17 Pleasant Time Wasters to Survive a Few Hours of Boredom

We can’t be busy for all waking hours. We need downtime, and sometimes, we need to wait for the next thing to happen.

Stop killing time with unproductive activities like doomscrolling. Opt for pleasant time wasters instead.

What are Pleasant Time Wasters?

Pleasant time wasters help us while away the hours while improving our lives. They make us happy instead of angry, keep us engaged while we’re waiting, and expand our minds.

Of course, they still help us waste time, but it’s a productive waste of time rather than an unproductive one.

So the next time you’re bored, try one of these pleasant wastes of time instead of scrolling mindlessly on social media.

Read a Book

Put down your phone and pick up a book. Explore strange new worlds, fall in love with fresh characters, and journey to uncharted territories.

It’s all possible in one of humanity’s greatest strengths: storytelling.

You don’t need to read epic novels like War and Peace. Read trashy romance, ridiculous sci-fi, or your favorite children’s book. Permit yourself to enjoy what you enjoy.

Call a Friend

I’ll probably lose my millennial card for even suggesting that you pick up a phone for an actual call but hear me out.

Call them. Reminisce about old times. See how they’re doing. Support them. Make plans to see each other.

It won’t even feel like time wasted.

Puzzle Books

How do you waste time when you have no cell phone service? That’s the number one question for travelers, but usually they stock up on puzzle books before a long-haul flight.

Grab some word searches, crosswords, and Sudoku games at your local bookstore. Keep it in your car or purse, so you always have a pleasant time waster on hand when you get stuck waiting somewhere.

Play a Game

I wonder how many beloved games stemmed from boredom?

When I was little, our family would take Friday night trips to Walmart. We would browse for a while, but we’d inevitably get bored and head to the cafeteria (remember when big box stores had those?)

There, my dad would entertain us with “quarters,” a game where we had three chances to flick the quarter across the table and get it to rest just over the edge. We spent hours playing while Mom shopped.

Cellphones make wasting time with a game a lot easier, but you don’t need one. Try an entertaining road trip game or invent your own.

Work on a Project

Starting a new project is one of my favorite pleasant time wasters. Of course, I have ADHD, so I rarely finish them, but that just means I have tons to choose from whenever I’m bored.

Will I work on my half-finished kit-bashed toys, scrapbook, or vision board? Maybe I’ll finish that drip painting I started six months ago.

But we all know I’m going to start something new instead.

Spend time with Pets

If you have a pet, spending time with them is the best way to waste time. Chase your cat around the house. Play fetch with your dog. Cuddle with them.

Playing with a beloved pet is so much better than mindlessly scrolling the internet. It will help you bond with them, and it’s been proven that the act of petting a dog or cat improves your well-being.

Explore New Blogs and Websites

Stop letting the Googles and Facebooks of the world steal all your attention. Instead, seek out smaller websites (ahem – like mine?). We still exist, even though it’s much harder to find us on today’s corporate internet.

But trust me, a small creator will appreciate your traffic far more than these giant soul-sucking corporations. Take the extra time to find them, and when you do, join their lists, bookmark their pages, or follow them on social media so you stay connected.

Go for a Walk

Put your phone down and shoes on! Taking a stroll when you’re bored will help you clear your head, get some exercise, and (hopefully) receive a jolt of fresh air.

Wave to the neighbors. Stop and smell the flowers in the spring. Enjoy the foliage in the fall.  

And leave your phone at home so you’re not tempted to walk with a craned neck.

Make a List

I love lists. Of course, you can’t go wrong with a basic to-do list outlining all the things you want to accomplish, but you can also make lists for fun.

Consider making a list of all the books you’ve read, your favorite movies, the places you want to visit, or your top bucket list ideas. Check out our ultimate list of lists for more fun list-making ideas.

Color

Coloring isn’t just for kids anymore. In the last decade or so, adult coloring books became all the rage, bringing the best childhood pastime to grown-ups across the country.

You can find an adult coloring book to meet nearly any interest. I even found one dedicated to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, so I’m sure you can find one related to your favorite topic.

Learn Something Cool

How can you be bored when the entirety of human knowledge is at your fingertips? Go down a weird Wikipedia rabbit hole or sign up for a free course on one of the many e-learning platforms.

If you don’t like online learning, head to a library and check out a book on your favorite subject.

Curate a Playlist

My ADHD prevents me from making playlists (or organizing anything in any way), but apparently, people love to do it.

Instead of scrolling through TikTok, open Spotify and make playlists for every occasion. Craft the perfect classical music playlist for learning or a party playlist for the next holiday.

It sounds like torture to me, but a lot of people enjoy wasting time this way.

People Watch

People are fascinating creatures. Head to your local coffee shop, buy a cheap drink, and relax while watching the rest of us go about our days like hamsters on a wheel.

My favorite thing about people watching is admiring their fashion sense. I have none of my own, so I enjoy how others pair cute boots and jackets with accessories for a put-together look I could never pull off.

But people watching is also a fantastic way to develop empathy. Try to read their emotions and think about what they might be going through. Don’t judge them, simply try to understand. The more you do it, the better you will get at it, and it will make you a better person.

Doodle and Draw

Grab a pen and paper and create a masterpiece!

Okay, if you’re anything like me, “masterpiece” is a generous term, but your lack of skill shouldn’t stop you from doodling!

I love drawing little monsters and aliens, or doodling shapes like squares and mazes. There are hundreds of fun things you can draw to alleviate boredom – and once you click the link, you’ll realize that it doesn’t matter whether you’re good at drawing or not.

Don’t judge my art.

Journal

Journaling has so many great benefits, making it a healthy way to spend extra time. When you have a few spare moments, pick up your journal instead of your phone. Write about what happened today – your best accomplishments or your biggest fears.

Discover the wonderful world of journaling and discover which types of journals fit best into your life.

Daydream

Here’s a weird confession from someone who’s obsessed with financial independence: I play the lottery.

When the jackpot gets into the billions, I’ll buy a single ticket and allow myself to dream. I think about the wonderful things I could do with so much money, from supporting charities to helping friends.

I’m basically paying for a daydream, but you could also do that for free. The next time you’re bored, waste time dreaming instead of absorbing content. Think about what you want your life to look like in five years, play your dream vacation, or imagine yourself achieving a cool goal.

Just Be

The most pleasant time waster of all, if you can manage it, is to just be. Society wants us to stay busy, so we think we have to always be doing something. Our brains then crave that dopamine rush, so we keep searching for more.

Stop.

Let go of the need to do all the time, and try to just be. Get in a Zen zone. Enjoy the world around you in the present moment.

Enjoy Your Time

Finding a pleasant way to waste time improves your life. These activities don’t always have to be productive, but they should be enjoyable.

Too many of us waste time on things we don’t actually like, and why? I get we’re tired and want to veg, but there are better ways to do that than doomscroll.

Try these fun ways to waste time instead, and share your favorites in the comments!