For those of you hoping to read about the latest and greatest putters, sorry, this Health Tip has nothing to do with golf. However, if that is your passion, here is a link to the top putters in 2020 from Golf.com.

Interestingly enough, those who clicked over to spend time reviewing the latest putter technology are doing exactly what this blog is about…they are puttering.

In a world constantly focused on staying busy and getting things done, the idea of – even the word – puttering is becoming a lost concept. Yet, mental health experts recognize the value and benefits of taking time for yourself simply doing nothing of importance. And, in today’s pandemic driven reality, unplugging from day-to-day concerns and relaxing is more important than ever.

Puttering frees your mind from those daily active processes that are mentally stressful and exhausting. Losing yourself in aimless wandering and activities helps you rebalance and relax. It’s fun and often leads to creative thinking. Most importantly, it boosts your well-being, sense of happiness and appreciation for the value of small things. It can even benefit your physical health.

So how do you putter? Follow your interests and urges. It’s about turning off your brain and doing what you want to do, not things you have to do. Maybe it’s tidying a closet, tinkering with your car, surfing the latest on putters or trying out a new recipe.

Here are some more ideas to get you started:

• Spruce up the yard. Plant some flowers, start a vegetable garden, stack a woodpile, sweep your driveway. It doesn’t need to be a big project, just something you’ve been meaning to do.
  
  
• Rearrange some furniture. Have you been wondering what your living room would look like if you moved the sofa? Or wanting to rearrange the patio furniture to give you room for a fire pit? Give it a try.
  
  
• Organize your kitchen. Attack that cabinet of pots and pans. Alphabetize your spice rack. Sharpen you knives. Now’s the time.
  
  
• Research your favorite hobby. Interested in collecting baseball cards? Is bird watching your passion? Looking to improve your chess game? The internet is a goldmine of information just waiting for you to surf. Alternatively, go old school and visit the library.
  
  
• Catalog your record collection. Sort your bookshelf by topic or height. Dig through your beany babies and research their value. In short, spend some time with something you love.
  
  
• Let yourself wander. If you don’t have a specific idea in mind, jump online and browse. Try a site like BuzzFeed to find endless topics to spend time with, or Sporcle.com to try your hand at trivia games on most any topic imaginable. Better yet, go to the Google Search home page and try their Feeling Lucky button to randomly select topics and visit the top result automatically.

Far from being a waste of time, puttering is one more method to help relieve stress and find some inner peace. It is an important way we process, integrate and move our lives forward.

Stay well.