“Sorry, not today.”
It’s become a refrain in your house every single day. Orders are coming, but just not today. Hearing those words is getting pretty old.
Instead of just waiting for orders, fill your time with fun adventures and activities!
23 Ways to Pass the Time While You Wait for Orders
- Go for a walk. It’s pretty simple but totally effective! Getting out into the fresh air and breaking even a tiny sweat can do wonders for your mood and stress level.
- Grab coffee with a friend. No matter where you are there is sure to be at least one coffee place around. If not, brew a pot at home and invite your battle buddy over!
- Read a book. Remember that pile of to-read titles? Now’s a great time to dig into it! You’d be surprised how much you’ll read while waiting for orders.
- Catch up on your favorite shows. With Hulu, Amazon Prime and Netflix offering so many great shows, it’s easy to find your next binge-worthy series.
- Finish your duty station bucket list. You know you’ve only got a few weeks or months left here, so go crazy! Go to all the places, eat all the things and see all the sites.
- House hunt. Even if it’s just “in case,” it never hurts to do a little recon in advance of your PCS. You could stumble upon a diamond in the rough!
- Organize your photo files. While you’re waiting to hurry up, deep dive into your photo folders. Delete duplicates, rename them and finally put them in folders.
- Redecorate your house. After all, those orders could just as easily keep you in one place, right? Maybe if you reorganize the pictures and order new curtains, orders will hit!
- Schedule play dates. If you’ve got children at home, they’re probably going just as crazy as you waiting on orders. Instead of just sitting around, looking at each other, go look at other people. Set up play dates with friends at playgrounds, parks, zoos, museums or at your homes. Bonus: you can check off bucket list items, too!
- Purge your closets. Start small, maybe just your shoes. Then work your way to the big stuff, like toys. Sort things into three categories: keep, donate/sell, trash. Be brutal. Give no quarter. You’ll be happy you unloaded all that stuff when the movers come!
- Find a new hobby. Whether you try out a new fitness class or take up painting, trying something new is a great way to pass the time! Join with a friend or try something with your kids. The more, the merrier!
- Order photo books. Now that you’ve organized your photo files (see #7), it’s a great time to finally order those photo books! Use your favorite service and create to your heart’s delight.
- Try new recipes. Dust off The Art of French Cooking and get busy in the kitchen! Whip up gourmet meals for your family and learn new cooking tricks.
- Join a gym or boot camp class. With all that fancy cooking, now might be a great time to try out the latest craze at the base gym. I hear those HIIT classes are super fun.
- Beef up your resume. Whatever your career field, it can pay off big time to arrive at your next location with a polished professional resume. Go through with a fine tooth comb and use the (free) resume professional on base. Contact your FRG leader to find contact information.
- Travel, solo or together. Nothing passes the time like a vacation. So take one! Do a short day trip or take a longer break, perhaps somewhere tropical. You’ll come back feeling refreshed and ready to wait some more.
- Tackle some of the PCS checklist. You know you’re moving, so you could start getting things done in advance. For potential OCONUS movers, start looking at pet quarantines and weight limits. If you’re sticking around in the lower 48, you could start research road trips en route.
- Update your movies to-go. Whether you’re taking a PCS road trip or flying, having movies for the kids is crucial. Check your apps now to make sure everything works and is up to date!
- Clear out the pantry. You might still be a ways away from your PCS, but whittling down your pantry can be a monumental task. Start now by using up those random items. Use up those items that you bought for just that one recipe. Then go from there. The idea is to be down to just essentials by 2-3 weeks before your actual PCS.
- Adult color. Take a break from all the rest of your adulting and just color. Grab a fun book of flowers, princesses or swears. Then let your imagination soar!
- Go back to school. There’s still plenty of time to check out a half-semester class at the community college, art center or library. Find some cool options and go all in.
- Refinish furniture. Stripping old paint can be super cathartic! Use something you already have or pick up a new-to-you piece at the thrift store. You’ll end up with a unique piece to brighten your home!
- Plan your PCS farewell party. You’re going to need to do something to use up those last random pantry items and get rid of your liquor. Organize a farewell bash for the ages! After all, you’ve got the time right now.
How do you pass the time when you’re waiting for orders?
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Meg Flanagan
Meg is a military spouse, teacher, writer, and mom of two MilKids. She is an education blog and coaching/advocacy service focused on military families. Meg's mission is to help families understand and navigate the K-12 world. She provides timely posts, timeless advice, and personal assistance to families with school-aged children. You can find Meg online at megflanagan.com and @MegFlanaganEducation
Meg is a military spouse, teacher, writer, and mom of two MilKids. She is an education blog and coaching/advocacy service focused on military families. Meg's mission is to help families understand and navigate the K-12 world. She provides timely posts, timeless advice, and personal assistance to families with school-aged children.
You can find Meg online at megflanagan.com and @MegFlanaganEducation