Does anyone else get bored with their own cooking? I can only make grilled cheese so many times, people! When my own cooking isn’t cutting it, it’s time to make friends with a Chinese restaurant menu.
2. Shop Online
There’s nothing wrong with a little retail therapy—just be sure to spend your hard-earned dollars wisely by checking out the latest sales. Associate Fashion Commerce Editor Stephanie Meraz concedes that online shopping is up there with her favorite things to do when you're bored: “I’m guilty of doing some online shopping when bored just last week... and now have a huge haul of Cotton On and Gap clothing coming my way. Am I excited? Absolutely.” Definitely a very fun way to cure boredom.
3. Play Online Blackjack
Head to the Washington Post for a totally free and highly addictive card game that won’t actually make you go broke.
4. Talk to a Psychic
Because you’re dying to know if more excitement is in your future. Even if you're not sure you believe in clairvoyants, it's most definitely a fun thing to do when you're bored.
5. Make a Time Capsule
First, collect some memorabilia of all the good times you’ve had; then, hide it away so you can rediscover it next time you’re bored and languishing.
6. Binge a TV series
Press play on one of these binge-worthy options and let the marathon begin—just be sure to have snacks within arm’s reach. (Cocktail, optional.)
7. Learn a Magic Trick
Magic isn't just for kids, friends. Learn a few sleights of hand from an online video or virtual class and you’ll be the most entertaining guest at any party.
8. Play Video Games
“I brought a Nintendo Switch, and it was a game changer (pun intended),” editor Chelsea Candelario explains. “There are so many games that I spend hours playing. I even found a little community that are constantly sharing 'cozy games,' which are made to be stress-free and relaxing. My favorite game is obviously Animal Crossing because I can build my own island and the characters are just so darn adorable.”
9. Make a Wish List
Satisfy your urge to shop online without going broke by writing a list of all the goods you’re currently coveting. (Then rip it to shreds and throw it in the fire for the drama.)
10. Take a Personality Test
Associate editor, personality-test whiz, Marissa Wu says: “Personality tests are a great thing to do if you find yourself with a spare minute. They're so insightful and fun. I love learning about WHY I do or think about things in a certain way, and then I'm also armed with plenty of cocktail party fodder, because it makes me a better conversationalist!” Try a personality test!
11. Read Your Horoscope
You already know the basics of your zodiac sign, but maybe your current horoscope, written by astrologer Jaime Wright, has some nuggets of inspiration to help you leave the doldrums behind and get inspired for the next week (and month) to come.
12. Send a Care Package
Whether you curate the care package yourself or send a ready-made gift basket instead, the thoughtful gesture is sure to make someone’s day.
13. Pleasure Yourself
Things to do when you're bored...hmmmmmm. Let me think. Yeah, OK: There’s nothing boring about the big O (and if you want help getting there, we know some highly effective toys for that). Writes Assistant Editor Delia Curtis: “This one is SO real. Sometimes the best way to unwind and destress is to work to decrease the tension your body and let your inner most desires free. Because I’ve started to write and update more of our sex toy stories, I’ve gotten to try out my fair share of innnovative gadgets. There’s nothing more fun than sexual experimentation! (Hello, Magic Wand!!)”
14. Start a New Text Chain
When I'm bored, there's nothing I love more than an active text chain. Whether it's a crew of people gabbing about episode 25 of Love Island U.S.A. or a parent crew complaining about the daycare holiday schedule, text threads are the best threads—and one helluva way to cure some boredom.
15. Pull Tarot Cards
“I’ve started to try to make this a more regular practice in my life,” shares Curtis. “Though I try to take my future with a grain of salt, it’s really nice to look at life through a new lens and really ponder our past, present and future. What can the cards tell me? Will it make me look at situations in a new way? Will it give me a special appreciation for the way my life is going? The opportunities for self-discovery are endless. Personally, I’ve been using the Star Spinner Tarot for about five years, and it’s provided me with some much needed solace and advice.” Use your own deck or have a free online reading.
16. Apply At-Home Eyelash Extensions
Go from reptile eye to fluttery lashes in 10 minutes.
17. Plan a Vacation
Researching and planning a vacation is almost as fun as the trip itself, so go on and indulge your wanderlust (even if there’s no travel on the horizon). And while you're at it...why not plan for the entire year abroad like writer Lindsay Cohn did before embarking on a 365-day adventure?
18. Watch a Movie
Here, a tried-and-true boredom buster for when you just don’t feel like reckoning with your messy closet. Bonus points if you bring a friend on board. Here's a list of our favorite new movies to watch this very minute.
19. Lowkey Post Your Relationship on Social Media
Soft launching is the stage between "it's complicated" and "please save the date for our nuptials." And if I'm scrolling through and see your update, I'll be anything but bored. *Scans the comment section for clues.*
20. Try a Virtual Escape Room
Your bored brain is begging for a challenge, and a virtual escape room fits the bill. Check out these six and give one a go.
21. Treat Your Furry Friend to a Massage
Rock Fido's world with a spot of doggie acupressure, according to a certified canine massage therapist.
22. Play Solitaire
Dust off that pack of bicycle cards or play online—either way this easy-to-learn and super addictive card game is sure to keep you entertained.
23. Follow a Makeup Tutorial
“As I've immersed myself more and more in the beauty world, I've found makeup tutorials taking over my YouTube homepage lol. Mostly Lisa Eldridge, queen she is. Whether I'm trying to figure out how to perfect the no makeup makeup look or am searching for an eyeliner technique that doesn't make me look like Cleopatra, I've totally dived deep, meaning to spend five minutes and then realizing it was an hour,” shares Wu. (Psst: she's right, Youtube has every look you've been curious about.)
24. Create a “Love Map” of Your Significant Other
The Gottman Institute assigns this as homework for couples, and we found it to be an interesting exercise. Senior Editor Dana Dickey wrote about love mapping as “[a] metaphorical rather than literal map (although geography is one way to practice the exercise on paper), the love map is all the intel, both factual and emotional, you have about your partner. Think of it as plotting your partner’s emotional landscape, whether or not it corresponds to an actual map.”
25. Play Board Games
They’re not called bored games, friends. Next time the family is looking for a fun thing to do when bored, bust out the Monopoly or test your strategic thinking with something more modern like Scythe. Bottom line: There are tons of board games (including family-friendly board games) out there and all of them are great when you’re in need of entertainment and bonding.
