Having to stay at home can be boring. With no commitments outside the home, it may be difficult to keep busy or find something interesting to do. Fear not, there are tons of ways to fight boredom: you could play games with your family, watch a movie, have a snack or even build a fort with pillows. You can choose from a thousand alternatives to make a boring day more exciting.
Steps
Part 1 of 5: Have Fun While Staying Home
Step 1. Share your favorite movies with your friends online
Watching a movie can be a great way to hang out, but it might be boring doing it yourself. Grab a few friends online and use a screen sharing program to watch a few videos or movies together. Programs like Netflix Party, Gaze, Watch2gether, and Twoseven can help you stay connected while being locked in the house.
If you don't want to use this type of program, you could watch a movie on your own, but simultaneously. Choose a time, then text message while watching the movie
Step 2. Find funny videos on YouTube
YouTube is the ideal place to search for videos - whatever mood you are, you will find the right one for you. New videos are constantly being uploaded to the site, so you'll always find something new to watch.
- You can also find funny videos on Twitter and Facebook.
- You could also watch funny videos or memes on video sharing programs like Tik Tok.
- This is a fantastic activity on your own too.
Step 3. Go wild listening to your favorite songs
Use programs like Spotify or SoundCloud to create different playlists for all kinds of situations. If you're curious to try new music, try using Spotify's "Start Playlist Radio" option by clicking the three-dot button next to your playlist. You can also share your favorite songs with friends using the related function.
- Explore new artists or musical genres you've never heard before;
- Create your playlists. Try creating playlists for moments of relaxation, for when you work out or for time spent reading.
- This can be a great opportunity to have fun pretending to play an imaginary guitar or lip-syncing.
Step 4. Try a new video game
Video games are perfect for livening up a boring day. There are for all tastes, from fast-paced shooter to treasure hunt style ones. Whatever your favorite video game is, it's a great way to spend a boring day at home and have fun online with your friends when you can't go out.
- If you like those games where you can create your own world, try something like Minecraft, Sims or one of the versions of Animal Crossing.
- If you like music games, you might want to try osu !, a free PC game now. You may also like the Just Dance series titles.
- Search online video game libraries like Steam to see if there are any that you can download for free.
- If you like multiplayer online games, try titles like League of Legends, Team Fortress 2 (now free), World of Warcraft. Overwatch, Smite or Dota 2.
Step 5. Share stories
Staying at home can be a good opportunity to get together with the family and have a fun chat. Telling exciting or funny stories can help the whole family overcome boredom. Stories can be those you have experienced firsthand or even those you have heard someone else tell. Finding topics of common interest will make the day more fun.
Part 2 of 5: Learning New Things
Step 1. Expand your horizons by learning a language online
Download an app like Duolingo on your smartphone that allows you to learn and practice a new language by doing short and fun exercises. If you want to make things a little more complicated, invite friends and family as well so that you can all practice together.
If you need extra exercises, there are websites that allow you to get in touch with other students from different countries. Programs like HelloTalk, Tandem Language Exchange, and Conversation Exchange are great for getting started
Step 2. Take a personality test to find out more about yourself
Search online to find a free one, such as MBTI or Enneagram. It takes a few minutes to complete them, but once you get the result you can learn a lot about yourself. To make it more fun, you could involve friends and family and then see each other's results.
- At this link you can find the MBTI test (free)
- At this link you will find a free version of the Enneagram
Step 3. Sign up for an online course with your friends
Search the websites of the most reputable universities to see if they offer courses of any kind. You may be able to sign up for a basic programming course or one that interests you most. For a more complete experience, as if you were really in a class, invite a few friends to sign up with you so that we can exchange notes.
Harvard has, for example, some free online courses that you could sign up for. Check out this link
Step 4. Learn to code online for free
Visit a website that offers this type of online lessons such as Codecademy, Free Code Camp, Codewars, HackerRank, and CodeFights. Try different lessons, activities and degrees of difficulty every day so that you can become an expert programmer. Again, you can invite a few friends and share the experience.
You can also learn programming for free on sites like edX, Upskill, MIT OpenCourseware, and Khan Academy
Step 5. Take advantage of educational resources that you can find for free online
Search for websites or games that suit your learning level and try them out. Try math, writing, and science games to increase your knowledge while indoors for so long.
- If you're still in elementary school, websites like Adventure Academy or ABCmouse Early Learning Academy can be a great choice.
- If you're in middle school or high school, go to sites like GameSalad, Albert, or iCulture.
Advice:
many online businesses and websites are offering discounts or free online courses during the COVID-19 outbreak. Programs like Adobe, Mango Languages and Quizlet, for example, are offering discounts or free trials.
Part 3 of 5: Try Creative Activities
Step 1. Prepare a tasty snack
If you're at home and getting bored, you might want to ask someone to help you make a mouthwatering snack. Spending time in company, doing something that everyone enjoys, can brighten up a boring day.
- You might like to bake some cookies, cake, or brownies;
- Also try making "s'mores" on the stove;
- Blend some fruit and enjoy a smoothie with the whole family;
Step 2. Try painting or drawing
Don't worry, you don't have to be a skilled artist to create your artwork. Painting or drawing a subject can be a good way to express yourself and fight boredom. If you are at home and bored, brighten up your day by producing some interesting works of art.
- Everyone can learn the basics of painting or drawing. If you are already an artist, test yourself by painting a stone or learning to draw a horse.
- Don't worry if you can't create beautiful things right away.
- There are many other creative activities to try, from drawing with wet chalks to sculpting. Have you ever made an infinite mirror or a galaxy in a jar?
- Creating artistic things is a fantastic activity to do on your own.
Step 3. Try writing down your thoughts
You could keep yourself busy by dedicating yourself to writing. By writing, you can tell a story, put your ideas in order, or just express your emotions. Let your creativity flow onto the paper, thus dispelling the boredom of lonely days at home.
- You could write a short story, a poem, a story based on myths, or a diary.
- If you have other friends who enjoy making music, consider writing a song together. Invite them to send you their recorded tracks and mix it all up to create a fantastic track.
Step 4. Renovate home
Redecorating your home or a single room can be a fun way to overcome boredom. Furthermore, changing the furniture can bring a touch of enthusiasm and novelty to the environment. You can completely or partially renovate the furniture, adapting the environment to your tastes. So, if you get bored and you don't know what to do, try redecorating your home: you will make both the environments in which you live and your day more fun.
- You could change the arrangement of the furniture to give the room a different look;
- Try moving objects from one room to another to see how they fit;
- You could do something fun, like a pillow or blanket fort;
- You could try painting a picture to hang in a room you would like to renovate.
Step 5. Cook something tasty
Staying at home is a great opportunity to prepare something delicious. Why settle for precooked or banal foods? Prepare your favorite dish or try some new recipes: add a pinch of pepper to your day at home!
- Do you want some ideas for delicious and easy to make dishes? Try nachos or spaghetti.
- Are you a cooking enthusiast looking for new recipes? Make some candied bacon, or make your own okonomiyaki (Japanese savory pancake).
Step 6. Plan a dream vacation
Start a conversation about your dream tourist destinations. Talk about where you would like to go and what to do once there. Imagine what adventures you could have during this vacation together.
- Talk about how you envision your adventure;
- Find out about the main tourist attractions you would like to see;
- You could take some maps and trace the travel itinerary on them;
- Using Google Street View can be a lot of fun, because it allows you to take virtual walks to the places you would like to visit.
Part 4 of 5: Keeping Active
Step 1. Get up and dance
Dancing is an easy way to get moving and have some fun. Pick some of your favorite songs, turn up the volume and go wild. You don't need to know the steps, dance however you like.
- You could also create a playlist to dance to the tunes of your favorite songs;
- Invent the steps or learn new dance styles.
- You can dance alone or with your friends.
Step 2. Have fun exercising
Being alone indoors doesn't mean you can't get some exercise. Many exercises do not require equipment - your own body weight and the right movements will suffice. A good home workout will help you beat boredom.
- There are many free tutorials available online;
- Exercises like push-ups or squats can strengthen muscles without using weights;
- Jumps with legs apart are a great cardio exercise.
Step 3. Relax with stretching or yoga
Whether you work out or not, stretching is always a good idea because it can help you relax your mind and improve your body flexibility and mobility. When you are at home, a little light exercise can help keep you active and fight boredom.
- Do not overdo the movements. If you feel pain while exercising, stop exercising to avoid getting hurt.
- You can find tons of free yoga tutorials online.
Step 4. Train with a few friends for a 5k.
Create a rough training plan for yourself to keep fit. Invite your friends to train with you, which could help keep you motivated. You can train indoors or outdoors, depending on where you live. Once you have gained enough confidence in your ability to run, you may want to sign up for an official race.
For example, you could run Monday and Tuesday for 30 minutes, walk 30 minutes on Tuesday and Thursday, run or walk about 3 miles on Saturday, and rest for the rest of the week
Part 5 of 5: Keeping the Brain Active
Step 1. Challenge yourself with a game of logic
Choose a book or search for this type of online games. In this type of game you are given a picture along with more or less vague clues; use these clues to find the solution.
At this link you can find some games of this type for free
Step 2. Complete a complicated puzzle together with your friends
You can buy one online and start having fun. Find a large enough shelf to work on and start putting the pieces together. Once you're done, frame it and hang it on the wall so you can be proud of it every time you admire it.
- You can always start with a 500 piece puzzle and work your way up to a larger one.
- If you feel tired at some point, don't hesitate to take a break. There is no time limit to finish it and you can resume whenever you feel like it.
Step 3. Get some board games
Board games have always been one of the most popular remedies for boredom. Involve your family: Most board games are designed for multiple players and can therefore be fun for the whole family.
Monopoly or Risiko are both a classic choice
Step 4. Learn the art of origami to pass the time when you are alone
Start with simple figures and gradually move on to more complicated ones.
Check out this article to start learning how to fold a sheet of paper to make increasingly complicated figures.
