+79 Very Productive Things To Do At Night When Bored
Have you ever noticed your night routine includes scrolling on your phone mindlessly for a very long time? We won’t talk about how long. Maybe you’re even doing it right now! 👀
Don’t feel guilty, most people do this very thing. This is why we are going to get into the most productive things to do when bored, the nighttime edition.
A study from the National Institutes of Health records that 96% of women use their smartphones at bedtime, and 90% of males do too. They also note that 80% of the time we use our smartphones before bed, it’s mindlessly scrolling through… you guessed it, social media.
America, we have a problem!
We are in a vicious cycle of feeding ourselves other people’s lives, their extravagant trips, the seemingly happy or genuinely happy couples, and even more every. single. night. That can’t be good for our mental health, don’t you agree?
So, I’ve pointed out the bad. I’ve called us all out – well, over 90% of us out so that’s almost everyone. But don’t think I’m going to leave you hanging!
In this post, i’ve detailed over 79 incredible things to do at night when bored, instead of doomscrolling. Let me know which thing replaced that social media addiction at night.
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This post is all about productive things to do when bored during nighttime.
Get Your Clothes Ready For The Next Day
This one is such a game-changer for me! This kind of goes into my productive night routine which you can read here. But when I don’t have my clothes ready for the next day, I’m a mess. I wake up, do my self-care things, and then spend 30-45 minutes changing and trying to figure out where that one pair of black slacks is will go with this top. Literal madness. This is a great way to occupy your time. Plan for the next day plan for the whole week while you’re at it!
Plan your to-do’s for the next day
This should be something you definitely add to your nightly routine to ensure you get ahead of the next day. You can write your top to-do’s to get ahead of the next day!
I created Morning Minutes (which is currently on SALE!). It is to be used in the morning, or the night before, to prep your day with gratitude, to-do’s and your routine to look forward to in the morning.
Write In a Journal
This is something I have implemented into my daily morning and night routine. If you are new to journaling, I highly recommend keeping it simple. One of the best and simplest techniques to journal consistently is using a journal like the 5 Minute Journal which has prompts that you answer every single day and only takes about 5-10 minutes. Check out the 5-minute journal below!
Read
I have recently gotten back into reading. I’ve never been an avid reader like my older sister, but I just needed to figure out my genre. I tend to gravitate towards adventure, autobiographies, and personal development. Finding a good book provides the perfect activity to have before you go to bed.
Create a Vision Board
This is a fun and satisfying way to spend the night. You get to reflect on where you are now and where you want to be. Just grab some paper or poster board, some markers, and scissors, and find some pictures and quotes or symbols that help you visualize where you want to I mean, where you will be in the near future!
Call A Relative
I want to do this more than I currently do. Make time to call a family member like your parents, your sibling, your grandmother. Sometimes we don’t even understand the impact a simple phone call can do for a loved one.
Call A Friend
This holds the same sentiment as our previous thing to do at night when bored. Making the time to call a friend rekindles the connection that you have had. This may be something you routinely do, but just saying “Hi, I was just thinking about you. Just wanted to see how you are?” can be so impactful.
Do Laundry
Sometimes it piles up, use this time to throw a load in the washing machine.
Go Through Clothes
I recently realized I have a LOT of clothes I’ve either grown out of or can’t fit anymore. So I decided to go one drawer at a time and just toss anything that didn’t bring me joy. Marie Kondo that shit!
Pack Your Lunch For Tomorrow
Saving money for me means not eating out or ordering food all the time. If you resonate with that, or just prefer bringing food you made, take some time to pack a lunch for work or school tomorrow.
Have a Movie Night
Choose a feel-good movie and enjoy a night in watching something that makes you smile.
Host A Movie Night
You could host a fun movie night with family and friends.
Exercise
This is one of my favorite productive things to do when bored, exercising. If you actively work out like I do, you know that this is one of the
Host A Game Night
I am obsessed with game nights and they always boost my mood. Have some friends over and enjoy a night full of quality time and fun!
Start a blog
Blogs can be a great outlet to journal things you love to talk about. It can also be a source of income if you post consistently and make sure they’re SEO optimized. This can be something you enjoy working on every night or on specific days.
Plan and Prepare Healthy Meals for the Next Day
My goal every night is to have three to four things on my to-do list for the next day. Planning and visualizing your tomorrow is super helpful to have a productive and successful day.
Meditate or practice mindfulness
I am not a pro at meditation… But, I found this insanely simple YouTube video that talks you through why meditation is beneficial, then in the second half of the video, there’s a guided meditation. If I have a long day and I am overwhelmed with thoughts and emotions, I use this video to help filter those out. It’s a lovely way to end your day!
Organize your living space
A really useful one of my compiled productive things to do when bored is clean your living space. Clutter builds, clothes need folding, and dishes need washing. Give some attention to your space and take some time to clean or organize things to make life easier for you.
Take an Online Course to Learn a New Skill
I want to get certifications and learn new skills online. Thankfully there are so many free or affordable options to gain new skills online. Try something you’ve been interested in or something that piqued your interest!
Try Out a New Recipe
I LOVE to cook. I love to bring home-cooked meals to work for lunch. So instead of trying the recipe the night before and packing it for lunch, I like to try new recipes in my free time so I know if I love it or not.
Learn A New Language
This expands communication skills and opens doors for new opportunities. The top languages I’d love to learn are Spanish and French. What are yours?
Listening to educational podcasts or TED talks
This is productive for continuous learning, gaining insights, and broadening perspectives on various subjects. I always learn something new when listening to TED talks!
Working on a Puzzle or Brain Teaser
This is a productive way to boost cognitive abilities, problem-solving skills, and mental agility. It’s also just a positive way to spend time to keep you well-rounded!
I don’t have a lot of games on my phone but one app I recently downloaded and love is NYT Games. My favorite games to play on the app are Wordle, Tiles, Soduko, and Mini Crossword. I only use the free version and that’s more than enough gaming for me.
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Create a budget and review your finances
A new thing I have added into my nightly routine is to check my bank account balance and add any transactions from the day into my budget file on Google Sheets. If you want a link to the budget tracked I use, leave a comment or contact me! I’m not sponsored and I don’t know the girl who makes them personally, but it’s so amazing and aesthetically pleasing.
This is a productive thing to do at night when bored because you can see where your money is going and change your spending habits based on your long-term financial goals!
Start a DIY project
This can be any type of DIY project! There are a lot of cool DIY apartment-friendly wallpapers, artwork, and furniture you can make. It can also be something
Clean out your photos folder
I have an embarrassing amount of photos on my phone. Every now and then I like to go through 50-100 and either reminisce on the moment I captured or delete the 15 screenshots I took that I no longer need or want anymore.
Volunteer for a cause you care about online
For a few years I’ was a very active mement’ve been an active member of the Citizens Climate Lobby. One of the roles I helped our regional coordinator with was outreach and ideas for tabling. Spending some of my free time being creative or helping reach out to people about environmentalism was fun and gratifying.
Research and plan your next trip
One trip I want to take is my first skiing trip! So, the planning part is fun for me and makes that dream trip quickly become a reality. You can choose the first night to look at places to stay, another night you can choose how to travel there, and another day can be all the restaurants and activities you plan on doing.
Create a vision board for your aspirations
Creating a vision board is super fun and very productive! I will create a tutorial on how I made the perfect vision board for my phone wallpaper. This is the time to think big, be open-minded, and be creative in the process to document the amazing things you will accomplish.
Play strategy board games or puzzles
When I have free time, I have been trying to add more relaxing puzzle games to my routine. One is the infamous Wordle! It’s a game where you have to guess the word in 5 tries. Each time you guess a word, it will tell you which letters are correct to help you solve the word of the day! It’s on the NYT Games App.
Draw or paint a picture
If you are creative (and even if you aren’t), you can use some time to draw or paint! Not only is it a stress reliever, it’s also a way to DIY some fun art for your place or for friends. Here’s one that I’m gonna try to attempt!
Learn about investing and personal finance
I think investing and finance can be really intimidating. I’ve learned a bit about investing, but it’s not something that was taught to me when I was in school. Therefore, using your free time to gain more knowledge on finances, saving, and investing can only benefit you in the long run!
Listen to audiobooks while doing chores
Is anyone else not a big reader?! 🥲 I try and try and try to read at least a bit more, but I find audiobooks much easier to digest. Listening to a book while driving or cleaning helps me focus and really follow what’s going on. These are the few forms of multitasking I can get behind!
Start a side hustle or online business
There are sooooo many different ways that you can make more money on the side nowadays! However, one thing I heard that I agree with, is to make a significant income from it, you will have to treat it like a second job. You don’t have to spend the same amount of hours as your 9-5, but really use your time wisely to learn about different business ventures and make them a reality!
Research and apply for scholarships or grants
If you’re a student or looking to go back to school, looking for programs that will help pay for school or scholarships, in general, is super beneficial. This is something my mom routinely made me do, and I feel like I didn’t do it enough haha.
One place to start is Scholly. This is where I would look for scholarships. They also have an app!
Practice deep breathing exercises or guided relaxation
This kinda goes with learning how to meditate. If you’re someone who deals with stress or anxiety, learning how to cope by using breathing techniques can make life a lot easier. Doing some research or consulting with professionals, like a therapist, can be super helpful.
Review and update your resume or LinkedIn profile
Keeping a current LinkedIn can help you connect with new people and have a place to reach out to businesses and for them to reach out to you for employment.
Rearrange your furniture to create a fresh living space
Feng Shui is the practice of arranging pieces in living spaces to create balance. Create a balanced, even arrangement of your furniture.
Watch educational documentaries or lectures
Sometimes I love to watch my super fun drama-filled reality shows. Other times, I want to watch a show that I can learn things from. Whether it’s a documentary, true crime, or a lecture on new topics, you can learn a lot of new things.
Explore new genres of music or discover new artists
Spotify is by far my favorite app on my phone because I can escape into a new world that artists create. Spotify has helped me discover so many new songs and artists that I listen to regularly. So enjoy some peace and relaxation by listening to Discover Playlists on Spotify.
Delete pictures from your photos from your phone
20,347. That’s how many photos I have in my phone. OMG!
I actually didn’t know I had that many until right now. Omg! I need to get rid of photos myself! I heard there is an app that works by connecting it to your photo album and you can swipe left or right to keep or trash a photo. It’s called Slidebox – Photo Manager. Taking time to delete photos you don’t need anymore is helpful to add space on your phone and so you can get rid of all those screenshots you know you don’t need anymore.
Create a playlist of motivating or calming music
With my love of Spotify, I love making curated playlists for my different moods. If you want to check out some of my playlists, follow me on Spotify!
Write poetry or short stories
My little brother inspires me SO much because he’s incredibly talented and creative. He’s written a book and has a rap duo project with one of his good friends. Rap is simply poetry, and expressing yourself through spoken word is a beautiful and productive way to spend time.
Practice public speaking or storytelling
Engaging in public speaking or storytelling exercises when bored is a productive way to enhance communication skills. This activity builds confidence, sharpens articulation, and helps you express ideas coherently—valuable skills that extend beyond the stage and into various aspects of personal and professional life.
Create and send handmade greeting cards
When boredom strikes, channeling your creativity into making handmade greeting cards not only provides a productive outlet but also spreads joy to others. Crafting personalized cards allows you to express your feelings, practice artistic skills, and strengthen connections with loved ones. You can also practice this by sending thoughtful texts to loved ones whom you haven’t spoken to in a while!
Review and update your social media profiles
Productivity doesn’t always have to be offline! Updating your social media profiles gives you a chance to curate your online presence, showcase achievements, and connect with others. It’s a great way to stay engaged with friends from all over and make sure your online identity reflects your current interests and accomplishments. A lot of employers look at your online presence prior to hiring.
Create a gratitude journal
This is one of my favorite things to do at night when bored. Boredom often stems from a lack of engagement or appreciation for the present moment. Keeping a gratitude journal shifts the focus toward positive aspects of life. Writing down things you’re thankful for not only fills idle time but also promotes mindfulness, fostering a more positive and appreciative mindset.
Improve your handwriting through practice
Refining your handwriting might seem simple, but it is a meditative and productive outlet. A neat and legible handwriting can enhance the clarity of your written communication and leave a positive impression.
Learn how to fix basic household items
Boredom can be transformed into a useful learning opportunity by acquiring basic DIY skills. Learning to fix household items not only saves money but also instills a sense of self-sufficiency and independence. It’s a productive way to address minor issues and contribute to a more sustainable lifestyle.
Try out new hairstyles or hair care routines
Experimenting with hairstyles or new hair care routines is a productive and creative way to use idle time. It allows for self-expression, boosts confidence, and fosters a sense of personal grooming. Plus, it’s a fun way to discover and embrace different looks.
Plan and create a weekly workout schedule
Turning boredom into a proactive fitness journey, planning and creating a weekly workout schedule contributes to physical well-being. It helps set fitness goals, ensures consistency, and provides a structured process to staying active. This approach to health is both rewarding and energizing.
Watch online tutorials to improve your skills in various areas
Watching online tutorials when bored is a productive way to invest your time in skill development. Whether it’s learning a new language, mastering software, or acquiring a hobby, these tutorials offer valuable insights and practical knowledge, contributing to personal and professional growth.
Organize and back up your digital photos and documents
Use something like Google Photos to have a place to back up your photos.
Online Tutorials for Skill Improvement
Invest your time in watching online tutorials to enhance your skills in various areas, from coding and graphic design to cooking or musical instruments. It’s a productive way to grow both personally and professionally. If you are ever stuck in your path of career change, pick up new skills through
Organizing Digital Assets
Take charge of your digital clutter by organizing and backing up your photos and documents. This not only ensures their safety but also makes it easier for you to locate and use them when needed.
Makeup Exploration
Experiment with different makeup looks and techniques to discover what suits you best. It’s a creative and productive way to enhance your self-expression and confidence.
Web Design and Blog Creation
Dive into the world of web design and create your website or blog. It’s a valuable skill that allows you to showcase your interests, and talents, or even start a business online.
Crafting with Yarn and Fabric
Take up knitting, crocheting, or sewing as a relaxing and productive hobby. You can create unique and personalized items while enjoying the therapeutic benefits of crafting.
E-book or Guide Writing
Share your knowledge and passion by writing a short e-book or guide on a topic you’re enthusiastic about. It’s a fulfilling way to contribute to your field of interest.
Personal Development Courses
Enroll in online courses focused on personal development. Whether it’s time management, communication skills, or mindfulness, continuous learning can lead to self-improvement.
Financial Investments Research
Research and start investing in stocks or cryptocurrencies. It’s a proactive step toward financial literacy and potential wealth-building. There are so many resources out there, just make sure you research where you get your information from.
Basic Car Maintenance Skills
Learn essential car maintenance tasks to save money and increase your understanding of your vehicle. Simple tasks like changing oil or replacing filters can be both practical and empowering.
DIY Spa Night
Treat yourself to a DIY spa night with facials, body scrubs, and relaxation techniques. It’s a rejuvenating way to practice self-care in the comfort of your own home.
Mental Math and Memory Exercises
Challenge your brain with mental math or memory exercises. It’s a productive way to keep your mind sharp and enhance cognitive abilities.
Dance Exploration
Learn and practice new dance moves. It’s a joyful and active way to stay fit while expressing yourself through movement.
Financial Vision Board
Create a vision board to visualize and plan your financial goals. It serves as a daily reminder of your aspirations and helps keep you focused on your financial journey.
Productivity Apps Exploration
Research and try out new productivity apps or tools to streamline your tasks and improve efficiency. Stay updated on technology that can enhance your workflow and organization.
Cultural Exploration
Learn about different cultures and traditions to broaden your understanding of the world. It promotes cultural sensitivity and opens up new perspectives.
Digital Detox
Take a break from screens and notifications by doing a digital detox for an hour or two. Use this time to engage in offline activities, connect with nature, or simply enjoy moments of mindfulness without the distractions of technology. It’s a refreshing way to reset and focus on the present.
Meditation Exploration
This is one of the best things to do at night when bored. Explore various meditation techniques to find what resonates best with you. Whether it’s mindfulness, guided meditation, or transcendental meditation, incorporating these practices into your routine can enhance mental clarity, reduce stress, and promote overall well-being.
Book Club Creation
Start a book club with friends or join online communities to discuss literature. It’s a social and intellectually stimulating activity that encourages regular reading.
Remember that productivity can be subjective, so choose activities that align with your interests and goals. Happy exploring!
Remember that productivity can be subjective, so always choose activities that align with your interests and goals!
