Stuck at home with extra time on your hands? Don’t let yourself get bored.
Below you’ll find ideas for things to do when closed, and we bet your social media feed has plenty more. If you see something awesome that you believe should be linked below, please send it to us. We will be updating and adding to this list.
Manage a climbing gym? Don’t miss the CWA resource center with all kinds of great advice. We also have direct links to their resources and more here.
Selfishness has virtue. Take care of yourself first.
You can’t help others unless you are healthy and whole first, so we started here. In airplanes they instruct parents to put the O2 mask on themselves first. Maintain your physical, mental and emotional well-being. Stress is the #1 risk factor we can control now.
- Change your music – perhaps Tool is keeping you on edge, and classical will calm you down
- Begin meditation – if you’re new to it, give it an honest chance, it might do the trick
- Keep active – you don’t need any tools for many bodyweight exercises or yoga
- Spend more time with your pets and children – fur therapy is real, and so is the value of good parenting
- Start growing some plants – plant one pot, the whole backyard, or start a jar of sprouts
- Dust off that musical instrument – you have time to practice now (but watch the volume for the sake of your neighbors who are also at home)
- Cook a new meal – see what you can make with all those canned goods
- Catch up on good reading – here’s a good list for climbers
- Upskill – increase your earning potential and resilience to layoffs
- Take a nap – it reduces stress
- Start a journal – thanks Delaney for this idea!
Your facility has been waiting for this.
Of course you have already seen this closure period as an opportunity to catch up on facility maintenance, so that when you reopen you can be the best gym possible.
- Cleaning – suck all that chalk outta there and give your gym the “deep clean,” including behind walls, in computers, and more
- Repairs – fix all the broken stuff, like training equipment, bad t-nuts, or that urinal that’s been a pain for years
- Setting – if you can afford it, reset your gym to encourage your customers to come back quick
- Upgrades – maybe it’s time to add a new wall or training board and use this time to take your game to a higher level
Add value through customer benefits.
Just because your gym is closed doesn’t mean you need to stop providing benefits to your customers. Build your brand awareness and grow your audience by offering them for free.
- Offer free instruction – the internet is already swamped with “home workouts,” but that doesn’t mean your customers don’t still want to see you be leaders and offer your expertise via video or other medium
- Bolster partnerships – add value to your relationships by sharing valuable partner content, which is also far less expensive than creating your own
- Engage your members in other ways – check out this great CWA article by Hilary Harris
Help Your Community
Climbing is a privileged activity, and most of us have surplus in our lives. Beyond that, you may be facing much idle time. Rather than overwork your Netflix or Xbox, consider putting that energy into the common good.
- Spread cheer, not fear – be mindful of what you are posting/sharing to social media, both cheer and fear are contagious
- Volunteer for deliveries – help deliver food and supplies to elderly or at-risk persons near you
- Volunteer to make stuff – fire up your sewing machine or 3D printer to make supplies for healthcare workers
- Get a new job – plenty of grocery stores and delivery services need extra help right now
- Donate cash – pick your favorite cause, or a bunch of them, they all need help right now
Scott has been promoting indoor climbing since 1997 when he bought Climb Time of Cincinnati and started what would become the American Bouldering Series. Since then he has helped hundreds of small businesses grow including climbing gyms and manufacturers. Scott is the owner and publisher of CBJ, and is available for projects through Reach Climbers. In his free time he still scours nearby hills for fresh boulders, skis all year, and is a dedicated father.
