Boredom is something we cannot avoid and in this post, I will share what to do when you’re bored.
As I am writing this millions of people have been forced to stay at home and it is really frustrating to stay indoors for a long time. If not handled properly it can lead to all sorts of mental issues.
This is why it is very important that we all find ways to reduce the boredom.
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Fun Things To Do When You are Bored
Below are some fund things you can do to reduce boredom.
1. Watch sports on television
For sports lovers, watching some sports on television can be therapeutic from my experience. I know that those who are not big sports fans would not understand that. But it is true.
As a sports fan, if there are no live games I would personally focus on some old games that my team won other than those that we lost.
It is more uplifting to watch games that will make us feel better and not those that will remind us of some difficult days for our team.
Whatever you doing something that you are passionate about will get rid of the boredom that you are facing.
2. Watching Some Nice Movies
For those that love movies, then watching some comedies or some quality movies is another way of defeating boredom.
In my case If I am bored, I prefer to watch some nice comedies. The laughing will help me relax other than watching a serious movie that requires my concentration.
In fact, there are studies that have shone that laughing is therapeutic. It has been shown to have the same effect as pain killers.
3. Playing Sports With Friends and Family
During the recent COVID-19 lockdown, one of the things that helped to get rid of the boredom was playing soccer with my daughter. It somehow helped me forget all the stresses of staying indoors.
I would, therefore, encourage anyone wondering what to do when they are bored to try it.
Besides dealing with the boredom, playing soccer with my daughter strengthened our bond.
4. Doing Puzzles With Friends and Family
When I am bored I usually play puzzles with my daughter. The thinking and concentration involved helps me to rid myself of boredom.
This not only helps me but it helps my daughter with problem-solving skills that she will need when she grows up. We have together managed to sort out some very difficult puzzles that required a lot of concentration.
You can buy these puzzles in most charity shops for a dollar or less.
5. Facetime your Friends and Family
You could also take this opportunity to facetime friends and family. They will appreciate your taking the time to talk to them and you will have some company.
6. Go out into the Forest
One of the things I enjoy doing is to go out into a nearby forest when I am really bored. There is something about nature that has a calming and soothing experience.
If your forest has fruit trees this could be an opportunity to get some fresh fruits. And if you have deers in it you could even go hunting if it is allowed in your area.
I am aware that there are some areas where hunting is banned so you need to find out first.
7. Watch YouTube Videos
YouTube is now the second biggest search engine after Google. One can literally find videos for any topic you can think of.
If you are into comedy you will find lots and lots of comedians who pry their trade on YouTube. Even sports fans are not left behind. Most sports teams have their own YouTube channels.
I have also learned a lot by watching YouTube videos. Whether it is how to repair stuff, learning a new language, farming, etc. All this stuff you can find on YouTube.
8. Listen to Music
Music has been shown to be another excellent antidote to boredom. As an African, I know that music plays an important part in almost all spheres of African life. We sing when we are sad, happy, working, celebrating. etc.
There is music in everything we do. Our bodies are full of rhythm. We were made to sing or listen to music.
So if you happen to be down one day try music. Pick music that matches your tastes.
9. Do Some Baking
I am not into baking but I know that there are some people who enjoy baking. Even if you know nothing about baking you can use YouTube videos on baking to learn how to do it.
By occupying your mind on these things you will find that you will be refreshed.
10. Read a nice book
Books have been with us since time immemorial and they are still popular even now. You may not necessarily have to read a real paper book though I prefer that. One can read books in electronic format. Electronic books are very popular among the youth.
11. Soak Yourself in a bath
This is perhaps one of the things I enjoy doing when I am bored. I just soak myself in a bathtub and stay there for an hour or two.
It is especially soothing when you do this while listening to music or even reading a book.
12. Meditation
Another cool thing you can do is meditation. I am not a fan of the type of meditation where you free your mind of any thoughts.
Rather I prefer the kind of meditation where your mind is open and you are thinking of so many things. This is an opportunity to review and reflect. Out of this meditation could come some wonderful ideas to improve your life.
13. Go to the beach
This could also be a good time to go to the beach. Here you can play in the sand and meet new people. That is really a good way to use your free time.
Even scientist agree that just observing sea waves can be a soothing experience which can be good for your health.
14. Go out for a walk
Sometimes one only needs to go out for a walk during one’s free time. Just walking aimlessly can be good for you. It is good for your health as it is some sort of light exercise.
Over the past few days, I have been doing just that. I now know our area better than I did before. I have been to several places in our area that I have never been to.
15. Go out for a drive
If you hate walking you can drive around visiting all sorts of places. I would prefer it if you walked but anything should do at this time.
16. Go out to the barber shop
If you need a haircut this could be the perfect time to go to your barber. There you will find an opportunity to chat with your barber and other patrons.
A barbershop can be a place that offers more than haircuts. I always enjoy visiting my barber as we always discuss all sorts of things from politics to business ideas.
17. Take a nap
Sometimes all you need is a nap to beat boredom. Hopefully, by the time you wake up you will be all refreshed.
Related Post: Things To Do On A Sunday That Are Productive
Productive Things To Do When You Are Bored
Below are some serious things that you can do when you are bored. These activities will not only sort out the boredom but will help you grow financially and personally.
1. Blogging
Not many people are aware that there are bloggers out there who make a full-time income through blogging. And you can do this while blogging about things that you are passionate about.
I am saying this because I know there are some people who start blogging on topics that are not of any interest to them. They do this because maybe someone told them that in order to make money you need to blog on this or that topic.
Unfortunately, that can be a frustrating experience as you end doing things that you hate. I would rather make peanuts but be doing something that I enjoy.
But before you start blogging it is important that you learn how to do it properly. You can do this by learning from those that have succeeded in this field.
There is no better teacher than someone who has successfully managed to do what you are about to do.
When it comes to blogging I would encourage people to consider the guys at Income School. These guys have consistently proved that it is possible to even now to start a blog and be able to quit your job in two years’ time.
They don’t promise some get rich quick technique as others but tell their students that it will take up to 2 years to succeed if you follow their blueprint.
I would, therefore, urge those interested in starting this field to join this school. The fees are high but they are worth every penny.
If you are serious about blogging I would strongly advise that you visit the best blogging communities to discover a way that worked for me in my early days.
2. Learn How To Repair Your Stuff
Another way to beat your boredom is to learn how to repair your equipment, The concentration required to learn new things will very fast sort out your boredom.
Before the advent of YouTube, etc. we all depended on Technicians, plumbers, etc to have our damaged things repaired. Not any more. Nowadays you can watch YouTube videos to learn how to repair your stuff.
A few months ago, my laptop stopped working and I was in the process of trying to find a technician to sort it out. Then I remembered YouTube and its how-to videos.
I immediately searched on YouTube on how to troubleshoot and I eventually narrowed the cause of my laptop break down. And with the help of these videos, I was able to buy a hard disk to replace the one that stopped working in my laptop.
As a result, I avoided the exorbitant labor fees I would have been charged had I taken it to a technician.
This has given me confidence in the future when it comes to repairing things in our house. I now do even plumbing work by just following the advice found in some YouTube videos.
3. Gardening
During the recent lockdown, I learned how to grow my own crops on the small plot of land behind our house.
I never thought that I would enjoy gardening and it seemed like that when I was clearing the land.
But now I am all in. I have come to enjoy gardening. And I am always watching YouTube videos to learn all sorts of tricks to fight insects and increase my crop harvest.
I am actually about to harvest some Irish potatoes that I grew on my land and in plastic bags. This will be the first-ever time I have grown Irish potatoes.
As I am writing I can see that my potatoes have now started flowering. That is a sign that the tubers are now forming in the soil, according to some YouTubers.
If everything goes according to plan we will have Irish potatoes to cover our needs for at least 3 months. In the meantime, we have been harvesting some leafy vegetables. Life is really good.
4. Learn A Language
Learning a new language can open so many doors. There are apps that only require a few minutes of your time every day. Apps such as Duolingo, Babbel, etc.
I have used both and I found them to be really helpful in learning a new language. I prefer Babbel to Duolingo as it looks slicker and much better.
You however should be prepared to pay a little something every month for the privilege of using it. On the other hand, Duolingo is free for the time being at least.
At the moment most of the major languages such as English, French, Spanish, Portugues, Mandarin are covered in these apps. Just learning one or two of these languages can help you land some international job somewhere.
If a language is not covered by these apps you can visit YouTube to see if the language you need is being provided there.
5. Declutter
We all have things that we need to get rid of in our houses. For example, I have all sorts of electrical gadgets that I need to get rid of.
I too, therefore need to find time to declutter. And times of boredom are the best times to declutter.
This will also be an opportunity to simplify your life by being frugal. A frugal life is what most of us need to start living. It is a counter-culture to the excesses of our time.
6. Reorganise your furniture
If you think your house furniture is not set up properly this could be a time to sort out the arrangement of your furniture. It will not only improve the look of your house but will provide some exercises too for your body.
7. Dust off your house
A couple of days ago I noticed dust all over my bags and electronic stuff. I have somehow been cleaning the floor but forgetting the curtains, furniture, etc. I need to find time to sort out that. I could be inviting all sorts of respiratory problems for myself with all that dust.
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