Steps

• Update your Add-ons and Mods to the game. Chances are some of them are out of date.
• If you're a hardcore end-game raider, go beef up on your strategy. Read ahead for the upcoming boss fights so you'll be prepared when you reach them.
• If you're not a hardcore end-game raider and want to be, go look for a guild to join. Try the WoW Realm Forums, many of the realms have a recruiting sticky.
• Read up on strategy for your class.
• Consider a new talent build, you can find talent calculators here: http://wowvault.ign.com/talentcalculator/ or http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/.../talent-index/
• If you're into Role-Playing, go read some "lore" or work on your backstory incessantly.
• Take a break from thinking about World of Warcraft! Go read Dilbert or something.... http://www.unitedmedia.com/comics/dilbert/
• Listen to some podcasts about World of Warcraft, such as http://www.taverncast.com/ or http://www.wowcast.net/
• Listen to WoW radio at http://www.wcradio.com/
• Cry a little. Sometimes crying gets out a lot of frustration you have in-game and will make your play time later in the day that much more enjoyable!
• Attempt to draw your character if you are not much of an artist. Draw your character in some absurd situation if you are an artist.
• Sleep. This way you are well rested when WoW Realms come back up.
• If you need some mindless hack-and-slash, there are lots of MMORPG's that are rip-offs of World of Warcraft. There are also many console RPG's which can provide WoW's level of excitement (Anachronox comes to mind.)

Tips

• Try not to panic. Even in the worst case scenario, the realms have never been down more than 16-20 hours in a row, and rarely more than 8.
• Develop a mantra to mutter to yourself to try and help cope.
• Use this as a good time to get over your Warcraft addiction, if you have one. If you can last this day, try to keep it going the next day too.
• Or you could go outside and take a hike or walk. Relearn what makes you happy in life, other than World of Warcraft.
• You can also get together with your friends, or go out with your girlfriend or boyfriend.
• Consider venting your frustration in a creative outlet like poetry.

Hmmm i need to think of a mantra!

I am sure Dip would help you on that.

How'd that one go again....? "Stop! No, don't."

On the rare occasion that both kids are napping so I hop in front of the puter with a smile on my face just to eralize that this gloriou occasoin happened on a Tuesday ( *growl* ) Ill take the time to run any PC maintenance if its been a while.

Ad-Aware update and scan

Anti-Virus Scan

Defrag the HD

Clean up the Desktop

Copy the pics of my wifes camera so she stops yelling, etc.

All this stuff also allows you to be AFK for most of it too...just have to hop back in fromt of the keyboard for a second to open the new window in case there are dishes in the sink, laundry in the dryer, or one of the kids wakes up...