A Spoonful of Fun Makes the Medicine go Down

02/11/2009

Mary Poppins may have been on to something with her philosophy, but with the plethora of toys and online games available today she could be out of a job. We’ve put together the perfect antidote to a dull day at home.

It’s bad enough you’re suffering from dreaded man flu or another nasty bug, but what’s worse is being stuck at home feeling sorry for yourself. So once you’ve made the dreaded call into the office, indulge in some healing time and take your mind off your throbbing head and streaming nose.

For victims of ghastly germs we suggest setting up sickness shop with a duvet, mug of hot squash, painkillers and your laptop and let the enrichment begin.

Googlewhack! Trying to find a word, ungoogleable (does that count as one?) or two words with a solitary result can keep you busy all day. Very little you can achieve on a forced day off can feel so rewarding. Alternatively take a random tour round Wikipedia and astound colleagues with your new found knowledge upon your return – everyone will want you on their quiz team.

If truly desperate then try watching a sentimental film you would never consider without being doped up…Bambi anyone? It’s a sure fire way to achieve a warm and fuzzy feeling without worrying your doctor.
Once you can no longer bear Jeremy Kyle, other cures for boredom lie in the realms of social networking. Why not track down some long-lost school friends or fill out a “getting to know you quiz”, start a blog or work your way through the hundreds of applications from a graffiti wall to keeping a virtual pet.

If you really need to take your mind off your death-like symptoms, an escape into a fantasy world might be just the medicine you require. Splash out on the ultimate scenario World of Warcraft, although be warned, this could prove addictive, or try an old board game classic such as Risk, which you can now enjoy online with other (possibly ill) gamers. Sometimes the classics are the best, especially if you’re drowsy and aching – never underestimate the reassuring and enduring charm of Pacman and Tetris.

Eat oranges for vitamin C. Play plenty of Pacman to avoid boredom. See what we did there?

Facebook game applications are springing up daily. Our favourites for a peaceful and calm dose of escapism are FarmVille, where you tend to crops and nurture animals to become a land baron, and the similar Cafe World and Roller Coaster Kingdom where you’ve guessed it, you build up a successful cafe/ theme park empire using your mini-me entrepreneurial alter ego.

If pretending to be a green-fingered Alan Sugar doesn’t seem the perfect sick day therapy, you could try the more destructive Mafia Wars or similar vampire/pirate/zombie equivalents where you challenge and attack your Facebook friends, becoming more feared and ferocious with every click.

Revenge might be sweet for those suffering souls stuck inside on a work day. Release you inner anger and frustration at being struck down by a vicious virus by playing Sneeze. It allows you to strategically infect lemming-like people. The more contagious you are, the higher your score.

Remember: Catch it, kill it, bin it!

If inflicting misery on others is your perfect remedy, you could play on one of numerous office games that involve shooting targets such as Stress Relief Paintball. Continuing with the theme of wreaking havoc, you could always spend your day digging dirt on shady colleagues, trawling social networking pages, blogs and dating sites to see if they are more interesting than their pinstripe suits.

And if it all gets too much and the painkillers wear off, you could always indulge in a spot of online shopping, even if it is to replenish your drugs cabinet ready for the inevitable swath of post-Christmas contagions, the perfect way to greet the New Year.