101 Things To Do When You Are Bored

Your normal routine can start to get old, and it may leave you feeling unmotivated at times to do anything. You find yourself sitting in front of the television or staring at cat videos on Facebook. Everyone gets bored from time to time. You crave something new or out-of-the-box that will redirect you from your normal routine and give your restless mind something unique to focus on. This happens to me on cold, rainy days when I am feeling a bit tired and cooped up, or on long summer days when it’s 95 degrees outside. When you’re stuck in this feeling of mental malaise, it seems like your creativity and imagination have flatlined, and you just can’t think of anything that lights your fire. That’s why it’s great to be prepared with a list of ideas to inspire you and push you out of the doldrums so you can fully enjoy your day. Need some ideas to put on your list?

Here are 101 fun things to do when you are bored:

Go to the library. Whether or not you’re an avid reader, if you walk through the aisles of a library, you are destined to find something that will catch your eye. Grab a book that looks interesting to you. Or…
Read something you wouldn’t normally read. While you’re at the library, pick up something that is a bit out of your comfort zone. Were you dozing off during that history lesson in high school? Brush up on your history. It may be interesting to you now that you have passed adolescence.
Go for a walk. Walk around your neighborhood and see who you run into. You may meet a new neighbor who you have never met before. Or…
Try out a new neighborhood. Drive to a neighborhood that you would love to live in one day and take a stroll. Look at all of the houses and daydream about which you would choose if you had the option to pick your favorite house.
Call a friend. People often lack personal contact with their loved ones these days. Pick up the phone and actually call one of your friends (rather than text) to see what is new in their lives.
Call a distant family member. Do you have a few people who you only see or talk to on Christmas or birthdays? Give them a call out of the blue. It will probably make their day to know that you are thinking of them.
Start Christmas shopping. Speaking of Christmas, do you often find yourself stressed out during the weeks before Christmas when you are trying to find the perfect gifts for everyone? Get a head start and do some research or go shopping for some of the people you know will be on your list.
Watch your favorite movie. Everyone has their “go-to” movie that will never get old.
Watch something you have never seen before. What about those classic movies that people always talk about that you have never had the chance to watch? Consider taking some time to catch up on some classics or Academy Award winners.
Play around with your look. You don’t have to spend money at a salon to change up your look. Try some different hairstyles that you have seen lately, and discover how easy (or hard) they are to do yourself.
Makeup can be fun too. While you’re in front of the mirror playing around with your hair, start experimenting with some makeup. Have you wanted to perfect contouring like people you see on television? Give it a shot!
Get a coloring book. You probably don’t think of coloring books when thinking of something to do as an adult. However, adult coloring books are really popular now and are often used as a stress reliever.
Try Sudoku. If you want to engage your brain a bit, grab a Sudoku book and test out your skills. While you’re at it…
Do a crossword puzzle. Look for a crossword puzzle that could be fun and engage your brain. It doesn’t have to be an extremely difficult one that will keep you lost for hours. Just start with an easy or intermediate one.
Purge your kitchen. Look in your refrigerator, freezer, and pantry and get rid of anything that has expired. You can also toss the rest of that one-time ingredient that you haven’t used in years but will never expire (powdered milk, anyone?).
Get creative in the kitchen. After you have gone through everything in your kitchen, and you’re familiar with what you have left, challenge yourself to create something with only the items you have on hand. You can pretend like you are on one of those cooking shows.
Clean and declutter your kitchen. How long has it been since you really got in those cabinets or underneath the sink? How many extra plastic containers do you really need?
Write a letter. Letters seem so outdated these days, but everyone loves to receive physical mail. Write a letter to a good friend or family member to help make their day.
Plan your dream vacation. Sure, it may not be in the budget, but research some places around the world that are on your bucket list to visit and find places that you could stay and activities you could do.
Visit a thrift store. Thrift store shopping can be really fun! It is like going on a hunt for treasure. Look through clothes, books, kitchen appliances, and anything else that looks interesting to you.
Paint a room. Do you want to upgrade your house a bit without spending too much money? Pick a room and a new great color and paint it!
Listen to music. Try out a new genre that you don’t usually listen to.
Dance. Some of the new music you discover may make you want to get up and dance. If not, then put on something that you know you love to dance to and enjoy yourself.
Go to a museum. Are there local art or science museums in your area? While you may have already “been there, done that,” museums change their exhibits often, so there is likely something new that you haven’t seen.
Go out to the movies. Treat yourself! Go all out with the large popcorn and soda and watch a guilty pleasure movie that you may not think anyone else would want to watch.
Go for a drive. Take a new route. Or, take your normal route and just keep going. Discover some new parts of your city that you have never seen before.
Meditate. There are a lot of guided meditation videos on YouTube. Or, if you would rather, just meditate in silence.
Practice Yoga. Practicing yoga is also a great thing to do when you are bored. This will not only help relax you, but it is also good for your body. There are plenty of Yoga instruction videos online.
Go for a bike ride. Has your bike been gathering dust in the garage for a while? Slip on a helmet and take your bike out. You may rediscover how much fun it is to feel that sense of freedom.
Watch a documentary. Not only are documentaries often interesting, they are also educational. Pick out a documentary that is on a topic that would not normally interest you and expand yourself.
Teach yourself how to cross-stitch. Cross-stitching is a great time-killer, and it is also a good way to release some stress. Get online or grab a book with some instructions and get started.
Write down your goals. While New Year’s Eve is long gone, it is never a bad time to create some personal goals for yourself. Think about everything you want to get accomplished in the near future and create a concrete plan.
Do a jigsaw puzzle. Have you ever seen those jigsaw puzzles with over 1,000 pieces? Completing one of those will certainly take some time and keep your mind busy.
Plan a surprise party. Whose birthday is next? Think of what you can do to put together a little surprise party and recruit a few friends to help out.
Read the news. While this may actually be one of the last things that you want to do, it is important to stay informed on issues that are going on around the world.
Take political action. Did you come across something in the news that struck you in a particular way? Write a letter to your congressman or local representative stating your opinion.
Research those who represent you. Wait, do you even know who your political representatives are? Do some research to learn who your state delegate, state senator, US congressman, and US senators are. Jot down their contact information to have in case something comes up, and you want to speak your mind.
Sign up for an online class. Some classes are offered online at very little or no charge. Expand your knowledge and look into what classes are offered that you may want to take.
Make homemade ice cream. The flavor options are endless and nothing tastes better than the real thing.
Rearrange a room. Pick a room in your house and rearrange the furniture. It is always nice to refresh your house in certain ways so it doesn’t begin to seem so mundane. Move some couches and chairs to see if you can figure out a new way to live.
Plant a garden. Flowers make everyone happy when they pop up, and they add a lot of color to your yard. Plant some flowers that you will be able to pick in the spring and put in your house to add some fresh decoration.
Plant some vegetables. Additionally, get a vegetable garden started so you can eat fresh produce right from your yard. This is the healthiest way to eat, and it ends up saving a lot of money on groceries. You can’t get food any more local than your own yard!
Clean out your closet. If you haven’t worn it in two or three years, either trash it or donate it. You will feel a huge sense of relief with a clean closet. You never know if there is someone who wants to treat you to something nice but has no idea what to get you. Also, this list is a good way to keep track of the things you have your eye on.
Take a class at a local gym. Have you ever tried Zumba or kickboxing? While you may not think these things are up your alley, you can’t knock them until you try them.
Brush up your resume. When was the last time you updated your resume? Your skills and experiences change with time, so adjust your resume as needed to match your current work experience. You never know when a perfect job might pop up.
Think of who you want to eat a meal with. I’m sure someone has asked you who you would want to have dinner with if you could choose anyone, dead or alive. Instead of getting stuck and giving a quick answer in a panic that you later regret, think of a really unique answer that will intrigue people.
What is your superpower? In that same vein, a common question that people ask is what superpower you would wish to have if you could have anyone that you wanted. Don’t get stuck telling people that you would want to be invisible like most people probably say. Come up with something unique and different.
Look at menus. While we are on the topic of eating meals and having superpowers, check out the menus of some of the top-rated restaurants in the world. Look at Michelin star restaurants around the world and pick out what you would order if you could eat dinner there.
Research your dream job. Look at the resumes of people who have your dream career. What did they have to do to get there? What are some of the special things that have accomplished that not many other people have?
Paint something. Do you have a boring clay pot in your yard or a blank canvas? Get creative and do some painting. You can even jump on the bandwagon and paint some rocks and put them around your city for other people to find.
Find an online group. Is there something unique about you that your friends can’t exactly relate to? Maybe you have a really rare hobby or are suffering from a chronic illness and don’t have the support you need. Find an online community that has this is common with you and make some connections.
Look into personal sales. There are a lot of companies these days who hire people to work independently to sell their products. If you want to make a little extra money, consider getting on board with one of these companies.
Volunteer. Volunteering is a great way to meet new people and give back to your community. Find the local animal shelter or food bank and see what kind of help they could use.
Help a friend. Do you know anyone who is moving or taking on a big project? Offer your help to lighten their load.
Write a short story. One way to get creative is to write. Start writing a short story and see where it takes you.
Start a journal. Alternatively, start a journal to record your thoughts. This may be a gratitude journal where you make notes of everything that you are grateful for in your life, or just an everyday journal to record your state of mind.
Learn a new dance. Look up dances on YouTube and try to learn them yourself. You may not do as well as the people on tv, but at least you will get yourself up and moving!
Sing. Are you a good singer? No? It doesn’t matter. Put on some music and sing your heart out.
Read some quotes. If you are looking for inspiration in your life, research the internet for some inspiring quotes. If one of them really speaks to you, write it down.
Go for a run. Even if you are not an avid runner, just try to go for a run. If it is hard, run one block and then walk one block and repeat.
Get a tattoo. Not your thing? Then just design one that would be fun to get one day.
Create a photo journal of your current life. Take pictures of everything that represents your daily life at this point. This could include a picture of your bedroom, your office, your car, your pets, anything that feels relevant.
Make some flavored water. Like many people, you may not drink enough water during the day. Experiment with making some fruit-infused waters like strawberry water or lemon water. This will help encourage you to drink more throughout the day.
Take a bath. If you are bored, it may be the perfect time to take an hour for some self-care in the bathtub. In fact, research has shown taking a hot bath burns as many calories as a 30-minute walk.
Learn a new instrument. Have you ever tried playing the piano or the flute? Give it a shot, you might enjoy it.
Go to an arcade. Entertain yourself by going to an arcade and playing all of the old games from your childhood. This may be nostalgic, and you could find yourself feeling like a kid again.
Create a board game. Come up with a great idea for a board game and design it. Write out the playing instructions and even make a model for what the game would look like.
Go skating. Roller skating? Ice skating? What is in your area? Look around to see what kind of skating places are available. Chances are, you will have an opportunity to do both.
Go fishing. Do you have a pond or lake nearby? Grab some bait and a rod and try to catch some fish, even if they are small.
Attend a local forum. Get active in your community by finding out what local forums are happening and consider what you want to become involved in.
Start a blog. Do you have a hobby or something that makes you unique in some way from other people? Start a blog to share your experiences with others and help them become interested in the things that excite you.
Learn a new language. You may be rocky from your high school foreign language classes, so either brush up on a language that you are kind of familiar with or take up a whole new challenge. Try out Babel, the free online language program. The Best Home Gym Equipment For Reluctant Exercisers 13 Of The Best Meditation Apps For 2020 31 Fun Things To Do By Yourself
Create a budget. Have your spending habits been a little out of whack lately? Take a serious look at your finances and set some spending limits for yourself.
Try Origami. Origami can be really fun and challenging. There are a lot of online tutorials, and this is an inexpensive way to pass your time.
Take your dog to the dog park. This is a great way to get out of the house and let your furry friend run around to get some exercise. You may also make friends with a fellow dog lover.
Get some exercise at home. Doing sit-ups and push-ups on a regular basis is really great for your muscles. Take some time to develop a routine that works for you.
Make something from scratch that you would usually buy. Sure, it is easy to buy some pasta and throw it in some sauce. But have you ever tried making pasta from scratch? I have a feeling that once you do, you will never go back.
Write some poetry. Writing poetry can relieve a lot of stress. Write about something that has been on your mind lately or just someone whom you love. Get creative with it.
Wash your car. How long has it been? Weeks? Months? Get out there and give your car a good detail so you can feel fresh the next day when you get in it.
Find your old yearbook. This is always a good time. Look through the pictures of you and your friends from high school and middle school and think about the days when things seemed to be so much more simple.
Apologize to someone. While going through your yearbook, did you come across anyone who you owe a long-overdue apology to? Maybe you said something unkind about them in 10th grade, and it has been weighing on your mind. Make amends with that person.
Listen to a podcast. There are so many great podcasts out there on all types of subjects. Find one that interests you and start getting into it.
Make a YouTube video. You may not become a YouTube sensation, but you could start giving it a shot by uploading a video of yourself. Considering talking about a subject on which you can give expert advice to your viewers, or make a “how to” video for something like putting together a stroller. This may interest you: Would you like to meditate your way to health and happiness? If so, then check out my newly designed mindfulness product: “Mindful Meditators: 58 Card Prompts To Focus Your Meditation Time” Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced meditator, the Mindful Meditator Cards will enhance and reinforce your practice so that you can enjoy the proven benefits of meditation, including better health, improved focus, more creativity, and increased joy. Each of the 58 cards has a different meditation prompt topic.
Stretch. In our sedentary lifestyles, people are not nearly as flexible as they once were. Take the time to stretch out your muscles. It will feel good and it is great for your body.
Make a time capsule. Put everything into a box that is representative of the popular things today. Maybe you have a broken smartphone or a news article that sums up what is going on around the world. Find everything you can to explain how the world is working today and bury it deep in your backyard to dig up in the future.
Practice your emergency plans. Whether it is getting out of the house in case of a fire or burglary or evacuating your city due to dangerous weather, create a plan and practice it so you will be prepared in case you need it.
Clean out your makeup. Old makeup carried a lot of germs that you don’t want to keep around. Toss any makeup that is over a year old and be sure to clean all of your brushes.
Throw away spices. Spices may look like they last forever, but they really don’t. Dried spices are only fresh for one to three years, so if you bought a jumbo box a decade ago, it is time to toss it.
Clear out your phone. You know that there are pictures and apps on your phone that you don’t use anymore. Delete them and create some more space to put new things on your phone. This will also help to speed your phone up when you are using it.
Give yourself a foot massage. Treat yourself DIY-style. Research reflexology points on your feet and use fragrant lotion for a relaxing treat for your feet.
Browse pets who are looking for a home. You may be able to find the perfect companion. Look at local rescue agencies and online listings to see if you feel like you click with any of the pets you come across.
Have you ever tried tie-dye? Grab an old shirt and give it some new life. There is really no way to mess up tie-dye.
Write reviews online. Have you recently purchased a product that you absolutely loved? Or maybe one that didn’t quite fit the bill? Speak your mind online and let others know about your experience.
It is never too early to think about Halloween. So, what are you going to be? If you’re not into dressing up, maybe plan a fun Halloween party for your friends and neighbors.
Play Solitaire. No, not on the computer. Take actual cards and play a few rounds. You have probably forgotten how much fun it is.
Research crime in your area. Are there any new sex offenders in your neighborhood or other crimes that have happened? Read the local news to find out or do some researching online so you can be aware and alert.
Plan a day date with a friend or your significant other. Consider going to play mini golf or going to the closest amusement park. But don’t stop there, make a plan for meals and snacks so you can enter the day completely prepared.
Window shop online. You may not have tons of cash to spend right now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t look around! See what catches your eye online and keep it in mind for the future.
Finish a project or errand you have been procrastinating on forever. Just take your pants to the freaking tailor, already.
Test yourself about your country. Can you write down all 50 states and their capital cities? Or if you don’t live in the U.S., what are the major regions of your country? A little geography lesson never hurt anyone. With these 101 ideas, you shouldn’t run out of things to do when bored.