Have you ever been so bored at home you are willing to do (almost) anything to find something to occupy your time? If you are like most people, you probably have, especially when the world shut down due to the pandemic and everyone was stuck in their homes. But even now, many people still find times where they feel trapped in their home with nothing to do. Luckily for them though, here are several things that most would find entertaining enough to occupy their seldom minds.

It is important to understand what boredom actually is (besides unpleasant). According to psychoanalyst Adam Phillips, boredom is “that state of suspended animation in which things are started and nothing begins, the mood of diffuse restlessness which contains that most absurd and paradoxical wish, the wish for a desire.”

So how do we “cure” this dissatisfaction? The first thing recommended is doing something productive (chores, schoolwork, getting ahead in work, etc.), but if you don’t have anything like that to do (or simply don’t want to be productive), there are lots of other things to do besides that.

• Watch a movie, or even watch a movie series (some good ones are Marvel’s Avengers movies, The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Hunger Games, Maze Runner, etc.). You could start a show you’ve been planning on watching but have been too scared to start because of how long it is (you have the time).
• Try learning a new skill (whistling, singing, calligraphy, drawing, baking, playing an instrument, etc.).
• Try redecorating your room or rearranging your desk/workspace.
• Go for a walk (or other forms of exercise – I heard it’s good for you).
• Try sitting down and reading a book, whether it be a novel or comic.
• Explore new musical artists you’ve never listened to or heard of before, or try listening to a new genre you don’t normally listen to.
• Try journaling your thoughts down about how bored you are, or even try scrapbooking.
• You could even go on your phone and get distracted scrolling through social media, or fall down a rabbit hole watching YouTube videos.

In conclusion, if you ever find yourself bored at home, try one of the many things I have listed above, and if that doesn’t work, read another article until you find yourself not bored anymore.