we all understand that what we’ve written, however little or much is what we’ve been able to do at that time, especially for shorter replies. Often with my longer-ish letters they do take me days to write (or type) and I just add a little here and there until my reply is finished.

Like I just said above instead of hand writing your letters if it’s easier for you you could type your letters. When I type my letters I jazz them up on my computer with coloured font and I add in pretty illustrations like flowers, koalas or rainbows.

Here’s a blog post I read on how to start pen palling.

If you struggle to write or type but would like to send mail to a friend you could ask a family member, friend or caregiver to write down on your behalf what you want to say. I know a friend of mine does this and it still enables her to send mail to friends when she is able to and it means a lot to me to hear from her.

Warrior Card Swap with the CWC

An alternative to pen palling if you just want to send occasional mail could be joining in the with Warrior Card Swap run by the Chronic Warrior Collective.

This is just a monthly card swap that you can opt to join in or out of each month (in case you’re having a bad time). You can opt to write to someone within your own country or internationally; in return you’ll receive mail from someone else. Don’t panic, if you opt in and get stuck and find that you can’t send mail to your swap you can click for help and the Yikes Team will step in for you.

You can also opt to receive faith based cards if you wish. You have a little bio which your match sees so they’ll know a bit about you. You can also opt to say that you’d be interested in making friends and pen pals with your swap if you wish. I’ve made some lovely friends and pen pals through the swap and I find the CWC organisation very supportive if I need and help, support or advice.

Blogging

This activity may or may not interest you but I thought I’d include it as I find for me it’s something I can easily do from my bed.

There are different blogging platforms; I personally prefer to use Blogger but there’s also also WordPress, SquareSpace and Wix to name a few. Different people get on with different sites and it depends on what layout design you want your blog to look like and the features available and the ease of creating content for your blog as well as adding external elements to your blog such as pop ups etc. I did try WordPress myself for a short while but I personally couldn’t get on with it so I switched back over to Blogger. You can also either get a free web domain or you can purchase a website domain like I have for this blog.

What I like about blogging is I can work at my own pace. I can type here and there for however long I can manage at that time and I can pace myself with getting blog posts written. Then with special events like Awareness Events if I plan ahead I can try to get a post pre-written and ready to auto publish for that event like I’m going to do for next month (May is a busy month as it’s both EDS and M.E. Awareness Month!)

So starting a blog might be something you want to consider if you’re looking for a new project or hobby. You could have a particular focus such as sharing short stories or poems that you enjoy writing, or you could give it a focus on a special interest of yours such as book reviews or like me you could just write about anything and everything that interests you.

Even if you just write one post a month that’s still something and it’s more a project and activity for yourself to work on.

If you don’t want to blog yourself there are plenty of bloggers out there who all blog about different things so I’m sure you can find some different blogs that might take your interest to read them.

Journaling 

There are lots of different types of journaling: bullet journaling, art journaling, photo journaling, scrapbooking journals, planners, junk jornals etc. 

I’ve kept a photo journal in the past; I have a Sprocket photo printer that prints photos off my phone and I can edit the photos, add text, stickers, borders etc. and the photo is a sticker so it’s perfect for photo journaling. 

I also have a bullet journal, I’ve had a few of these over the years. My current one I just journal different things on like my fundraising, I keep a log of the books I’ve read and rate the out of 5 and have a pixel a day migraine log, blog and YouTube video ideas, so rather random but quite helpful. I like the visual nature of it; it’s like my brain in a journal and I’m a creative person as it is so I think having a bullet journal suites me. I’m also trying to use it more to steamline my life.

You can buy bullet journals in all sorts of sizes and designs. I love the illustrated Roger La Borde journals which I used for my photo journaling. You can also buy starter kits such as these I’ve found for you:

• Scrapbooking kit on Etsy
  
• Scrapbook kit
  
• Faber-Castell bullet journal starter kit
  
• Bullet journal starter kit
  
• Carpe Diem planner collection
  
• Junk journal kit
  
• I’d also recommend the Zebra Mildliner pen or their journaling pen sets like this one

Pinterest

Pinterest is an app, you can also log onto it on the website too. I really enjoy spending time on Pinterest looking for ideas on different things and pinning ideas to my different (and very organised) boards. I get ideas for my bullet journal, nail art, my home, makeup, crafting, organisation, my Cricut machine, pen palling, hex codes for colour pallets and more. When I was getting ready to move home I designed my new home all on Pinterest and got lots of fab furniture ideas such as my craft desk IKEA furniture combo. I can spend a long time on Pinterest and I find I get lost in it and I find it a great activity and a fab way to get inspired.