Like happiness, I believe that boredom is a choice and is a spinoff of procrastination. You can eliminate boredom by doing something else with your mind the moment that boredom strikes. The choice is always yours; by doing something creative, you can rewire your brain into never choosing to be bored again! To encourage you to change up your routine and experiment with your time, here are 10 creative things to do when you're absolutely bored out of your mind.
1. Start a vinyl collection!
Records are incredibly unique and are a great way to change up the way you listen to music! Hunting down used, cheap, or ancient ones at either your local record shop or a flea market is an exciting way to grow a collection and may become a new hobby.
2. Send a letter to a long distance friend or family member.
Social media and emailing has taken over making normal mail a thing in the past. Hunt down some antique postcards or find a super cheesy card to send to a long distance family member or friend. You'll feel good after writing it and it will definitely make their day!
3. Take a drive.
Taking a random drive may not be the most fun thing to do, but change it up and you will have an exciting new way to spend your time! Grab a few friends and pick to drive either left or right when you reach a stop light. Drive until you're somewhere new and then get out and enjoy the new scenery!
4. Master the art of a paint-by-number.
Paint-by-numbers are only about $10-$15 and can provide DAYS of entertainment. Plus, the end result tends to be phenomenal, whether you're skilled at painting or not!
5. Test out display mattresses.
We've all had those days when all we want to do is lay around and enjoy a day in bed. Why not switch it up a little and go to a mattress store where you can test out all of the different display mattresses! It's relaxing, enjoyable, and definitely a great way to waste away a couple of hours.
6. Visit your local animal shelter!
Visiting a local animal shelter is a creative way to volunteer your time in the community while also relieving some stress at the same time! You'll enjoy cuddling up to a bunch of puppies and kittens and I'm sure they will appreciate all the love and affection you are willing to give them!
7. Dance on top of bubble wrap.
We all have amazing childhood memories that somehow revolve around bubble wrap. Go to your local hardware store, purchase a huge roll of bubble wrap, spread it all across your living room floor, crank some music, and dance the night away! You'll have a great time and you'll feel just like a child again.
8. Write all of your stressors down and release them into the sky.
Everyone has things going on in their lives that causes unwanted pain or stress. In order to release those emotions and stressors, write everything that's bothering you down on a balloon or a paper lantern and release them into the sky. Releasing them will lighten your heart and clear your mind of all the pain.
9. See how many shirts you can wear at the same time.
This one's a silly idea and one that I have always been wanting to try. Grab a friend and see who can wear the most shirts at one time. The Guinness Book of World Records is 249 t-shirts at one time... are you up for the challenge?
10. Hang out at IKEA and get lost in the furniture!
As we all know, IKEA is an incredibly large furniture store with a maze of different sections and furniture displays. Grab a few friends and have one person spend about 20 minutes getting lost in the layers of displays. Once those 20 minutes are up, have everyone else go find that one person, hiding in the same spot once they discover the hider. The last person to find the group is the loser and has to go hide next. It's a great twist to hide-and-go-seek and will be a lot of fun, especially if you decide to bring walkie-talkies!