Boredom can strike even the busiest of us, and our usual response is to do something simple and mind-numbing like turn on the TV or scroll through our social media. If you find yourself feeling bored and don’t want to throw the time away, why not try something meaningful to fill the minutes instead?
Did you ever hear the saying, “only boring people get bored”? Well, it turns out it’s not true, and it also happens to the best of us. Being bored doesn’t necessarily mean you have nothing to do although this is the most common cause; it could mean that nothing in your life is motivating you or that you need a little break from whatever it is you’re doing. We’ve found some meaningful things to do when you’re bored so that you can ensure your spare time is never wasted.
#15: Meditate
Meditation is one of those amazing things that can be adapted to suit your needs. Whether you have 5 minutes or an hour, spending them meditating will gift you a range of benefits. From reduced anxiety and depression to a clearer focus in life, this is certainly a meaningful way to fill your time.How to Do It: Find a quiet place to sit along and make an effort to focus on your breathing. Focus on the breaths as they come in and out, trying to remain focused on the breath. If your attention wavers or thoughts come and go, do your best to bring your attention back to the breath.
#14: Get In The Garden
Gardening is a peaceful pastime for many, and even if you don’t have a green thumb you can still get some joy out of it. Some people might not have huge gardens and that’s okay, planting a simple seed in a pot is all you need to do to get started.How to Do It: Spend some time to weed your garden, plant some seeds, or water the plants that you already have.
#13: Read A Book
Books are a great source of entertainment, both fiction and nonfiction works, and after just a couple of pages, you’ll probably lose track of time altogether. Reading is relaxing, adventurous, and educational all in one and a great way to waste an afternoon.How to Do It: Whether you want the traditional paperback or the modern e-book, there are plenty of options for how to get your reading on.
#12: Research Something Interesting
Knowledge is power, and obtaining that power can be a great use of your time. If there’s something you’ve always wanted to learn more about or a place in the world that you’ve yearned to visit, take some time to learn more about it and enrich yourself.How to Do It: Grab a magazine, read a book, do a Google search, speak to an expert. Find any means possible to learn something new and interesting.
#11: Cook A Meal
This one is great because it serves a few purposes. Cooking can not only feed you but it can improve your domestic skills and keep your mind and hands active. You might want to make a three-course meal or a tasty dessert, the options are up to you.How to Do It: A quick search online will show you an abundance of recipes that are available with the ingredients that you have so that there’s no need to even head to the store for supplies.
#10: Eliminate Clutter
This is not only distracting but it can be hugely beneficial as well. We have a tendency to accumulate clutter around the home and office, so if you’re bored and looking for something to do find an area that looks especially crowded and sort it out.How to Do It: Check out your work desk and start by throwing out any rubbish, filing away important documents, organizing the computer and accessories, and then giving it a quick wipe down.
#9: Give To Goodwill
When you’re looking for a charitable act to fill your time, you don’t have to venture far. Spend a few hours going through your wardrobe and find the clothes that you no longer have use for, package them up, and drop them to goodwill.How to Do It: If you haven’t worn something for six months it’s safe to say you probably won’t wear it again, so don’t be afraid to be harsh with yourself.
#8: Walk Your Dog
This one won’t only alleviate your boredom but your four-legged friend’s boredom as well. Take your dog for a walk around the neighborhood or throw the ball around with them at the park. It’s great exercise and it will kill some time.How to Do It: Find a local park or explore a new walking path that you and your canine haven’t tried before and make an adventure out of it. There are some great apps available for your smartphone that can you show you dog-friendly parks in the area if you’re looking for inspiration.
#7: Take A Bath
While it might seem counterproductive to your boredom to sit in a pool of water for a while doing nothing, the process of taking a bath can be hugely beneficial. There’s the time spent running the water and setting up your candles and scents, and then the relaxation that comes when you get to soak interrupted in your lovely, hot bathtub.How to Do It: Take some effort to make your bath really special by using mood lighting or candles, a few drops of essential oil, and a lovely warm robe to cuddle up into after.
#6: Look Through Old Photos
This can provide a trip down memory lane and will actually keep you entertained for hours without you even realizing it. If you’re bored and looking for something to do then get out the old photo albums and have a look through them.How to Do It: If you don’t have any photo albums on hand, check through your pictures folder on your computer and start from the very earliest photos and work your way to the most recent. For those with extra time on their hands, you might even want to organize having them printed.
#5: Do Some Exercise
Exercise doesn’t need to be intense to be effective, but if you want to go there then by all means. Whether you have just a few minutes or a few hours, getting your heart rate up will keep you busy and provide you with plenty of health benefits too.How to Do It: Find something that you love doing and spend some time getting your heart rate up. Biking, running, dancing, jump rope, or yoga are all great examples of how to create a meaningful 30 minutes.
#4: Organize The Pantry
This might seem like a bit of a bore but once you get stuck into it you’ll realize just how much fun you’re having. Our pantries are often neglected and deserve a bit of TLC, if for nothing else than to make it easier on ourselves when we’re looking through them.How to Do It: Take every single thing out of the pantry and leave it on the bench. Throw out the old and expired products, wipe down the inside shelves, and place them back inside in an organized fashion.
#3: Volunteer Your Services
There are so many great charities out there just waiting for a helping hand from volunteers and we can guarantee that you’ll feel a million times better about yourself if you offer up yours. Volunteering can be a quick job or committing to a larger project, so think long-term about what you’re able to give.How to Do It: Do a search for local charities in your area that might need help and give them a call to see how volunteers can get involved.
#2: Call A Loved One
These days it seems that sending an email or text message is all too easy, but it also means that we’re losing the very important part of the conversation. If you have some time to spare, why not call up your grandma or a friend who you haven’t chatted to in ages and spend some time catching up.How to Do It: Look through your contacts list on your phone for inspiration or go the easy route and call up your grandma to say hello.
#1: Take A Free Class
You might be surprised how many free resources there are in your town if you don’t look for them. Free classes like creative writing, pottery, and calligraphy are some examples of what might be on offer so you can build your skills and kill your boredom.How to Do It: Check the local newspaper for ideas or do a quick online search for free classes in your area.