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There’s nothing worse than being sat around looking for things to do when bored at home right? Hopefully, you don’t feel this way too often, but it does happen, and when that boredom strikes and you’re all out of ideas it can be soul-destroying. So here’s what we decided to do about it…
Real ideas for what to do when bored
So the HOG team sat down and had a “what to do when bored at home” brainstorming session. It was tough to actually come up with things that are actually going to be entertaining, and that (mostly) you can do right now.
There are a ton of lists like this out there that contain a bunch of stuff that is dependent on you having something to hand, and while we have included some things that may need upfront planning, there are also a lot of things to do when bored with no prior planning needed.
The site is based around health and fitness, so we have tried to include some things that are good for your health and well-being, but don’t be put off… we like to party too so there is some stuff for when you feel like being bad too! 😉
26 fun things to do when bored at home alone, with friends, day or night
The list of things to do when bored is broken down into a few different categories depending on the time of day, and who you are with (or if you’re alone) so feel free to scroll to the section that is most relevant to your particular circumstances. Make sense? Let’s get to the boredom list then…
Fun things to do at home when bored
This section covers what I think of when I need something to do that I’ll actually enjoy in a capital “F” fun type of way, or that will actually be laugh out loud funny things to do when bored.
Mileage may vary if I don’t have the same tastes, but there’s plenty of more stuff after this.
Exercise
OK, let’s get this out of the way (we are partially all about health and fitness at this site ya know!) You might not think of exercise as being top of the list of fun cures for boredom at home yourself, but many do and you may become one of these people with a regular dose of physical exercise.
Exercising for as little as 10 minutes a week has been shown to improve the feeling of happiness, and what’s more fun than actually being happy?
Go get yourself 10 minutes of exercise (maybe a short, sharp resistance band workout routine?), then we’ll get back to the other fun stuff to do when bored.
Join a gym
Got no exercise equipment at home (as if that’s an excuse)? Why not take a walk to your local gym and see if you might like to sign up?
If you end up going for it, don’t forget to pack your gym bag essentials for your first visit.
Meditate
You’ve probably heard about the benefits of meditation before, so I won’t bore you by going over it all over again. I’ll just direct you to two of my favorite apps for this:
Waking Up is definitely the most helpful of the two if you want to really get a grasp of how to meditate properly, but it is paid after a free trial (that said, if you really can’t afford it they will give it to you for free in their scholarship program).
Do some online shopping
OK… let’s get to the real fun stuff! Who doesn’t like shopping online?
You can go down the rabbit hole for hours looking at all the stuff you’d like to buy online! What do I do when I’m bored and I have a few extra bucks? Browsing Amazon Warehouse Deals for some serious bargains is high on the list.
Fire up the PlayStation or Xbox
This is likely one of the most popular things to do when bored for guys. I don’t get to do this as often as I used to, but I used to love binging on a great game for hours.
Not the best use of your time I guess, but hey… you have to cut loose sometimes or you’ll go crazy.
Fire up Steam
Not got have an Xbox or Playstation? Well, if you have a half-decent PC you can use Steam instead.
Basically, Steam is a software client where you can download and play hundreds of different games. Some games are free, others are paid, and if you’re into gaming you’ll know and love a lot of the titles available here.
Fire up a MMORPG or MMO
The setup here is similar to Steam above, but the games are much more… well… social I guess is the right word because you get to play online with tons of other people.
Some of these games are actually available on Steam, but the best of the best IMHO is World of Warcraft which you can get by downloading the free battle.net desktop app.
Creative things to do when bored
OK, if you’re a more creative type of person and want some creative stuff to do, here’s what we came up with when brainstorming creative things to do when you’re bored.
Start a blog
We did and I’m never bored… I’m having so much fun right now!
Become a freelancer
Here’s what to do on a boring day if you want to earn a bit of extra money.
Can you sing, play an instrument, design a website, translate text, or provide consulting? Sign up at one of the many popular freelancer sites to offer your skills in exchange for money.
Here are a few good ones to get you started:
- fiverr.com
- peopleperhour.com
- toptal.com
- Upwork.com
Not got have any skills that are suitable? See the next tip.
Learn a new skill
Courses are abundant online, many are paid (some very reasonably on sites like Udemy), but there are also a lot of free tutorials on Youtube to help you learn new skills that can help you in your personal and professional life.
Join MasterClass
There are a ton of things you can learn from experts on this platform. Want to learn to cook? Get taught by Gordon Ramsay! Want to learn adventure photography? Get trained by Jimmy Chin!
That’s just the beginning, there is a ton of stuff to learn here.
Plant a herb garden
I really begrudge paying through the nose for herbs. Luckily my wife grows her own and they always taste fresher than those wilting weeds from the grocery aisle.
If you’re also into your fitness, you can also grow some herbs for muscle growth and recovery. It’s a win all around.
Make kombucha
Yep, you heard!
Making kombucha is surprisingly easy, and is actually quite a fun thing to do when you’re looking to pass the time.
When you take into account the kombucha benefits, you’re even more likely to get involved to kick the boredom in the you-know-what.
To make your life easier, there are some excellent kombucha starter kits before you feel comfortable to venture off on your own.
Interesting things to do when bored
Are you the type that enjoys some food for thought? Here are some interesting things to do at home that should keep you entertained for hours on end.
Read a book
Do you really need me to explain this one?
Listen to a podcast
There’s a podcast out there for everybody. No matter what your interests are, whether fiction or nonfiction, you’ll be able to find something that will keep you enthralled for hours.
If you’re like the gang at Home Office Gym and you like a bit of personal development, check out our list of the best self help podcasts.
Watch a documentary
Boring? I would have said the same a few years ago in all honesty but now I don’t mind the odd documentary when I get bored with Netflix, Prime Video & Disney+.
I would recommend taking a look at Curiosity Stream if this sounds like your bag. There’s some great educational stuff on there for the kids too!
Go down the Youtube rabbit hole
One of my favorite things to do when I’m trying to alleviate boredom at home is going down the Youtube rabbit hole. This may not seem like much of a productive endeavor, but… it all depends on what you watch, doesn’t it?
Fun things to do at night alone
Home alone at night and can’t (or don’t need to) sleep? If you’re looking for things to do late at night at home then this is the part of the article for you.
Erm… the obvious
Let’s keep this low-key. If you don’t get it yet, play the video below which should give you a clue. Oh, and don’t worry, you won’t go blind or develop hairy palms… it’s actually good for you in many ways.
Go to sleep
No, seriously! If there’s nothing else preferable on this entire page you may as well just sack it for the night.
Take a bath
Such a relaxing thing to do at night, but relaxation isn’t the only benefit. It’s also good for your heart, your breathing, your nervous system, immune system and much more.
Binge watch a series
If you don’t have Netflix, Amazon Prime TV, HBO, or Disney+, all I can say is “where have you been?”
There are tons of great shows out there at the moment, and if you have been living in a cave, two all-time greats are Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad… Sooo binge-worthy.
Cool things to do when bored with friends at night
This section contains an emergency list of things to do late at night with friends at home. Nothing worse than having guests over and you’re all sitting twiddling your thumbs, am I right?
Learn a TikTok dance
My wife and her friends are all over this whenever there is a party (while the guys kick back, drink a beer and watch them in bewilderment).
Invent (and post) a TikTok dance
Don’t show this to my wife and her friends… just don’t!
Random things to do when bored
This is the section where we go over weird, wonderful, and random things to do when you’re bored. The stuff that just didn’t really sit well in the other sections. Enjoy!
Sage smudge your home
Not heard of sage smudging before? Well… (and this will sound a bit woo-woo) it’s basically burning a stick of sage to cleanse your home. Don’t close the page just yet, I haven’t lost it…
Research shows that burning sage can “reduce airborne bacterial composition and dynamics” as well also having the potential to improve mood and soothe stress.
Take a cold shower
Not sounding like fun? Well, you will be surprised to hear that this can actually make you happier, and it’s good for your health.
Intrigued? Why not learn some more and try a cold shower challenge?
Things to do when bored for adults
So we already covered what to do during the day with friends, this section is more about what to do when bored at night for adults. Be aware that these activities for bored adults are sometimes strictly just for adults, not for the eyes of the kiddies!
Get it on
This is a family-friendly site so we won’t go too deep here (excuse the pun), but if it’s just you and your significant other this is always an option right?
Again, if you’re not getting it (excuse the pun again), see the video below. And yes, I know, this video thing to cover up lewd language is becoming a habit.
What do you do when you are bored?
OK… we’re all out of ideas for now. Out of curiosity, when you are bored what do you do? Why not drop us a line and let us know so we can add it to the list?
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