What do you do when youre bored?

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Jonathanak6
Jonathanak6 Posts: 73 Member
in Motivation and Support
I have been taking depression medication for almost a month now and it seems to be working with stopping my thoughts and all of that. Ive been told depression is living in the past but now that I have got over the past I seem to be failing to enjoy the present. I am waiting for college to start but that isnt until fall, i go to the gym every day but that only kills 2-3 hours of my day and since I dont have any friends I spend the rest of the day at home. I dont enjoy video games anymore they just bore me, watching tv or movies just make me hungry, I would get a job but I signed up for full time schedule for college and wouldnt have any time to study and pass my classes in fall, school is my main focus for my future but I am having a really hard time enjoying the present, I love the gym but I cant just be at the gym all day, the body needs rest and not be over worked. So what do you all do when you're bored or even when you get off work and have time to kill before sleeping?

Replies

  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    Find a place to volunteer.
    Join a meet up group.
    Make some friends.
    Explore the cities around you.
    Find the hidden gems in your area.
    Go on a hike.
    Go to the museum.

    Seriously though, there are tons of things to do. Based on your profile you live between three pretty big cities with tons of things to explore. Hit up Google and enjoy your current freedom.
  • take2spicy
    take2spicy Posts: 296 Member
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    I do artwork...anything creative...helping other people keeps me occupied. Volunteer doing something to help others might help fill in the time. Build something & donate it. Make a goal to see someplace new each week.
  • pkdragok
    pkdragok Posts: 181 Member
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    Music and Xbox
  • pamfgil
    pamfgil Posts: 449 Member
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    Go for a walk, make a plan to map out your local neighborhood
  • tg16nullity
    tg16nullity Posts: 56 Member
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    Read a good book. Something by Vonnegut should do. Perhaps "Breakfast of Champions".

    Cook something new, either from recipe or wing it.

    Go look for cool stuff on the cheap at thrift shops.

    ?

    I'm out of ideas. Hope you find entertainment, bruh!
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,867 Member
    edited July 2017
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    Some days I think I'd like to be bored for a little while ... but ... just too much to do. The whole idea of 'getting off work and have time to kill before sleeping' doesn't exist for me. I get off work, then go for a walk or bicycle ride or go to the gym, or down into our home gym. Then there's dinner and some housework, then I've usually got homework, or if I'm between courses, I design routes for my cycling club or do photography. I have several other projects on the go as well. I'm at the point now where I'd really like to be able to hire someone to do some of the stuff I've got to do ... there's just too much.

    However ...

    As above ... volunteer!!

    Also ... go to your local tourist information centre and find out what there is to see and do in your area. There are also website that have that sort of information. Visit all the tourist attractions, go to the events, etc.

    Locate your local clubs, like hiking clubs, cycling clubs, photography clubs, etc. ... join some.

    Go to your local library or wherever you can find your local community courses, and see if there are some short courses going ... weekend courses, 3 or 4 day courses, etc.

    See if you can find a short-term job. Check with your local temp agencies and see if they've got something coming up for the next 6 weeks or so. If you were around here in the summer, you could be picking or packing fruit from the orchards ... good solid seasonal work.
  • nyponbell
    nyponbell Posts: 379 Member
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    As someone who is also taking medication for depression and currently have too much time to fill and not always in the mood to socialise; puzzles, read a book (or listen to an audiobook), obsessively check the forums to see if something new has been posted that interests you. Find a blog to read on a subject that interests you, get a colouringbook and listen to the radio while you colour, take walks in the woods (if any close by), make plans for buying X at a store "far" away and have that be your plan for the day (even something "silly" as going to a store further away to buy milk) if you don't like walking around aimlessly. Sort through your clothes, books, movies, bookmarks and files on computer. If your fall schedule is available, write it down in a calender. Mealplan your ideal day. Plan a dream vacation (even if you have neither time nor money to go). Try yoga.
  • skymningen
    skymningen Posts: 532 Member
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    Get a book and take it with you to the park. If some people enjoy an activity (at my park the slackline, play frisbee, and so on) that you would like to take part in just get up to them and ask. It might take a few days in the park until you feel like you can actually do that, but in the meantime enjoy your book.

    Go to a course at your gym. That might even get you into being a member of "the gym crowd".

    If you enjoy the gym so much, maybe treat yourself to some personal training hours?

    Take a break from video games. I used to like those, but also seem bored currently. Sometimes I changed the genre (from RPG to strategy to Minecraft...) and enjoyed other types of games for a while.

    Get to your college's library and get a head start on studying. It will maybe help you to keep your schedule easier during the fall and have more time for all the fun activities you will have discovered until then.

    Research. New stuff to do at the gym, your topics for college, which types of books/games you could find that you would still enjoy, what kind of social groups/meetups are around your place that you might like.

    I know it does not help to say "just make some friends", this is why I tried to include a mix of social and alone-time stuff. You probably need both to be happy.
  • x_stephisaur_x
    x_stephisaur_x Posts: 149 Member
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    Depends what I'm in the mood for. Some of my hobbies include:
    - practising calligraphy
    - running
    - reading
    - cake decorating/baking
    - knitting

    Can you find out whether there is any recommended reading for your college course? You could always get a jump start on that? :)

    Alternatively, maybe some exercise classes where you can meet some more people?
  • tabletop_joe
    tabletop_joe Posts: 455 Member
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    At first, I would take it slow. Either grab a book or a music player and go to the beach and just physically enjoy being free of your old circular thoughts. After doing stuff like that for a while, you'll allow new thoughts in and from there, let your passion lead you--whether that be to volunteering or to arts appreciation or athletics or whatever else gets your blood flowing!

    Welcome back, and great work getting help with your depression! That is really admirable!
  • Heather4448
    Heather4448 Posts: 908 Member
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    Volunteer to socialize and walk the dogs at the pound.
  • CipherZero
    CipherZero Posts: 1,418 Member
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    Study. If you've got college in the fall, l'd recommend getting a leg up on the courses you're going to be taking. This is your slack time to meander through the material at your leisure.
  • eyer0ll
    eyer0ll Posts: 313 Member
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    I like making things; I make soap and knit. They keep me from mindlessly eating and also keep me in the moment, which helps with depression and anxiety. Perhaps take up a hobby that keeps your hands busy -- woodworking, cooking, gardening, etc.
  • jennybearlv
    jennybearlv Posts: 1,519 Member
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    I give advice to strangers on the internet.
  • ziptail363
    ziptail363 Posts: 2 Member
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    Alot of times I like to be busy doing something, but I don't want to hang out with people. I picked up a used guitar for $50 and have been using youtube to slowly learn it. Maybe try something like that?
  • AudreyJDuke
    AudreyJDuke Posts: 1,092 Member
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    These are some great ideas and some made me laugh. Thanks!
  • TeethOfTheHydra
    TeethOfTheHydra Posts: 63 Member
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    Trade in an hour at the gym and visit a local yoga studio. You'll get a good workout and you may find its more sociable than a gym to get to know people who care about their health and seek positive energy. Also a great way to let go of your thoughts and just breathe and stretch for a while. Instead of being caught in the house alone, go to the library or a book store and read, you'll be the smartest guy in school.
    Good luck!
  • Aerona85
    Aerona85 Posts: 159 Member
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    I don't think I have been bored since I started college :-). Volunteer (I go to the Humane Society and socialize cats), if you like singing or music join a local group for that, do you like crafty stuff? Once you have a hobby like that, there is never enough time. Catch up on best sellers if you like reading. Collect recipes to try and calculate cals for them in advance, babysit for the neighbors (I do in exchange for mowing and snow removal), etc.

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