We all have those days of boredom and scrolling endlessly on social media, hopping from app to app to pass the time until you suddenly realize it’s been three hours and you haven’t had any water or seen the sun. Sometimes after a busy week this is a nice escape, but sometimes I feel like I need to break the cycle and do something else. But what is there to do when your friends are in class and your homework is done and the infinity scroll of TikTok beckons? It can be hard to come up with something to do, but that’s what I’m here for!
1. Clean
Oh my god, ew, clean? How could I put something so efficient and boring right at the top of the list? What a betrayal! I know, I know, cleaning sucks. But when you’re bored and you want to do something outside of cyberspace it can be a great place to start. It sets you up for easier days when you are busy, and you can’t regret doing it. Vacuum! Take those dirty dishes to the sink and clean them! Do your laundry! Change your sheets! Pick those wrappers off the floors and put them in the trash can! Am I a hypocrite? Maybe. Does that mean you shouldn’t? No! And if you really don’t want to, just skip this one.
2. Try a new craft!
Arts and crafts are surprisingly accessible. Got scrap paper? Try some basic origami shapes, and maybe challenge yourself to something more complicated. Print out some aesthetic pictures and make a collage. Draw random shapes and color them in. If you have a budget and want to try something long term, you can buy yarn and needles and try crochet or knitting. Thread and some cheap fabric or old t-shirts can get you started with embroidery. Whatever you do, doing something with your hands can be a nice stress reliever, take your mind away from electronics, and is a good stretch for the creative muscle that can be neglected by too much time on social media.
3. Read a book
Yeah, duh, read a book. We all know to do that, Sarah, why are you bringing it up? Because I can bet my bottom dollar that you don’t do it. There’s bound to be a book on your shelf that you’ve been telling yourself you’re gonna start someday but you haven’t yet, have you? Once you actually pick up the book, you’ll remember how nice reading is and get back into it. I get it, when I’ve gone a long time without reading for pleasure it feels like a weirdly high amount of effort to get back into it. But doesn’t that make it all the more worth it? Get reading!
4. Go for a walk—but without music
Let yourself focus on the world around you without ANY interaction with your phone. Listen to cars and tree branches and the wind and your footsteps on the ground. Eavesdrop, people watch, imagine the lives of the people around you. Notice weeds in the cracks of the sidewalk and graffiti on the brick sides of buildings and the smell of different types of smoke in the park. Hum your favorite song to yourself and breathe a little quicker when you speed up to avoid a child with no sense of personal space. Be present in your surroundings and in your body and in the breeze. Resist the temptation to check your phone.
5. Do the usual self care advice stuff
This is a little bit of a cop out, but still. Journaling, meditating, exercising, and even just taking a longer shower while you’re bored can be both productive and improve your mental health at the same time. Doing something that’s both useful and gentle on yourself can be the perfect sweet spot when you have a little extra time you need to fill; you don’t stress yourself out, but you don’t just watch TikToks.
I want to reiterate that going on your phone on a chill day off isn’t a bad thing! I love a solid lazy Sunday of watching YouTube videos and binging Netflix and checking out what the Instagram explore page has to offer. But if you get a day where technology isn’t cutting it, I hope these suggestions are helpful!