Do you ever just have free time and you don’t know what to do with it? Here is a loooong list of productive things to do when bored.
Next time, whenever you have no idea of what to do, just pick a random number in your head and scroll to that task.
Keep repeating and soon you will be able to accomplish more than you previously imagined!
You can also start your own list of productive things to do when bored and refer to it whenever you need!
101+ Productive Things to Do When Bored
[This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.]
1. Workout for 15 minutes
It can be cardio, walking, or yoga.
Whichever you want, move your body and get your blood circulating for fifteen minutes.
Once you get started, then you will feel the pump to keep going!
2. Bake some cookies
One of my favorite pass times is to bake some cookies.
If you have brown sugar, white sugar, and butter, chocolate chips, and flour at home, then you can whip up a batch of chocolate chip cookies!
3. Call a friend or family member
Check up on a friend or family member and see how they are doing.
Plan for a get together or just have a conversation.
4. Declutter your closet
Organize your closet so it’s not cluttered or filled with clothes that you can’t access.
Instead, look for some better organization methods and consider donating or selling clothes that you don’t wear anymore.
Are you interested in more posts like productive things to do when bored? Check out 9 Amazing Closet Organization Tips to Try Right Now.
5. Solve a sudoku puzzle
Workout your brain by solving a sudoku puzzle.
Either purchase a sudoku book at the Dollar Tree or solve them online.
6. Go on a virtual museum tour
If you can’t drive or fly to a museum of your choice, you can tour a museum virtually!
Not only will you get a better concept of museums, but also learn more about history.
7. Wash your shoes
How long have you not washed your shoes?
Grab a tub of lukewarm water, some baking soda, and soap to clean your tennis shoes.
You can also toss your shoes in the washing machine, but make sure you run it in a gentle setting and slip your shoes in a laundry bag.
8. Write a letter to future you
Draft a letter to your future self.
It can be anything from asking them how many goals have they accomplished or if they are living the life that you envisioned.
Moreover, it can also be something simple like how they are doing.
9. Take an hour to clear your mailbox
Do you have plenty of free time on your hands?
Then, use that time to complete this monotonous task of deleting old emails.
Free up your mailbox and delete spam, unsubscribe from pesky emails, and only keep necessary emails.
10. Do your nails
Instead of splurging a bunch of money on your nails, consider doing them yourself!
It’s pretty simple once you get the technique down.
And secret tip? Polish your nails and apply a base coat before going in with a color coat.
11. Take a walk
Go explore your neighborhood or walk to the nearest shop.
Taking a brisk 15-minute walk within your day adds plenty of health benefits.
12. Grow a plant
Start with growing green onions (since they are super easy to grow and maintain) and enlarge your garden.
13. Do a face mask
Pamper yourself with a face mask and relax for 15 minutes.
Let your skin catch up and replenish some moisture.
Try out this variety pack of face masks to boost hydration, moisture, and nourish your skin.
14. Try out a new café
Go explore a new coffee shop or dessert place.
Try out some new drinks or menu items.
15. Paint the view right now
Stare out the window or land your eyes on something.
Then, either capture it in a photo before painting or paint as is!
You’ll be surprised about what is surrounding you.
16. Read a book
Curl up on the couch or bed and read a few chapters of your book.
Either read a real copy or browse online for a digital version.
17. Clean your desk
One of the most productive things to do when bored is to clean your desk!
Find a home for the things lying on your table and wipe off any dust or dirt on the surface.
18. Do some laundry
If you’re bored, then go pick up your dirty clothes or wash anything in your hamper.
19. Make a cherry blossom branch
Are you feeling a bit crafty?
While you’re on your walk, go pick up a branch.
Then, make paper cherry blossoms using pink and light green tissue paper.
20. Sort through your photos
I love to take photos and always have like ten of the same photo in my album.
Take some time to sort through your phone and delete any photos that are blurry, weird angles, or duplicates.
21. Sell your old furniture online
Do you happen to have an extra chair or table in your house that’s taking up space?
Consider selling it online to earn some extra cash while clearing up your space.
22. Create a decision roulette
If you have a hard time deciding on things to do, then create a roulette.
Add in all the tasks you want to do and spin it.
Whatever it lands on you have to complete that task!
You can either make one with paper and paper clips or download an app.
23. Dust your windows
Windows can be easily overlooked when doing your cleaning, so prepare to dust the window sills and shades.
Wipe the edges and wash the blinds.
24. Start a new hair routine
Switch up your hair routine.
Add in a hair mask or try new products.
Change up your shampoo or conditioner or add a hair oil.
25. Do a hair mask
Once in awhile, it’s nice to pamper your hair with an enriching hair mask.
Not only will it repair your ends, but also make it look salon worthy.
This soothing and highly rated Argan oil hair mask will heal your split ends and replenish lost nutrients in your hair.
26. Toss out old makeup
Go through your makeup and get rid of any old foundations, lipsticks, eyeshadow palettes, etc.
If you feel like it’s a waste to throw it away, then you can use old makeup in an art project.
27. Pre-plan gifts
This is one of my favorite things to do.
Whenever you have free time or hit big savings events, then go and shop around.
I love to stock up on some mini trinkets, chocolates, or gifts.
There’s even a mini shelf on my bookcase where I dedicate it to gifts.
And since I have a large family and friends, I always have something on hand when the time rolls around.
Stuck on what gift to prepare? Check out Christmas Gift Ideas for 2024.
28. Take a nap
Relax and revamp yourself by catching some zzz’s.
Interested in more posts like productive things to do when bored? Check out How to Be More Productive (7 Hacks that Will Motivate You).
29. Meditate
Find a quiet spot and sit in a relaxed position.
Then, take some deep breaths and let your mind wander.
30. Take out the trash
Throw out the trash and replace trash bags.
31. Clean your hairbrush
Pluck out the hairs, dust, and grime from your brush before soaking it under warm water.
Make it a practice to clean your hairbrush frequently so you are not transferring oil and residue back to your clean hair.
32. Start a savings goal
Once you have a 6 month emergency fund, then get started on a savings goal.
It can be savings for a car, a down payment for a house, or trip.
33. Delete unused apps
Oftentimes, we download an app and use it for awhile before we either forget about it or don’t need it anymore.
Sort through your apps and delete any that are just taking up space.
34. Delete old files
Go through your laptop or computer drive and delete old files.
Get rid of any old reports, papers, or documents that you no longer need.
35. Volunteer
On your free time, go help out with a shelter or hospital.
Apply to become a volunteer supporting a cause that you believe in.
36. Watch the sunrise or sunset
Check the weather app and prepare to look at the sunrise or sunset.
Interested in more posts like productive things to do when bored? Check out How to Motivate Yourself (9 Hacks for the New Year).
37. Make your bed
A great way to start your day is to make your bed!
You will feel accomplished for completing something first thing in the morning.
38. Make a card
Handmade cards are much more special than store brought cards.
Take some time to create a card for a friend’s birthday.
39. Shred papers
If you happen to have piles or stacks of papers in your room, then prepare to shred any outdated or trivial paper.
Also, it’s even better if you develop a paper shredding routine as a habit to limit the clutter you have in your house.
40. Solve a wordle
Take some time to solve a wordle and either shriek in happiness once you solve it or sigh in disappointment from missing the word.
It’s a great activity to do when you are bored!
41. Sort through your food cabinet
Go through your food cabinet and throw away any expired items.
Then, reorganize your snacks, pastas, grains, etc. into different sections and locations for easier navigating.
42. Wash your sheets
Enjoy the freshly cleaned scent of washed sheets.
And go the extra mile by letting it air dry out doors.
43. Follow a makeup tutorial
Browse for a makeup look that you are interested and follow the tutorial!
Learn some new makeup techniques while you are at it!
44. Try on your clothes
Go through your closet and try on clothes.
Check how they fit and if they are still in good condition.
45. Make a 5-year plan
Create a 5-year plan for our personal and career goals.
Check off boxes each time you accomplish a small goal within your big goal!
46. Make an itinerary
Pick a location that you want to go on a trip at.
Then, create a detailed itinerary of places you wanted to visit, restaurants to try out, and accommodations to stay in.
Furthermore, this will come in handy if you ever decide to go on a vacation since you will have a base idea of what to do.
47. Speed read
Pick up a newspaper or book and try to read as fast as you can.
Skim the pages and time yourself.
Try to speed up your pace and time each time you try it.
48. Practice typing
Go on typing sites to practice typing.
See how fast you can type and try to increase that speed while limiting the amount of errors you make!
49. Label your cabinets
Go through your storage cabinet and food cabinets.
Then, create labels for each shelf or box of items.
50. Dust your keyboard
Consistently clean and wipe down your keyboard, monitor screen, and mouse.
You never know how much germs are on those items since you touch them everyday.
51. Sell or donate your clothes
After you clear out your closet, sell or donate your clothes.
Nowadays, it’s super easy to sell online and ship the items to buyers.
52. Watch a movie
Catch up on your movies and binge watch an episode or the whole season of a show.
Even though it might seem like a fun activity, but it is helping you unwind and catch up on time.
53. Rearrange your room
Who suddenly wants to move their bed to the other side of the room at 2 am? Me.
One of the most productive things to do when bored for fun is to change up your room!
Learn about feng shui and renovate your room to some new practices.
54. Take an online course
There are a TON of free online courses out there that you can take.
Learn skills in coding, language, arts, or anything that you can think of!
55. Take a bath
Treat yourself to a relaxing bath with bath bombs, bubble soap, lit candles, a glass of wine, and a short video.
**Tip: do a hair mask and face mask to get the full experience and save time!
56. Track your spending
To get a step further on saving your money, you need to also track your spending.
Are you using more money on food, rent, entertainment, gas, or gifts?
Then, check how you can lower those costs.
Maybe, eat out less often, close lights when not in use, carpool with co-workers to save money.
57. Update your LinkedIn profile
Polish your profile picture, update your job positions, and include any extracurriculars that you missed.
58. Schedule health appointments
Have you been slacking off on your health appointments?
Take some time to schedule your next dentist cleaning, annual check-up, and any appointments that you need.
59. Learn 10 new words
You can learn ten new words through googling or learn ten new words from a different language.
Interested in more posts like productive things to do when bored? Check out 21+ Secrets to a Productive Morning Routine to Get Stuff Done.
60. Explore a new restaurant
I’m a HUGE foodie so I love trying out places.
Maybe find a location near you and pick the one with the best Yelp reviews.
61. Deep clean your room
You may have occasionally cleaned your room, but how long have you deep cleaned your room?
I’m talking about vacuuming and washing the carpet (if you have any), finding nooks and crannies to wipe the dust away, wiping your window, etc.
62. Read about a historical event
Dive into a brief historical textbook or immerse yourself in another culture.
Brush up on some historical facts and jot about it in a journal.
63. Clean your car
Skip the car wash and instead, wash your car on your own.
Just grab a sponge, some soap, and a bucket of water.
64. Start a gratitude jar
Write what you are grateful for on strips of colorful paper and fold them up before placing in a jar.
Try to fill one out for each time you are grateful of someone, an event that happened, or an accomplishment.
65. Open a high-yield savings account
It’s better to keep your money in a savings account that earns interest than one that gives you nothing.
Be smart about investing and where to save your money so you have extra to spend.
66. Explore your skincare routine
If you have a super complicated skincare routine and it isn’t working, then you should consider cutting out some products.
Target what you need instead of what you feel like you need.
Don’t get tricked into buying a product just because it says it’ll get rid of blackheads or clear your acne.
Shop smarter by learning about the ingredients list.
Something that works for others may not necessarily work for you.
67. Watch a Ted talk
Boost your knowledge about any topic by watching a Ted Talk!
You can always learn something new and use up your time smartly.
68. Polish your resume
What better minutes to use than polishing your resume?
Give your resume a revamp to land better jobs, negotiate better conditions, and positions.
69. Reorganize your bookshelf
Toss that old binder of math worksheets from 4th grade or that Spanish notebook from middle school that you haven’t touched in years.
Clear out your bookcase and utilize the space more efficiently!
70. Wash your makeup brushes
Whenever you have time, just pull out your old, gunky makeup brushes and give them a wash.
Get rid of old foundation, powder, and eye shadow dust on your brushes.
You don’t want to be breeding germs on your makeup brushes because eww and it can give you the worst pimples.
Start out with this makeup brush cleaner set that includes cleaning solution and a silicone cleaning mat.
71. Get rid of blackheads
Use blackhead peels or masks to get rid of blackheads.
And keep it a long time commitment by using a face wash and oil cleansing.
72. Reorganize those lost bins
Do you have bins stuffed with items and just hidden in your room?
I’m guilty of stuffing way too much knick knacks and supplies in bins and hiding them in my room.
Then, I forget about their existence and sometimes I buy multiples of the same item.
73. Make a bucket list
You can create a whole bunch of bucket lists like:
- summer bucket list of things to do
- bucket list for the year
- life bucket list
- graduation bucket list
- work bucket list
- and the list goes on…
74. Train your pet
Teach your pet some tricks or spend some time with them.
Give them a small treat each time they do something good to reinforce that behavior.
75. Stare out into space
Staring into space is actually a much needed reset.
You can relax your mind and clear out your thoughts by taking a few minutes and just staring outside your window or at your ceiling.
76. Clean out your fridge
If you just stuff your fridge constantly, then you should take some time to create a new organization process.
Or, you can buy less food or purchase a larger fridge.
The last thing you want is to have food falling out of your fridge each time you open it.
77. Create a to-do list
This is one of the most productive things to do when bored because you are planning ahead!
You can make a to-do list for tasks to do tomorrow, groceries you need to buy, skills you want to learn, projects you need to complete, or gifts that you need to buy.
78. Unsubscribe from email lists
If you ever accidentally sign up for email lists and get spammed everyday, you should consider unsubscribing.
Go through emails that you just have in your inbox that you never open.
Then, click in the email and scroll down.
The unsubscribe is usually on the very bottom of a newsletter or email.
79. Learn to code
Check out online videos or read basic tutorials.
Then, follow through some tutorials and learn how to code Python, Java, or any language you wish to learn!
80. Disinfect your phone
Every once in awhile, take a wipe and wipe down your phone screen.
Take off your phone case and clear any grime hidden underneath.
81. Solve a puzzle
Start with a 100 piece puzzle and build your way up to a 1,000 piece puzzle!
This will really help you practice patience.
82. Organize your Google drive
This often gets forgotten, but you can delete old files, rename random documents that you didn’t have the time to name, and sort your docs.
83. Sing a song
Record yourself singing to your favorite song and edit it with special effects.
Make it fun and engaging before saving it to your album.
Bonus: make one every few weeks or when you have a new favorite song so after awhile, you will have a collection of yourself singing to your favorite songs.
84. Stay at a new library
Go hang out at a new library and read a book or explore the place.
Start studying or polishing your resume for a job.
85. Make snack portions
One of my favorite activities on my productive things to do when bored list is making snack portions!
First, gather up some mini containers or reusable snack baggies.
Then, portion your snacks for easy snacking!
I love making mini fruit cups, granola packs, sweets, etc. for snacks.
86. Buy some flowers
Purchase some flowers to liven up your place or start your own flower garden.
Flowers are beautiful to look at and great to freshen up any indoor space.
87. Go on a picnic
Plan a picnic with your friends or family.
Either plan a barbecue or have a mini charcuterie and wine gathering.
88. Indoor camping
If you dislike camping outside (when it’s freezing or it’s inconvenient), then consider camping inside.
Plop your tent in your living room and fill the inside with blankets, snacks, and drinks.
89. Shop for gifts
You don’t have to shop for gifts when you need it.
Instead, pick up items that you think will become a great gift when you see it on sale.
Then, store them in a specific shelf or location at your home.
And next time when your friend’s birthday rolls around, you won’t be scrambling to find the perfect gift.
90. Trim your hair
Regularly get trims for your hair to keep it looking fresh and keep its shape.
Also, plan to get it trimmed every 2-3 months either on your own or at a salon.
91. Look out for sales
Plan for sales and note down dates.
For instance, save school supply shopping towards back to school season, wait for electronics during Black Friday, and holiday items after holidays.
92. Sharpen pencils
Do you happen to have a bunch of pencils laying around collecting dust?
Either sharpen them and let them see the light of day, or give them away to someone.
93. Restock your stationary
Are you running low on school supplies?
Go stock up on your stationary when there are sales.
94. Revise your sleep schedule
Take some time to get back on track and improve on your sleep schedule.
This is on one of my top list for productive things to do when bored because you can replenish your energy!
95. Start a side hustle
One of the most productive things to do when bored is to get a side hustle.
Either from working as an Uber driver or tutoring online or house sitting, there are a ton of options available!
96. Create thank you notes
Make thank you notes or special appreciations for those who help you!
A handwritten card is always better than a printed one!
97. Check national day
If you are bored, one of the most productive things to do is to check national days.
Find that free ice cream day, donut day, coffee day, pancake day, etc.
You can pick up on a lot of freebies this way!
98. Color
Coloring not only relieves stress, but also helps with patience.
Pick up a coloring book or print some coloring pages to get started.
99. Block spam calls
Take a few minutes and go through your calls from other states.
Block numbers that leave weird voicemails or seem like a scam.
100. Draft email templates
In your free time, draft common emails and save them.
Then, just pull them out when you need them.
Create mailing lists if you have a group of people that you normally email to.
This will largely cut down on your time and increase your productivity.
101. Learn basic designing
You never know what some basic designing skills can lead you.
A more organized and well designed resume will leave a better impression than a plain one with the same qualifications.
And that’s a wrap for productive things to do when bored!
Not enough? Then check out these further reads for additional productive things to do when bored:
- Best Part Time Jobs from Home to Try Right Now
- Best Organization Hacks for the Cutest Dorm Room
- Must-Read High School Freshman Reading List
