What to Do When You Have a Whole Lot of Nothing to Do
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Let’s be honest: Boredom can almost feel painful, and having nothing with which to occupy yourself may be an unwanted luxury. Between working and resting, you might not know what to do with your free time. To that end, here are a few ideas of what you can do when you have a whole lot of nothing to do.
Meditate
Meditation is scientifically proven to help relieve subjective levels of anxiety and feelings of depression while improving attention, concentration, and overall psychological well-being. Studies from UCLA have found that those with long-term experience in meditative practice had better-preserved brains than non-meditators as they aged.
Although no one can do nothing all the time, you can constructively embrace doing nothing through meditation. Just relax in any position that is comfortable for you and let your mind wander. Reminding yourself of things you’re grateful for can be a great perspective adjustment in the middle of the day, before bed, or right when you wake up.
Read
When you read, the brain utilizes a complex network of neurons and circuits. As your ability to read and interpret these symbols into phonetics matures, those neural networks grow stronger, more interconnected, and more sophisticated. Plus, your ability to read is crucial to functioning and succeeding in the professional world.
Escape your boredom by spending time practicing your reading reflexes with a novel that interests you. Use your imagination for a thrilling experience.
Exercise
Being cooped up at home can lead to severe and persistent bodily soreness due to inactivity. To counter your boredom, develop an exercise routine that’s just your style and incorporate different types of workout techniques.
For example, yoga incorporates breathing exercises, meditation, and poses designed to encourage relaxation and reduce stress while working the deep inner musculature. Combine it with bodyweight training and simple aerobics for a tool-free workout!
Trade
Skilled trade workers are always in demand and make great money. Consider going to a trade school online in your free time to learn a new skill. Sometimes a job you’re unhappy with can fill your downtime with dreadful thoughts and feelings. Use those feelings to motivate you down one of several fascinating new career paths that will yield exciting, fresh experiences.
If you’re a perfectionist with great upper body strength, woodworking might be for you. If you’re a dedicated team player with a fixation on math, then plumbing or electrician work might be for you. If you’re a hard worker with a delicate side, seamstresses, welders, and glass blowers are always in high demand.
Art
Modern life is complicated socially and financially, which leads us all to stress that needs to be managed. Take time to introspect, and then, to manage your boredom and stress, release your emotions through an expressive artistic venture. If you’re untrained, read books on the practice you’re interested in or try taking a class with others in your field. Alternatively, you can learn online from experts and hobbyists, then develop your unique style.
What do you do when there’s nothing to do? Sound off in the comments!