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You are here: Home / Hacks / 21 Ways To Survive A Snowpocolypse, Blizzaster, Snowmageddon or Any Other Cleverly Named End-of-the-World Pseudo Natural Disaster

21 Ways To Survive A Snowpocolypse, Blizzaster, Snowmageddon or Any Other Cleverly Named End-of-the-World Pseudo Natural Disaster

February 3, 2011 By Joel Runyon 25 Comments

Today is day 3 of freezing rain, lots of snow, bad roads and generally terrible weather for anyone in the U.S. east of the Rockies. If you’re outside the U.S. and have no idea what all the ruckus is about, or if you just happen to be a visual learner, here’s a quick illustrated summary of what’s happening stateside (via Bethany Hamm).


Weather Situation

Current US Weather Situation

As you can see, while many of my Portland blogger friends are enjoying sunshine & happiness, Indiana is placed almost directly in the middle of the angry-face guy. This means for the last few days, I’ve been holed up indoors. The copious amounts of snow and the unplowed roads combined with with my lack of snowshoes, and the fact that most businesses aren’t actually open, make it difficult and pointless to go almost anywhere.

So while I’m ready to get outside, start moving and go running in my snow boots if I have to, there has been some good news out of this. I’ve managed to become insanely productive. I’ve taken care of so many things in the last 36 hours that have been on my plate, it feels amazing, so I thought I’d share them with you.

So in case you’re still stuck in Snowpocolypse, Blizzaster or Snowmageddon (or you just don’t feel like going into work today), here are 21 ways you can survive the current (or next) cleverly named end-of-the-world pseudo natural disaster.

  1. Send a thank you note to someone who deserves it.
  2. Take another step forward with your side-business.
  3. Do 80+ Pushups.
  4. Email 5 people you respect.
  5. Write a blog post.
  6. Have a skype conversation with someone half way across the world.
  7. Get to Inbox Zero.
  8. Get to work on planning an epic adventure.
  9. Listen to someone a lot smarter than you for an hour.
  10. Make someone laugh.
  11. Write a chapter of your next manifesto.
  12. Sit back and realize how freaking amazing things are.
  13. Bite off more than you can chew…then figure out how to chew it.
  14. Do something for someone else.
  15. Pick something off your impossible list and go do it.
  16. Take 60 minutes to test a fun side project out. See what happens.
  17. Eat a cookie.
  18. Write a guest blog post.
  19. Ask 10 of your closest friends what your best capability is.
  20. Say yes to someone who asks you for help.
  21. That idea you’ve been thinking about doing for the last 3 months but haven’t touched? Do that.

Honesetly, who says you have to be holed up in a cleverly named blizzard to do any of these things? Why not do them today anyways? If you found at least 1 thing here that you can do in the next 24 hours, please pass this along using the share buttons below. There are a lot of people out there looking for something meaningful to do.

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Filed Under: Hacks Tagged With: Blizzard, Blizzaster, How To Survive A Cleverly Named Natural Disaster, How To Survive Snowpocalypse, Snowmageddon, Snowpocalpse

About Joel Runyon

I started IMPOSSIBLE to push myself to try to live a life worth writing about by pushing my limits, living an adventure & telling a great story by doing the impossible. You can get free updates in your inbox via your new favorite newsletter and see all my businesses at Impossible X and our philanthropic efforts at Impossible.org

Comments

  1. Alan says

    February 3, 2011 at 10:16 am

    Out of misery comes opportunity! A great reminder, Joel-seph.

    Reply
    • Joel Runyon says

      February 3, 2011 at 12:14 pm

      Thanks Alan, hope you dug yourself out of the snowpocolypse in Boston

      Reply
  2. Jeanie says

    February 3, 2011 at 11:06 am

    🙂

    I’ve been doing most if not all of the above.
    Also?

    *Bonus: Spend time around people who devil’s advocate the heck out of your very being in a pleasant way. Figure out your true motivations and accept how/who you are in the middle of change.

    *That’s* my hardest one! 😉

    Reply
    • Joel Runyon says

      February 3, 2011 at 12:14 pm

      That’s a good one. And if you get frustrated, you can always eat a cookie :).

      Reply
  3. Caleb says

    February 3, 2011 at 11:22 am

    I did #9 the other day. 90 minute Skype call with a friend about business and entrepreneurship. All you got to do is ask, people are always willing to talk to you.

    Reply
    • Joel Runyon says

      February 3, 2011 at 12:16 pm

      It’s amazing how much you can learn in an hour. Getting around people smarter than myself is my favorite way to get better.

      Reply
  4. dan says

    February 3, 2011 at 12:16 pm

    yeah buddy! I’m not sure what it is about my personality, I have the hardest time getting stuff done on a snow day. I love the thank you note stuff. I should do more of that…

    Reply
    • Joel Runyon says

      February 3, 2011 at 12:32 pm

      Thank you notes rock. I’m going to try and make it a habit. I don’t know if it’s something in my personality, but getting actual stuff done seems a lot easier when it’s just me and a task list and 2 feet of snow surrounding my house, making sure I’m not going anywhere.

      Reply
  5. dan says

    February 3, 2011 at 12:16 pm

    Also, all blog posts are improved by homemade info graphics. PERIOD.

    Reply
    • Joel Runyon says

      February 3, 2011 at 12:29 pm

      Duly noted :).

      Reply
  6. Stanley Lee says

    February 3, 2011 at 1:11 pm

    Joel,

    How are you doing after returning from your road trip and dealing with the snowstorm (although I think you must have gotten used to dealing with them living in Indianapolis)?

    Stanley

    Reply
    • Joel Runyon says

      February 3, 2011 at 3:33 pm

      Things are good. I’m used to snow, but these last few days are something else. Makes me want to start looking for places much farther south :).

      Reply
  7. Gip @ So Much More Life says

    February 3, 2011 at 1:54 pm

    Fun post! We’re iced in here in North Texas, where the world is watching since the Super Bowl is here on Sunday.

    I don’t care anything about football, but I’m glad we’ll soon be thawing. I’ve been doing many of the things you suggest, including having a cookie or two.

    Gip

    Reply
    • Joel Runyon says

      February 3, 2011 at 3:35 pm

      A cookie is always a good idea (but only 1!).

      Reply
  8. Anna says

    February 5, 2011 at 9:24 pm

    That’s an awesome list. Pity we don’t get much snow in Western Australia! But I could definitely refer to that list when I’m bored.

    By the way, that weather pic by Bethanny Ham is awesome!

    Reply
    • Joel Runyon says

      February 6, 2011 at 9:10 pm

      I thought it was an accurate illustration :). The list can also double as a short list of things to do when you’re bored, so feel free to use 1 or 2 of them if you want.

      Reply
  9. Dom says

    February 6, 2011 at 4:04 pm

    Great weather diagram! Feels great to get tons done, I’ll remember that for the next time London UK gets snowed-in. Doesn’t take much snow to bring the UK to a grinding halt though!

    How’s the pushups going? Did you try them from different angles (raised feet etc)?

    Reply
    • Joel Runyon says

      February 6, 2011 at 9:11 pm

      Getting close. Trying the different angles, haven’t seen a huge increase, but slowly & surely, I’m getting there :).

      Reply
  10. Justin Hamlin says

    February 7, 2011 at 11:00 pm

    Damn. I have done everything on that list, except one.

    Don’t have any cookies at the house 🙁

    Reply

Trackbacks

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    February 4, 2011 at 7:10 am

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    February 4, 2011 at 7:14 am

    […] For some more inspiration on things you can do if you’re still home today, or in a future storm, check out Joel Runyon’s 21 Ways To Survive A Snowpocolypse, Blizzaster, Snowmageddon or Any Other Cleverly Named End-of-the-…. […]

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