When you're bored, choosing is half the problem: nothing sounds appealing, so you do nothing. The fix is a short, specific menu. Skim the section that fits your situation, pick the first idea that gets even a flicker of interest, and start for five minutes.
If you have 10 minutes
- Blind contour drawingDraw your hand without looking at the paper. It's meant to look odd.
- Thirty circlesDraw 30 circles and turn each into a different object.
- Six-word storyWrite a complete story in exactly six words. Then write five more.
- Color huntPick a color and photograph ten things that match it.
- Micro-declutterClear one drawer and rehome what you don't use.
- List of 20List 20 uses for an everyday object, like a paperclip or a sock.
- Rewrite a songRewrite the chorus of a song you know about your day.
- Sew on a buttonFix the shirt that's been waiting. Satisfying and useful.
- One-line journalWrite one sentence about today, and start a streak.
- Zentangle-style doodleFill a small square with repeating patterns, one section at a time.
Make something at home
- Start a sketchbookDate each page and draw what's in front of you. Our hobby starter guide covers the basics.
- Try watercolorPaint the same simple object three times with different amounts of water.
- Collage from recyclingCut shapes and words from old magazines, packaging or mail.
- Embroider a small motifStitch initials or a leaf onto a tote bag or pocket.
- Visible mendingPatch a worn knee or elbow in a contrasting color. See our upcycling guide.
- Make a zineFold one sheet of paper into an eight-page mini booklet about anything.
- Cook from the cupboardInvent a meal using only what's already in the kitchen.
- Propagate a houseplantRoot a cutting from a pothos or spider plant in a glass of water.
- Rearrange a roomMove one big piece of furniture and see how the space changes.
- Frame your own artPut a sketch or postcard in a thrifted frame. More in DIY for your space.
- Learn three chordsPick up a guitar or ukulele if you have one and learn a simple song.
- Photo seriesShoot one object in ten different lights around your home.
Free and no-supplies ideas
- Memory mapSketch a map of a place you lived as a child from memory.
- Invent a board gameUse coins, dice or scraps of paper; write the rules down.
- Write a letterA real one, to a friend or relative, on paper.
- Learn a card trickPractise until you can do it without looking.
- Stretch or dancePut on three songs and move for all of them.
- Library haulBorrow books, audiobooks or even craft tools from your public library, if it offers them.
- Teach yourself a word a dayIn a language you'd like to learn.
- Explore a free online courseMany universities and museums publish free lessons and talks.
- Tidy your photosPick your 20 favorites from the past year and make an album.
- Plan a dream tripResearch one place in detail: route, food, what you would see.
- Record an oral historyInterview an older relative about a memory and write it down.
- OrigamiFold a paper crane or boat from a square of scrap paper.
Get outside
- Walk a new routeTurn left where you'd normally turn right. Bring a notebook.
- Nature journalingSketch one leaf, bug or cloud and note the date and weather.
- Photo walk with a ruleOnly photograph shadows, or only the color red.
- Find a new-to-you parkOr a trail, beach or garden within easy reach.
- Birdwatch for 15 minutesCount species; a free identification app or field guide helps.
- Pick up litterBring gloves and a bag. Visible results in 20 minutes.
- Chalk artDraw on your own driveway or path, with permission if shared.
- Picnic somewhere oddYour balcony, a hill, a bench you've never tried.
- Cloud spottingLie back and name the shapes; learn the main cloud types.
- Plant somethingSow seeds in a pot or a community garden plot.
With friends or family
- Exquisite corpseEach person draws one part of a creature without seeing the rest.
- Build a blanket fortThen read or watch something inside it.
- Swap skillsEach person teaches the others something in 15 minutes.
- Clothes swapEveryone brings items they no longer wear.
- Cook-offSame ingredients, different dishes; vote on the result.
- Round-robin storyEach person adds one sentence.
- Paint night at homeEveryone paints the same photo and compares.
- Two-truths triviaWrite a quiz about each other and swap.
Longer projects for bored weekends
- Upcycle a thrifted pieceSand, paint or re-cover a small chair or stool.
- Make a quilt from old T-shirtsStart with a small cushion cover.
- Learn to knit or crochetBegin with a scarf or a dishcloth.
- Write and illustrate a picture bookFor a child you know, or for yourself.
- Plan a mini filmShoot and edit a one-minute film on your phone.
- Build a birdhouseFrom scrap wood, with basic hand tools and care.
- Learn a dance routineFollow a tutorial one section per day for a week.
- Start a 30-day challengeOne drawing, photo or poem a day. See our habit guide.
If nothing appeals
That's common. Boredom often comes with low energy, which makes every option look like effort. Try this:
- Shrink it. Not "paint a picture", just "put paint on paper for five minutes".
- Change rooms or go outside. A new setting often shifts your mood more than a new task.
- Ask what's missing. Challenge, meaning, novelty or company? Our guide to why boredom happens explains why that matters.
- Rest on purpose. Sometimes "bored" is really "tired". A nap or an early night is a legitimate answer.
Adapted from the earlier edition of The Bored Brand. Layout and publishing information have been updated; no independent expert review is claimed. Editorial policy · Corrections