What to do when you’re bored? What to do when you feel like doing nothing? Boredom drives us to slump on the sofa, and the more we zap in front of the TV, the worse our mood becomes. What can you do about it? Here are 50 ideas to try out!

1 – Make yourself a hot (or cold, depending on the weather) drink.
This is the first step when you’re bored. We find a little comfort in holding a good drink that will do our body, and certainly our heart, a world of good.

2 – What to do when you’re bored? Bake a cake
It’s not uncommon to hear us say: “I’d love to bake a cake, but I don’t have the time”. That’s when boredom sets in. We don’t know what to do. In other words, we’ve got time to bake ourselves a treat. Let’s make the most of it!

3 – Dance to your favorite music!
How about moving your body to the beat? It’s good for the body, but also for the soul.

4 – What to do when you’re bored? Sort out photos from your last vacation
It’s such an important activity, but one we keep putting off. What if you took advantage of this boredom to go back into beautiful memories?

5 – Sort your wardrobe when you’re bored
Those crooked piles have been putting you in a bad mood for ages! Why not start tidying up?

6 – Text the people you love
How many times have we said to ourselves: “I’ve been thinking about you, but I forgot to write”. Take advantage of this boredom to write to the people you love.

7 – Make a list of all the countries you’d like to visit to stop getting bored.
There’s nothing like taking the time to dream when you’re bored!

8 – Make a list of all the languages you’d like to speak
How about a language challenge? There are lots of videos on Youtube and language learning apps. Just have fun!

9 – Make a list of things you’d like to have or buy when you’re bored
How often are we caught off guard by the question: “What would you like as a gift?” What if you took advantage of that little moment of boredom to finally make that list that would delight your loved ones and yourself at the same time.

10 – List the things you already have and love
Why don’t we take stock of our present and how lucky we are! How wonderful!

11 – Remember the 3 things you liked best about the last 7 days
A little look back to smile and feel at peace with life.

12 – What to do when you’re bored? Go for a run or a walk!
When you’re feeling down in the dumps, stop thinking and strap on a pair of sneakers. Slam the front door and head outside. Running, walking, biking too. Let’s take a deep breath of oxygen.

13 – What to do when you’re bored? Test a yoga session with a YouTube video
We’ve been hearing about yoga for ages, so why not try it out at home, out of sight? Careful, you’ll love it.

14 – What to do when you’re bored? Draw, color
Remember those markers or crayons you bought with that mandala coloring book? Well, go ahead. Now’s the time to get started.

15 – What to do when you’re bored? Water the plants
There’s nothing wrong with doing good. Take care of the plants that beautify your home.

16 – Read
Start a new book, a new style. Open your current book and tell yourself you won’t look up for 30 minutes and see what happens.

17 – What to do when you’re bored? Ask yourself questions
When you’re bored, it’s a good time to ask questions: what do I like, how am I doing, what do I want, where am I?

18 – What to do when you’re bored? Take a nap
Why didn’t you think of this right away…

19 – Watch a funny video of someone you don’t know on Youtube
This is one of my favorite things to do when I’m bored.

20 – What to do when you’re bored? Play a video game
There’s no better way to entertain yourself! (laughs)

21 – Prepare your Christmas list so you don’t get bored!
It’s crazy. Christmas is always on the same date every year, and yet we’re always surprised when it arrives: “Already!” What if we already started imagining our gift list, what we’d like to eat, what we’d like to give to the people we love…

22 – Go shopping for your favorite food
How about overcoming boredom by preparing a festive meal?

23 – What to do when you’re bored? Plan your next outing: concert, show…
How often are we disappointed: “What’s so-and-so doing here? What, there aren’t any seats left already!” Why don’t you take a look at the shows scheduled in your town for the next 12 months? You might discover some gems.

24 – Write our favorite quotes on paper and hang them up around the house.
Surrounding ourselves with beautiful words changes the way we look at things. It makes life more beautiful!

25 – Relocate the sofa, and therefore the whole living room, to beat boredom
You’ve been wanting to try out the sofa in this position for so long, why not do it now?

26 – Wear something you never wear
What can you do when you’re bored? What if we took advantage of this moment to try out some things in our wardrobe, like this top with this bottom? Or that new make-up technique? Or that new hairstyle?

27 – Type a random first letter on Google and click on a theme you’ve never explored before.
The Internet is a real goldmine. Explore!

28 – When you’re bored: ask yourself this question and list your answers: what advice would I give to a newborn baby?
Your answers will help you make the changes you need to make in your life.

29 – Imagine meeting ourselves at the age of 80, what would we say to each other?
Another question with the power to take stock of your life.

30 – Find out about a project that’s close to your heart when you’re bored.
For as long as you’ve been dreaming of taking up sophrology or lithotherapy, or even if you’re tempted by the idea of changing jobs or whatever, go and glean some information or testimonials.

31 – Draw on your New Year’s resolutions
What to do when you’re bored? Why not take control of our lives by setting ourselves a goal? Pick one of your resolutions and turn it into a goal.

32 – What to do when you’re bored? Start a diary or journal
How about finally writing in one of those notebooks you collect? How about starting a diary? Where are you headed? Where are you headed? How do you plan to get there?

33 – Going to the hairdresser without an appointment
We almost always wait until the last moment to do this. Why not take advantage of this time when you don’t feel like doing anything to treat yourself?

34 – When you’re bored: watch a tutorial to make something with your hands
We all know someone creative who does lots of things with their hands. Why not take the plunge yourself? Knitting, sewing, sculpting, DIY…

35 – Ask someone you trust to give you a challenge, and then do it!
What a fun idea! Plan a reward for your efforts.

36 – Write a letter you won’t read again for another 5 or 10 years
What do you want to say to your future self? What do you wish him/her to live? What kind of life will you be living in 5 or 10 years? Where will you be? Who will you be with? How will you feel? What will you be doing?

37 – Write and mail a love letter to a loved one
Now that’s sweet!

38 – What to do when you’re bored? Set a budget and go in search of a surprise gift for a loved one
That’s cute too!

39 – Ask yourself what Madonna does when she’s bored, and list at least 20 answers.
Madonna or someone else. Have fun! And if you feel like it, share this funny list with others.

40 – When you’re bored: Ask yourself what you’d think of yourself if you were still 10 years old.
As children, we had lots of dreams and wanted to do lots of things. If you could see yourself again as a child, what would you think of your life today?

41 – List all the things you’d like to do before you die
List at least 30 answers. From the craziest to the most sensible. Have fun!

42 – What to do when you’re bored? Change picture frames
How long have you been telling yourself that you’d like to change the pictures a bit? Well, the time has come.

43 – List all the books you’d like to read or reread before you die
Now that’s the best way to make yourself want to read!

44 – List all the films you’d like to see or watch again before you die
This, too, makes you want to curl up on the sofa and watch a movie of your choice.

45 – List all the places you’ve been to when you’re bored
It’s amazing how quickly we forget all the beautiful things we’ve experienced. Remember the good things.

46 – Ask yourself what you would do if you lived in an ideal world.
A question that invites you to stop putting up barriers and start dreaming!

47 – If you could be anyone else, who would you be and why?
The qualities of the people who inspire us are qualities that are already within us and that only need to be developed further. Ask yourself what inspires you in others, and you’ll find out who you are and who you can be even more.

48 – List your 5 qualities
You’re a beautiful person, but you doubt it far too much. Especially when you’re bored. Remind yourself of your qualities.

49 – Take care of yourself
Take a bath, do a mask, shave your beard, apply nail polish… Take care of yourself!

50 – What to do when you’re bored? Planning your next vacation
So, where do you want to go this year? Start by imagining what you’re looking for: beach, forest, city? Hotel, campsite? Cold, hot? Family, alone, with friends?

Find out more:

I invite you to read these 2 complementary articles:

Discover Don’t get bored in life: the 3 secrets you need to know!
Discover How not to get bored at work: 5 secrets you need to know

I recommend this inspiring book:

Bored and Brilliant by Manoush Zomorodi
Zomorodi’s book offers a new perspective on what to do when you’re bored by exploring the benefits of boredom. It gives an insight into the creative potential that emerges when we let ourselves be bored and disconnect from constant stimulation. The book offers practical challenges and exercises for embracing boredom, encouraging you to use these moments as a catalyst for self-discovery, creativity, and a more intentional and fulfilling life.

I love this book, the author is truly brilliant and it has changed my whole outlook on life. I think it’s important for everyone to read this book at least once in their lives.

Thank you very much for reading this article.

If you liked it, let me know in the comments.

Take care of yourself