13 Things To Do When You’re Bored By Yourself

Living in a new reality means forsaking all that you use to know and adjusting to new things. New ways of living, and growing. With the Covid-19 pandemic putting an end to ‘life’ as we know it, we have had to come to terms with certain new realities. An unending feeling of boredom is one of those realities.

We get bored not necessarily because of a lack of work, but because it’s just one of those things that happen. There will be times when you really do not want to do anything, no matter how productive it promises to be, but still, you want to do something at the same time. No, you are not going crazy. We understand. Most of the time, boredom results from the unconscious need to let go, an obvious lack of exciting experiences, loneliness, lack of motivation, and whatnots. But exploring why you get bored is not the purpose of this article. We are here to show you some of the things you could do when you get bored. Some of these tips are so effective that they would help you get rid of the feeling of boredom in no time.

1. Do Something You Love

This goes without saying but still, it remains a potent weapon against boredom. Personally, I love to make silly videos of myself dancing (quite horribly) to new songs. It relaxes me and makes me laugh. Plus, it is a great way to preserve memories. So, what is that one thing (no matter how silly) that you just enjoy doing? Lists are also very effective. So, you could make a list of the things you love to do and choose which of them helps you relax more and would not take too much energy to execute.

Like I’ve said before, what you would find on my list includes first and foremost, making silly videos. You would also find drawing, singing karaoke, watching photos and videos of my happy experiences, walking, and a few more. Boredom will set in when you are not doing enough of what you love.

Do you like walking? Take a walk, if only for a few hours. Do you like parties? Go have fun with your friends or invite them out. Do you like cooking? Gather what you need and treat yourself to a treat. You probably see where I’m going with this, so I’ll just stop right here.

2. Discover New Music

Since the dawn of time, music has always had almost supernatural power over living beings (not only in humans but also in animals and even in plants). You would always find a particular song or genre suitable for any mood or event. There are songs that would help you relax, some will help you study, sleep, dance, hypnotize you, help you in an argument, and so on. The list is literally endless. Just type a Google search to see a wide array of choices depending on your preferences.

Music has an insane amount of power over human beings and when it comes to boredom, the effect is intensified. You can decide to not just sit or lie down with your earphones plugged in. You can decide to explore new songs while you are on the move while taking a walk or driving. All you need is a good playlist and a pair of headphones (or speakers). Head on over to YouTube or Deezer and check out the latest music trends in the style that makes you tick. Fill up on music and let yourself be transported!

3. Engage in a Sporting Activity

Engaging in sporting activities releases three kinds of hormones in the human system. These hormones are first, endorphins, which is a pain reliever and a euphoric. Then there is dopamine which produces pleasure, alertness and reduces the feeling of fatigue; and lastly, you have adrenaline which is a stress hormone that causes the body to exert more physical effort. With these three hormones released into your system, it would be near impossible to feel bored.

If you do not have a personal game room (which is not a very common thing to have in your home anyways), you could go visit a nearby sporting center and just play a few games. You could also call your friends together and make plans for a sports date, so to speak.

4. Take a Long Shower

Water has a few therapeutic properties. This is why taking a long shower is recommended when you are feeling restless, sad, and even bored. Although this is not my first resort when boredom arises, it works wonders for most people.

When you feel bored, a good, long, cool shower or bath will do you the most good and wake up your nerves (which will make you more creative). In addition, you can take advantage of this moment to take care of your precious body. Try out the new skincare routines you learned on the internet and probably take a long nap afterward.

5. Watch Motivational Videos

Generally, boredom stems from a lack of motivation. You feel like doing nothing, but you know that is probably not a very good idea. You might even want to do something but you just don’t know how to deal with it. Sometimes it only takes a few words to change that. If you know someone who can motivate you, call that person and tell them about your lack of motivation. If you don’t know any, you can go on YouTube where you will find videos of successful people. Their stories are sure to motivate you and mentally boost you, plus they are very entertaining.

6. Reach Out to Old Friends

We all have that one friend we know we should be speaking to more often. Or maybe it’s just a couple of people we promised to check up on regularly. Regardless, it is the perfect opportunity to reach out to old friends. Search your phonebook for the contact of someone you have long neglected, and let them know that you haven’t forgotten them and just wanted to say hi. Eventually, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how interesting your conversation will turn out. If things go well, you can even schedule a meet-up or two. Reconnecting never hurts anybody, it just helps maintain relationships.

7. Sort Your Wardrobe

Just as we don’t know what to do when we are bored, our life is often complicated with our wardrobes. They are sometimes so full from floor to ceiling that even an extra hanger would not fit in. now is the perfect time to ask yourself these really important questions; Do you really need everything in that wardrobe? Don’t you think keeping everything adds an additional difficulty when it comes to choosing your outfit in the morning?

It is time to do a radical wardrobe sorting and only keep the pieces that are really necessary (after much thought, of course). Give the items you do not need to charity or to a friend or relative you know needs them. Trust me, you’ll feel lighter and more in control.

8. Play an Instrument

Well, if you own one and are musically inclined. You can even record yourself doing it (mistakes and all) and save it for memory’s sake. Also, it doesn’t matter whether you know how to play an instrument or not, creating sounds on an instrument yourself is a good way to have fun. If you have been looking to learn how to play a new instrument, now is a perfect time. Who knows, you might actually create something really good.

9. Learn Something New

And we are not saying this in a get-over-boredom-by-studying kind of way. If there is something you have wanted to learn for the longest time, now is the perfect time to do it. Also, ensure you leave your comfort zone and familiar territories and learn something totally out of character.

You could take an online course, learn astronomy, photography, geography, video editing, photo editing, and whatnots. No matter what you want to learn, you’ll find enough resources to help you on online platforms, especially Youtube.

10. Take On Some DIY Projects

Have you tried making anything by yourself? Do you even have any idea how much fun it is? Regardless of how it turns out, making stuff yourself charges you up and gives you a sense of fulfillment.

Tutorials on DIY projects are all over the internet and a good majority of them are really helpful. From how to turn old jeans into cute tops to fixing your sink with homemade tools. The content is literally endless. If there is work that needs to be done around the house or a particular thing you were about to go buy at the store, try to get the job done yourself. It might turn out great or really bad. Regardless, it is still so much fun!

11. Fun, Fun, Fun

This is the first thing that comes to your mind when you are bored. How do I have fun? What exactly do I do for fun? The formula for answering that question is simple and it is: Are you bored? (Yes!) If so, what would make you happy? Whatever answer you give to that question should inspire your next course of action.

No matter what it is (as long as it is legal), treat yourself to that pleasure. It could be going for ice cream, hitting the mall to do some window shopping, having a good laugh with a few friends, go sightseeing, maxing your credit card on impulse buys, and so on. As long as you don’t go doing things you’ll regret later, you’ll be just fine.

12. Read a Book

This might not be great advice for people who prefer to eat a stone than to read, but for those who love to live a thousand lifetimes in the pages of good books, this is the best pastime ever.

If you like to stay productive in all situations, read informative books. Books are food for the mind. Everything you read programs your subconscious, which will affect the way you view things. So you can feed your mind when you are bored. You can read something light and not necessarily intense, just for a good time and not a deep psychological effect. Brew yourself a nice cup of tea, sit by the fireplace, and immerse yourself in the book you have chosen. In case you don’t own paperback copies, there are a few online platforms like ReadAnyBook where you are granted access to a library of wonderful books from all over the world. Until you’ve finished reading, you won’t have to wonder what to do with your dull moments!

13. Time to Take Care of Yourself

You know those new skincare routines you stumbled upon eons ago? This could be the perfect time to actually put them to work. Your body, skin, hair, teeth, beard, and all other parts of our body need attention. Just as reading nourishes the mind, taking care of your personal hygiene increases our self-confidence and physical health. When you feel bored, give your body all the care and attention it deserves.

On that note, we have come to the end of this article. These are just some of the things you could do when you get bored. There are so many others but these ones are on the top of our list. What do you do when you get bored? Do share with us in the comments section. Thank you!

All pictures are from Pexels and no attribution is required.