It’s easy to feel bored and unmotivated when you are stuck at home for any length of time, but what can you do to relieve that boredom and become more motivated?
If you’re stuck at home for any length of time and are feeling bored, then see what you have around you and what you can do to relieve the boredom. Failing that, put together a boredom beating list of things that you enjoy doing, need to get done or have always wanted to do. You’ll be surprised how many of these items you can get done even while you are at home.
Do you have a computer? I’m guessing you do if you are reading this. What jobs do you need to get done around the house but haven’t found the time to do? Are there things you have always wanted to try or see but have never quite gotten to do?
In this article, we’ll look at ways you can relieve the boredom, get more motivated, and find something exciting and enjoyable to do even while you are stuck indoors.
Start Breaking the Boredom By Starting Your List
A lot of time, boredom comes from being stuck in a routine and feeling like there is no way out. But with some time and thought you will find there’s plenty you can do to keep yourself entertained, even when you are stuck at home.
Put together a personal list of everything you can think of that you have ever wanted to do and things you need to do.
Your list can be on a scrap of paper, a text file on your computer, or in your favourite task list app. where you make your list doesn’t matter as long as you get started.
Your list shouldn’t just be things you think you can achieve right now, but something you have always wanted to do and things you need to do.
Items that might appear insignificant, such as re-organise the fridge are as crucial as larger items such as learning to play the guitar. For now, sit down and fill your list with everything that comes into your head. We’ll look at how you can get these items done when you are stuck at home.
Here’s an example of some items I might put on my list
- Organise my wardrobe
- Recarpet the hallway
- Learn how to bake bread
- Watch GLOW on Netflix
- Visit the Natural History Museum in London
- Catch up with the family
- Learn a new language
- Get six-pack abs
- Set up a home office
- Start a home business
- Buy a new cooker
You’ll notice there are items that I can easily do while at home and others that might seem more challenging to do. We’ll look at how you can get all these things done, even while you are indoors.
Keep your list somewhere safe, pin it to your noticeboard, stick it to your fridge, put a shortcut to the file on your computer desktop. Make sure it’s somewhere you can refer to it whenever you need some inspiration.
So You’ve Got Your Boredom Beating List, But Now What?
You’ve now got your list of things you have always wanted to do and things you need to do. But what should you do with that list and how can you complete your list while you have to spend time at home?
Some of the items may be easy to do; after all, you are already at home so can complete those home-related tasks such as organising your wardrobe. Many people will avoid doing items such as these as the task itself, and just the thought of having to do it can feel very dull.
Other items such as visiting landmarks or attractions or buying something new may seem impossible without leaving your home. But with a little thought and planning, even these tasks can be done.
Making Home Jobs Less Boring and More Fun
So you’ve finally decided to work through those boring home jobs you’ve been putting off. But how can you make them more enjoyable and get them done?
If you are like me, you have quite a few home jobs that you need to get done but keep putting off, mainly because they are not quite as exciting as binge-watching TV shows or scrolling through social media.
But even the most tedious of home jobs can be made more enjoyable and even fun.
What motivates or entertains you?
Using motivational techniques and other tactics will help you complete even the dullest of jobs that you have not been looking forward to doing.
Some people like background noise to distract them while they are performing dull tasks, so have the radio, podcast or their favourite album playing while they work.
You could, of course, also put the TV on but try to keep away from shows that are likely to draw you in and distract you from getting your task done.
Replaying a show you enjoy and have watched many times before may help you get through but playing a movie you’ve not seen before probably won’t help.
Others like to have something to look forward to, such as a snack when they’ve completed a task so might promise themselves a treat, such as their favourite sandwich or chocolate bar.
It’s down to personal preference, whatever works for you.
Virtual Tourism
If you have a computer or any device such as a tablet or smartphone, then there is a whole world of things that will help relieve the boredom while you are at home.
It’s even possible to “visit” places and see things you have always wanted to see, right from the comfort of your own home.
Many visitor attractions such as art galleries, museums, zoos and landmarks are providing virtual tours.
Just type “Virtual Tours” into your favourite search engine. You’ll be surprised how many places around the world you can see from the comfort of your living room.
Here are just a few random examples to get you started.
Museums & Art Galleries
Theme Parks
Learn Something New
With the age of the internet and more particularly online video, it’s easier than ever to learn new skills from your home.
Free online tutorials, as well as more comprehensive training for pretty much any subject, can be found online by doing a quick search.
Here are a few sites you can try
YouTube– Free tutorials, type “Learn how to ” followed by what you want to learn, for example, “Learn how to bake bread”
Lynda– 1000’s of training courses on a variety of subjects with a free one month trial.
SkillShare– an online learning community with thousands of classes for the creative and curious. 2 free months of Skillshare premium for new members.
FutureLearn– Short online courses. Hundreds of online courses from top universities and specialist organisations.
If none of these websites suits you, then search for “Online training courses”.
Socialise Virtually
Keeping in touch with friends and family is a great way to break up the day and essential for your mental and emotional well-being, especially if you are unable to leave the house.
There are many ways you can still socialise even when you can’t see people in person.
Send a simple text to someone you haven’t spoken to for a while and ask how they are.
Set up a WhatsApp group for your family or closest friends so you can all chat.
Want to see people face-to-face?
Video chat and video conferencing apps have become increasingly popular in recent years.
Maybe think about setting up a group call with family or friends. Make an event of it by suggesting a games night or arrange the call for dinner time so you can all eat and chat together.
Here are some popular video chat apps you can try.
Zoom– Zoom is becoming more popular every day for group video chats and works on desktop and mobile devices equally well.
Skype– Video chat for up to 50 people.
Facetime– Video chat for iPhone users. Will not work for Android users.
Facebook Messenger– Video calls for up to 50 people.
WhatsApp– Almost everyone has WhatsApp installed, and this is an excellent choice for groups of up to 8 people.
House Party– The HouseParty app works on iOS and Android devices for up to 8 people.
So there we have it, some ideas to help when you are stuck at home and feeling bored.
Did you find something useful in this post? I hope so. If you have, or if you have any other hints, tips or ideas, then please feel free to let me know in the comments below this post.