I had to find something to do that would still relate to making the house nicer. About a year ago, I finished a quilt top. It had been sitting on the chaise in my room, ready to be finished.
Now that was a project that tied in well with the house, and would be fun, and satisfying to do.
I grabbed a ball of left over red yarn, and sitting comfortably started tying little bits of red yarn at the intersections of the fabrics.
No heavy lifting while hand-quilting, and before I knew it, I was done.
This back pain was a great thing after all, it forced me to sit long enough to finish the quilt top, and led me to choose the simplest way to finish the quilt. Mind you, I really love the minimalist look of the yarn ties. They add a touch of color and texture, but do not distract. The fabrics still are the center of attention, and are both physically and metaphorically tied together.
After the tying was done, I guess I must have relaxed while doing it, my back felt a little better. Nothing like tying loose ends!