A young teenage girl with a bored expression looking out a window through the gap in wooden blinds.

There’s only so many games of Monopoly or Cards Against Humanity you can play with your family before you start to yearn for something new to do.

 

Even watching TV can get old when you’ve been doing it non-stop for days on end!

And while it might be tempting to just lounge on the couch and scroll through your phone, try to resist the urge – even for a little while. We’re not saying you have to be super-productive with your time. On the contrary, we believe that boredom suffers from bad press and that when harnessed properly, it can lead to great creativity.

Think about it. If your mind is constantly stimulated by outside influences, it rarely has the opportunity to develop ideas of its own.

So, the next time you’re feeling bored, don’t grab your phone. Try doing some of these things instead:

 

1. Write down whatever comes into your head

Have you always wanted to write a book? Or an article about something your passionate about? Now’s the time! Just do it. Start writing. It doesn’t have to be good, it doesn’t have to make sense yet, it just has to exist. Once there are words on the screen or the page – even if it’s just bullet points – you have something to edit, change, adjust or expand on.

Keep writing until you’ve run out of ideas and then leave it for a few hours. Go back and read over what you’ve written. Whichever one gets you most excited, that’s the one you need to write about!

2. Go for a walk outside without technology

The vast majority of us rarely go for a walk without earphones blasting our favourite music, podcast or audiobook. And while there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s nice to leave them at home every once in a while.

Not only will you pay more attention to your surroundings, take note of nature and be more present, you’re also more likely to smile and engage with people who greet you as they walk by.

3. Talk to someone face to face

Spending all day every day with your family can become trying after a while but if you think about it, when was the last time you had a chat with your mam, just the two of you? Or had a cup of tea with your dad and talked to him about his work or jobbies? If you’re lucky enough to live near your grandparents, maybe you could drop by their house for a chat and ask them what Christmas was like when they were young.

There are a lot of distractions in life but you’ll never regret showing the people you love that you care about them and are interested in their lives. Trust us, it will make their day!

4. Start reading a book that’s been on your shelf for ages

We all have books we intended to read that are gathering dust on our shelves. If you’ve become accustomed to watching 60 second Tiktok videos or scrolling quickly through Instagram for the most engaging content, it might feel slow or draining to think about sitting down to read a book. However, if you give it a little time, say one hour to start, it might reignite the love you once had for losing yourself in a good book!

5. Do something completely random

Get the ingredients for your favourite cake and learn how to bake it. Put on your favourite album and dance around your bedroom. Try out some yoga poses. Master a new hairstyle.

By jolting your brain out of its usual activity, you’re more likely to have a different perspective which will inspire new ideas and/or help you solve any issues you’ve been dealing with.

 

Recommended Posts