75 things you can do when you're bored

Boredom is usually considered as something temporary, a situation in which we have nothing to do, which causes us fatigue and a negative state of mind.

In recent years, however, boredom has been associated with other phenomena such as stress: this is the case of boreout syndrome or boredom at work. This syndrome manifests itself with three characteristics: disinterest, boredom and undemanding, that is, from monotonous tasks.

• You can know more in this post: "Boreout syndrome: boredom at work"

Psychology and boredom

Researchers have been interested in boredom for decades. The first studies were conducted in 1926 and were published in British Medical Journal. The research concluded that monotonous and repetitive tasks cause boredom, which in turn was associated with mental fatigue. There were individual differences when it came to experiencing boredom. Over the next decade, various experiments were carried out in the laboratory, with the observation that boredom was directly related to tiredness.

So far, the studies were limited in their conclusions. It wasn't until the 1980s, when the Norman D. Sundberg, contributed some interesting results for psychology. He realized that people who were more bored were more likely to suffer from anxiety, aggressiveness, depression, addictive behaviors and had greater difficulties in relating to others. Today, it is known that extroverts are more prone to boredom than introverts or creative people.

A recent article published in Perspectives on Psychological Science, reviews different contributions from different areas of psychology, such as neuropsychology and Social psychology, and defines boredom as: “A negative state of wanting something, but without being able to commit to satisfactory activities that are usually related to due to failures in the neural networks of the attention".

There are three factors involved in boredom. First, the difficulty of following previous information (emotions, thoughts) or outside (environmental stimuli) necessary to carry out the activity satisfactorily. Second, being aware of it. And third, to think that the environment is to blame, for example, this is boring or there is nothing to do.

75 things to do when you're bored

But, What can we do when we are bored? If you are bored and want to get out of this situation that is causing you discomfort. You can use some of these tips.

1. read a book

Reading brings you great benefits, for example, it helps you exercise your memory, learn new things, or empathize better. Surely at home you have a book that you have not read yet.

• If not, in this post you can find a list of the best psychology books: "The 25 best Psychology books you can't miss.”

2. Call a friend with whom you have lost contact

You do not have anything to do? Well Pick up the phone and call a friend you haven't talked to in a while.

3. Make a skype

If you live outside of your country and you don't know many people yet. Make a video call with a friend or family member.

4. Update your CV

If you don't know what to do update your resume or resume, either for printing or on the various employment pages. If you are not actively looking for a job, it will help you keep it up to date.

5. Browse YouTube

To kill the boredom, you can browse YouTube and discover videos that are on the net. Either to see a "youtuber" or to learn something new.

6. Watch a documentary

You can watch a documentary that is on the network to not only entertain yourselfbut to learn new things.

• Related article: "15 absolutely essential documentaries on Psychology”.

7. Meditate

You can take this time to meditate.

If you don't know how to do it, you can learn to meditate with this article: "How to learn to meditate, in 7 easy steps”

8. Take a bubble bath

At this time you have nothing to do. Relax and take a bubble bath. You will feel better for sure.

9. Use dating apps

You can use this moment of boredom to win someone over. So you can use some of the apps that are on the market. You still get a date.

• Article: "The 10 best dating apps. Essential!"

10. Practice yoga

Do some yoga exercises or check out some routine on YouTube that you can follow. You'll be doing your mind and body a favor.

11. Kitchen

You have free time, right? Why don't you take advantage of it to prepare a delicious dinner.

12. Watch a movie

You can see if they make a movie on television or download one that you have always wanted to see.

13. Go to the cinema

And why don't you go to the movies? So you see a movie and, in addition, it gives you the air.

14. Go for a walk

You can take advantage of this boredom to go for a walk by the sea or the mountains. So you enjoy nature and discover new places

15... or go for a run

If you prefer, you can go for a run. This way you benefit from training not only on a physical level, but also mentally.

16. Go out with your dog

If you don't want to go for a walk alone, and if you have a dog as a pet, take it out for a walk.

17. Take the bike

If you prefer, you can also take the bike and go for a walk to discover new places.

18. Tidy up your home

If you have free time and you don't know how to use it, put your house in order.

19. Study

Make the effort to study if you have nothing to do. Do not leave the study for the last week of exam.

20. Research your own vacation

The holidays are approaching and you still don't know where to go? Search the internet for a destination that may be interesting.

21. Sings

If you like to sing, find some karaoke song on YouTube and sing it. Not good at it? And what else gives. You are alone.

22. Play some online game

There are thousands of online gambling. Select the one you like and have a fun time.

23. Go to a bar and have a coffee

The walk to the place will be great for you and so you can spend some time away from home.

24. Make a puzzle

How about entertaining yourself with a puzzle? You'll be busy trying to finish it for a long time.

25. Watch music videos

Put a music channel on your TV or search for songs you like on YouTube.

• Related article: "The 10 songs that make us feel the best (according to science)”

26. Refresh learning from the past

You can take the books from the university or the institute that you have saved and do a review of what you studied in your day.

27. Do strength training without weights

Get strength training in your own home or garden. You don't have to use weights.

28. Take a nap

Take advantage of that free time to take a nap and thus face the rest of the day more rested.

29. Go down to the pool

If time permits, go down to the pool and take a dip. You will refresh yourself and feel better after you have done it.

30. Make purchases online

You can take the opportunity to buy something you need via the internet. Now, don't buy compulsively.

31. Exercise your mind

Take advantage of this time to exercise your mind with brain training games. Or, just fill in an alphabet soup

32. Visit a tourist site in your city

Visit a tourist site in your city or town. Surely you have not been before despite being so close.

33. Start a blog

You can start a blog where you tell your experiences or talk about what you like. There are some pages for this, for example, Wordpress or Blogspot

34. Invite a friend

You can invite a friend to dinner, to play the console, or to watch a movie.

35. Go to the public library

If you don't have a book handy and you don't want to buy one either, you can go to the public library and spend the afternoon there.

36. Take the opportunity to do something you need

Take the opportunity to do something you need, be it go to the bank, make a call or join the gym.

37. Send a letter to someone important in your life

Personal letters are in danger of extinction with new technologies. Take some time to write a letter by hand and mail it. You will surprise the person who receives it.

38. Take some pictures

If you go for a walk, take the opportunity to take some photos of the landscape or the places you visit.

39. Find your high school friends on Facebook

You can spend time reminiscing about good times in the past and trying to contact old colleagues or friends.

40. Learn how to make your favorite cocktail

You enjoy that good cocktail when you go out with a friend. Because you don't use this time when you get bored to figure out how to do it.

41. Do the laundry

It is not fun, but take advantage now that you can do the laundry to leave the clothes clean.

42. Write your own novel

Are you bored Well, unleash your creativity and write your own story or novel. No one else needs to read it.

43. Go out to buy a gift for your relatives

A relative's birthday is approaching or Christmas is just around the corner. Take the opportunity to go to the store and buy gifts.

44, Practice your hobby

If you like surfing, horse riding or painting, this is the time to enjoy the day.

45. Dance

Put the music on blast and let your body guide you. Dance, dance and dance.

46. Write a poem

Take a notebook and write a poem thinking of that person you love so much.

47. Fix your garden

Since you are bored, take the opportunity to leave the beautiful garden.

48. Go visit a friend by surprise

You don't have to call your friend. Just stand at the door of his house and surprise him.

49. Go bowling

Maybe you can take advantage and invite him to bowling. They will surely appreciate it.

50. Play with your hairstyle

Try new hairstyles for yourself and spend the afternoon looking at which one suits you best.

51. Clean your room

Now you have no excuse to have your room cluttered. Take this time to leave the room clean and organized.

52. Prepare a monologue and train

Preparing monologues is one of the most challenging activities to do. In many cases it is not even necessary to be near a computer to search for documentation, just tell a story and practice out loud.

53. Get out into a natural space and exercise

Nature is full of resources that we can exercise outdoors. In addition, the air will be purer than in the vast majority of gyms.

54. Practice drawing

Start drawing and seeing the progress that is being made is very motivating, especially if you start from scratch.

55. Dates an old friendship

Any excuse is good to meet again.

54. Practice drawing

Start drawing and seeing the progress that is being made is very motivating, especially if you start from scratch.

55. Dates an old friendship

Any excuse is good to meet again.

56. Learn to make origami

This hobby is as stimulating and creative as it is simple, since to exercise in it you only need sheets of paper and a flat surface.

57. Learn languages

A great way to exercise your mind while gaining such useful competence as being able to talk to more people and expand your CV.

58. Create video essays

Thanks to the Internet it is becoming easier to create homemade audiovisual pieces in which we express our ideas from image and sound.

59. Sign up for an online course

Another excellent way to use your free time to learn is to sign up for an online course from the great variety that the network of networks has available.

60. Go out to see animals

If you combine this hobby with photography, you can have spectacular images.

61. Learn about history

The good thing about learning about history is that drawing on narrative lines makes it easier to memorize.

62. Listen to audiobooks

A very good way to entertain yourself or learn without having to fix your eyes on a specific place.

63. Sign up for a language exchange

Practice in a foreign language while having a real interaction with someone is very stimulating.

64. Attend a volunteer

There are many people who will appreciate the time you can dedicate to them.

65. Recycle

There are many creative ways to reuse old or overused materials and put them to use again.

66. Grow something

Monitoring the growth of a plantation can be very motivating.

67. Go out to meet people

You don't even need a very elaborate excuse to start a conversation.

68. Compose music

With a simple microphone and certain computer programs it is enough to compose experimental pieces, even if you have no experience in it.

69. Redecorate your home

Small changes can transform a room.

70. Participate in forums

Debating on these virtual platforms helps to learn about different topics.

71. Enjoy lucid dreams

By sleeping, you can learn to control your dreams to do just about anything. This phenomenon is known as "lucid dreaming."

72. Learn pottery

Creating clay figures is one of the most creative hobbies that can be done without leaving home.

73. Translate texts

There are many works that are only available in one or a few languages. There are communities of people dedicated to translating them in a selfless way to share those texts with the world.

74. Create videos

Today, anyone can create videos and post them on the Internet by gaining an audience. Seize it!

75. Learn choreography

Beyond dancing spontaneously, you can try to improve yourself by learning complex choreography.

Meyo: an app that helps you get to know your friends better

Have you ever noticed that you have trouble really opening up even with your friends or that you have a hard time getting to know them at all? This is perfectly normal, as personal relationships are difficult. However, there are scientifically proven ways to improve them, expressing yourself better, proving to be someone who can be trusted and, ultimately, open up with others and that others open up when they are with you.

And Meyo is the first app on the market that, with the support of top-level psychologists, gives you all the tools to get to know your friends more and that they know you better. So, very attentive to its launch (free) the week of March 16, 2020, because Meyo is called to completely revolutionize the market.

And is that this app, in case you need to improve relationships with friends, gives you hundreds of tips, strategies, challenges, ideas, help and any type of content that will be useful to you to gain charisma, positivity, optimism and that will help you learn to listen, communicate, express your ideas and that others want to be with you, open up and, therefore, know and let you know better by your loved ones dear.

But this is just one of its countless benefits. Healthy recipes, home exercise routines, running and cycling challenges, meditation and yoga sessions, guidance to overcome fears and phobias, tips to overcome a breakup, ways to sleep better, techniques to perform better mentally, help to overcome work stress, strategies to save ...

Anything you need to maintain and improve your physical and emotional health, Meyo can give you. Because being healthy is not just not being sick. Being healthy is enjoying life, being the best version of yourself and having strong bonds with your friends, opening up with them and getting them to do it with you.

• You can download Meyo whenever you want, both for Android as for iOs.

Bibliographic references:

• Maier, X. (2018). The art of having fun. Jerez de la Frontera: Nest of Mice.