Some things to do when you're bored

A theory that I still hold but haven't well tested is that often, when it comes to the question, we know the answer, but not how to get it out of ourselves. I find one way that sometimes helps me is to actually try to help someone else, and that allows me to think more effectively about what I'm trying to do.

I get bored very easily, and now and then when it's seriously bad, to the point of indifferent lethargy, I google "Things to do when you're bored." The problem is that everything I find seems to be written by people who were so bored, they just tried to amuse themselves by writing a bunch of crazy shit, which is of no help to people who are actually bored, and provides only a bit of limited reading. So I wrote a bunch of crap down to try and help me with boredom, and I thought I'd share my ideas - omitting all the ones that are very specific to myself.



A list of things to do when you're bored

• Write a list of things to do when you're bored.
• This is the best starting point, I think.
• Completely organise your bookshelf.
• If you don't keep lots of books, find something else to organise, like a music collection, or even your files and folders on your computer.
• Organise your bookshelf again.
• Tidy your desk.
• Clear your floor, take down the washing, actually do the washing, do something to make your room just a little bit neater.
• Take out everything in your chest of drawers and fold it up neatly and then put it back and see how long you can keep it that way.
• If you are the reading type - and if you're not, you're missing out - then pick up books that you've left lying around and forgot about, just read the first page. Maybe read the next page if you like it.
• Read something that you'd rather not read originally.
• Learn about something totally new - go on Wikipedia and look up a subject you've vaguely heard of in the news, read up about it, Google it and look at information from other sites about it, look at related topics. Or do the same for something you don't know the first thing about.
• Learn some basic phrases of a language - not even one you'd necessarily use, like Estonian, or Arabic. Get to the point where you can say 1-10 and have a basic conversation with a person who speaks that language.
• Go on www.omegle.com and chat to a stranger. Talk about random things. Ask them questions, be nice. If you get creeps, get the hell out.
• See if you can find anyone who speaks that language.
• Go around omegle asking the stupidest questions known to man and seeing what responses you get.
• Write down some questions. Any questions. Questions like "What's the meaning of life?" "Does God exist?" "Am I really in love?" "Is chocolate the best thing since Jesus?" "Is paper actually round?" "Are we actually just brains in a vat given the illusion of being real, conscious beings?" Then answer them - it doesn't matter how long they are, how detailed they are, how thoughtful they are, but they have to be honest answers.
• Think about the questions you ask and the ones you answer that you almost wanted to answer dishonestly. Think about that for a sec. Why did you want to lie about it, were you ashamed of it? Have you got good reason to be? If so, should you be doing it? Should you be trying to stop?
• What things should you be trying to stop?
• Learn about a random person. A philosopher like Hegel, Rousseau, Socrates, or a religious figure like Thomas Aquinas, St. Augustus, or a football player [Examples of football players have been censored by SOPA... and also because Leonidas doesn't know any football players.] Find out loads of interesting stuff about them, to the point where you can say "Hey, I know that Jim Jimmerson was a really energetic guy in his life."
• Write down what you believe, why you believe it.
• Write an argument for something that you don't agree with. If you're pro-choice, write an argument against abortion.
• Write an argument for something that you strongly believe in. Could someone point out any realistic flaws in it?
• Play a new game you wouldn't normally play or don't like the look of. Maybe go out of your way to find a game that looks bad and play it. Like AdventureQuest.
• Look for game contests like the Ludum Dare contest. Play some of the good-looking entries. And some of the bad-looking ones.
• Google "Things to do with you're bored." Despite my earlier negativity, you may well find more things than I did.
• List what you love about your friends and the world in general.
• Say why you love it.
• Call or text someone, just to say hi, or something nice, or something you love about them. Maybe arrange to meet up with them.
• Learn more about something that means a lot to you. Or do it.
• Think about a cause you'd really like to support. Would you be up for being proactive and asking friends to support that cause? Would you get several money pots and put them up in various stores for that cause?
• Write a bunch of simple sums, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division - or if you're good at maths, harder stuff, just to see how quickly you can do it. Can you do it quicker? Do it.
• Draw something. Anything.
• Absolutely anything.
• Write a short story. Google "Inspiration for stories"
• Write a fanfiction. See www.fanfiction.net for more details.
• Google a word that means a lot to you, or a subject that means a lot to you, and see what comes up.
• Read a webcomic you like.
• Find a webcomic.
• Start a blog.
• You don't have to post on it regularly or at all, but you can have fun in the creating process and say "I have a blog."
• Start a webcomic.
• Revise a subject that you know you're bad at if you're at school, or do any work you've got left over. If you've genuinely got nothing academic to do, then find something that will be of use to someone and make there be one less worry in the world.
• Do homework! Yup, I put that in there...
• Play an instrument if there's one lying around the house. Doesn't matter if you know how to play it, just pick it up and make noises with it. Fiddle. Find some cool noises. If you're a good musician, make up a song, or learn a new song, or practise one you're learning.
• Make some food that's a little more than shoving in the oven or the microwave. Or make some food that is that simple.
• Eat lots of healthy stuff.
• Do memory exercises.
• Do actual exercises.
• Slowly. Don't strain yourself if you're a weakling like Leonidas. Challenge yourself. If you're strong, do lots of exercise, if not, do whatever feels vaguely comfortable.
• Buy an awesome shirt related to a favourite something of yours, or a favourite phrase. If you can't find one, use one of those online services to make a shirt with a phrase or picture or design that you want on it.
• Enter a competition. For anything. You might win.
• Go to www.icanhazcheezburger.com and find some funny photos. Go onto the related websites on the cheezburger network and find MOAR funny photos.
• Click at the Random Blog button at the top of this page to go to another blog. If you see one that looks interesting, start reading. If you see one that looks dull... start reading.
• If you like that blogger, support them by following them - bloggers like it when people click the follow button ;). Bloggers also really love comments and insightful feedback, so don't hesitate to comment on other peoples blogs.
• Go to www.miniclip.com or www.neodelight.com or www.egg2.com or www.newgrounds.com and find good games/flash/videos there.
• Go to YouTube. If you don't go on there regularly, search up something that interests you. If you do go on there regularly, watch more of the videos of the people you subscribe to and like. Be sure to look for people that your subscriptions like and check out their content too. Try generic terms. If you're a RuneScape player, type in "YouTube".
• Check your grammar. Are you tuping, speling and punctuating properly??
• Read about a political party, political cause or something like that.
• Go on Facebook. Are you not on Facebook? Make an account on it. Try a bunch of social networks too, try Bebo, Myspace, Yahoo, etc.
• Ask a question on Question and Answer (Q&A) sites like WikiAnswers and Yahoo! Answers. There are good communities there, full of both people willing to help, and hilarious trolls who don't in the least bit.
• Learn the lyrics of your favourite song. Learn the lyrics of a song you vaguely listen to now and then. Sing it to yourself - don't worry, we can't hear you :).
• Listen to music. Listen to related music. Listen to music that people who listen to that music like. Ask your friends for recommendations and then listen to them.
• Go on a forum, say hello, make yourself known, start threads, be helpful, join in discussions.
• Go outside. Enjoy the day. If it's night-time, get on your woolies and go out for a night-time walk - it's beautiful out there.
• Go out for a run. Even if you can't run for chocolate.
• Eat chocolate. Not too much.
• "Put on a hyped up song and randomly dance" - Minya

• And when all else fails... check your emails.

I could probably keep going for ages. Please comment your own suggestions and unless they're plain silly, I'll add them in! Have fun guys!

~Love Leonidas