Even though we have to keep up with online school work, we still have a lot more time on our hands while in quarantine. If your days at home feel mundane, read the list below to see if you’re experiencing boredom.

In addition, check out the story “Break Boredom” for more ideas on activities you can do to make the most out of being stuck in your house.

Scrolling

Wasting the day away scrolling through social media isn’t only a sign of boredom, but it’s bad for your mental health and straining to your eyes. Try setting a timer for how long you will allow yourself to catch up on social media or adjust the settings in the app you are using to notify you when you’ve reached your time limit. When the time is up, put down the phone and do something that doesn’t require looking at a screen to give your eyes and brain a break. 

Pacing

Mindlessly wandering around your house could be a clue that you need to find something active to do. Exert some energy by working out or engaging in a physical activity outside. Pacing around could also be a sign that you are anxious or nervous. If this is the case, find something relaxing to do whether it’s drawing, or going for a walk, or reading a book.

Binge watching

Although it is tempting to watch a whole series in a day with the extra time you have on your hands, there are better ways you could spend your time. If Netflix asks “are you still watching?”, you’ve probably spent hours watching shows, which is a lot of time that you won’t get back. Get off the couch, stretch, and take a break from staring at the screen for a little bit.

Daydreaming

If you find yourself spacing off or thinking about something else rather than focusing on the task at hand, you might be bored. Step away from what you’re doing for a minute and start a project that you’re interested in or a chore you’ve been meaning to get done. If you’re daydreaming about what you could be doing if you weren’t quarantined, try to get creative and adjust that activity so you can do it at home. Like if you are reminiscing about going out to eat, try cooking a new recipe. 

Changing your hair

If you’re staring at yourself in the mirror contemplating doing something drastic to your hair, your boredom has reached dangerous heights. Whether you want to dye your hair, chop it off, or cut your own bangs, think about the new style for a while to make sure you really want it before becoming your own hairdresser and doing something you can’t take back.

Sleeping 

If you’ve been spending every day of quarantine in your bed, consider finding something productive to do. The more you lay around, the more you won’t want to get up, so force yourself to do something on your feet. Go for a walk or work out to make you feel more energized. Also, if your sleep schedule is out of whack, don’t stay up so late…you have the whole next day to do whatever you want and feel well rested.

Binge eating

It’s easy to migrate to your kitchen every 30 minutes when you’re home all day. Eating because you’re bored can turn into an unhealthy habit. Try replacing your snacking hours with healthy habits. If you start craving the cookies and ice cream you saw on the counter, drink a glass of water first to determine if you are actually hungry, then fuel your body with something light and healthy. Also, try putting unhealthy snacks where they are not visible when you walk in the kitchen so you won’t be tempted to start binging. “Out of sight, out of mind”.

Talking constantly

Whether you are talking to yourself throughout the day or just can’t help but bug your family with irrelevant thoughts, you could be experiencing boredom as a result of not seeing your friends and chatting with them all the time. Call a friend on the phone, listen to some good music to sing along to or try journaling to jot down your important thoughts.

Trying TikTok trends

Tik Tok has easily become what most teens resort to spending their time on now. Sure, there might be some cool “life hacks” that you see, but if you start trying out everything you see on your “For You” page, you’ve hit the peak of boredom. It might be time to reevaluate how you’re spending your time and do a Tik Tok detox. 

Repeating mundane activities 

Lying on your bed tossing a ball up in the air and catching it repeatedly is the most saddening kind of boredom there is. Don’t let yourself just stare at the ceiling fan go round and round or count how many cars go by. You’re wasting time that you could use to be productive. We all need a mental break from homework, so find a rewarding activity you can do like taking up a new hobby or practicing something. Come up with a routine to stick to so you have some structure in your day.