We’ve probably all been there at one time or another: On your day off, you sit at home in front of the tv and binge-watch series. We wonder why we don’t do anything more productive in our free time while clicking “play next episode.” Anyway, you feel somehow guilty in the evening because you haven’t had any meaningful occupation the whole day.
Especially recently, more and more people are sitting at home and don’t know what to do productively with their time. That’s why you will now find 27 productive activities here that will make you make you spend your time in a more useful way.
Productive things to do at home when you are bored
Read a book
Let’s start right off with a classic: reading a book. Books can, depending on the type of book you read, improve knowledge, or help you to let your creativity and imagination run free. Reading can also help to switch off, reduce stress, and deeply relax – a real all-rounder.
Try a new recipe
If you have plenty of time, this may be the perfect time to try a new recipe. Even as an inexperienced cook, you can take all the time in the world to prepare a new dish. Maybe you would like to try a completely new preparation method, a different ingredient or flavor. Also, tutorials and recipe videos online can help.
Learn a new language
If you are looking for really productive activity, language learning is arguably perfect for you. Because a new language can open so many doors for you and give you insights into other cultures and ways of life. Language learning is best as a daily habit. You take a little bit of time each day to learn new words, do comprehension exercises, use language apps like Duolingo, or understand grammar principles.
Creative Writing
Discover your creative side as you get your thoughts down on paper. Whether it’s a diary, short stories, or maybe even an entire book – there are no limits to your creativity. Write what makes you happy. Whether you want to write for yourself or even publish your work later is also entirely up to you.
Repair something
Have you been annoyed by the creaking door, the crooked picture on the wall, or the cupboard door that is jammed for months? Or maybe it’s just a broken light bulb that needs to be replaced. Now that you have some time on hand, it’s finally time to repair. And you will see how you will feel better every time you use that once broken piece of furniture.
If you have no idea how to go about repairs yourself, there are hundreds of instructions online, e.g., on Youtube.
Sort out your wardrobe
Don’t we all have at least one item of clothing in our closet that we haven’t worn in ages and will probably never wear again? Such clothes take up unnecessary space in the closet and are just annoying. That’s why your wardrobe should be checked for such unnecessary clothing every now and then.
If you donate the clothes later, you are even doing something good with your dust catchers. Of course, you can also sell them and earn a little bit of money on the side, e.g., on flea market apps.
Clean up your desk
Working at a tidy desk is much more productive. I’ve heard this sentence countless times and realized: it’s actually true.
So take some time to reorganize your desk and conveniently stow unnecessary papers and other items.
Organize kitchen utensils
Occasionally, it can be incredibly helpful to take a little time to reorganize your kitchen utensils. Order, e.g., the spices in your spice rack, fill up olive oil bottles as well as salt and pepper shakers or organize your cutlery drawer. This way, you will find what you are looking for much faster the next time you cook.
Do the laundry
So simple and yet so efficient: washing clothes. Because once the laundry has disappeared from the laundry basket, you don’t have to worry about it anymore (at least, for a day or so). If you don’t have clothes to wash right now, you can think about washing things that you regularly don’t. Such things could, e.g., be curtains, cushion covers, sofa covers, bathrobes, or things along those lines.
But you could also clean your washing machine so that your laundry smells wonderful again the next time you use the washing machine.
Dusting in unusual places
You probably remove the regular dust from your home regularly. But what about the places that are not so easy to get to? On unproductive days like this, you can grab your feather duster and a ladder and clean the dust from those places, like on top of the cupboards or behind the heaters.
Learn something new
Free time is also a great opportunity to learn something new. There are so many ways to learn from home. You can, e.g., watch a documentary, read a book, listen to a podcast, or take an online course. This way, you will never stop learning. You can learn about whatever topic interests you at the moment.
Arrange THE drawer
Maybe you have it at home too, THE drawer. The one drawer in which you dump everything you don’t know what else to do with it. Memories that are too valuable to be thrown away but too ugly to be standing anywhere notes that you will probably never read again, old cables that after a short time, you will have forgotten which device they even belong to … You surely know what I’m talking about. Now is the perfect time to finally get rid of all that stuff. And the things that you actually want to keep can be nicely organized afterward.
Organize your Computer
Not only your house but also your PC deserves a bit of order. Take a little time to reorder your folders. You can order, e.g., your photos by event or year or your music by genre.
Make a financial plan.
Think about the most boring activity you can think of. In addition to cleaning windows, many of you are likely to answer: File a tax return. However, if you sort and organize your bills and expenses every now and then, the actual tax return becomes much easier in the end.
You could also create a financial plan that will help you save a little more money in everyday life in the future. Get an overview of all your monthly expenses and think about where you could save the best.
Do something for your body and mind.
If you want to increase your productivity on days off at home, you should do something for your home and your body. Relaxation exercises or a little home workout can release new energies and make you feel better. Why don’t you try a yoga beginner workout on YouTube or learn more about meditation?
Play a musical instrument
Have you always wanted to play a musical instrument, or maybe you already have one that you haven’t touched in ages? Playing a musical instrument can be so relaxing and turn out to be a great hobby.
Here, too, there are plenty of opportunities to learn your first fingerings over the Internet so that you can play your first piece after a short time.
Bake a cake
How about something to sweeten your day? Being able to bake a cake is always a helpful quality. Because who doesn’t enjoy being surprised with a homemade cake on their birthday? So try out a new recipe, new shapes, or new decorations at home – your roommates, family, or neighbors will definitely don’t mind helping your finish it.
Pre-cook for the week
If you don’t feel like trying out new recipes or you are all already full, you can, of course, pre-cook for other days. So-called meal prep can help you save time during a stressful workweek by having a ready-to-go meal already in the fridge.
Me-Time
Did you know that every now and then, it can be really productive to just do nothing? Some Me-Time is essential to switch off, relax, reduce stress, and recharge your batteries.
Do what makes you happy. You can find some inspiration in our 12 practical me-time ideas.
Discover new hobbies
How about, for example, cooking or painting? You could also try a new instrument or learn a new language, computer program, or origami. There are no limits to your imagination and creativity. And who knows, maybe you will find your new favorite hobby or discover a hidden talent you had no idea of.
Set new goals
Many people lack motivation and energy in everyday life because they don’t pursue goals. So it can be helpful to always have something in mind that drives you. Such a thing could, e.g., be a family or financial goal. But it could also have something to do with your hobby or a dream that you have had for a long time.
So take some time to set new goals and develop a plan for how you can achieve them.
“What you’ve always wanted to know”-List
Often we wonder about stuff or certain topics come up in conversations. Things you’ve always wondered about, such as “How do the migratory birds know when to fly south?” or “Who is currently holding the world record in the marathon?” Every time you ask yourself something, you can write it down on a note (on your mobile phone). And when you have the time, you can google all those questions on your list and learn many new interesting facts.
Update your resume
Maybe today is the perfect time to update your CV. This can be especially helpful if you are toying with the idea of changing jobs. You never know when it might come in handy.
Spend time with the family
Family time is crucial. Especially in such lonely times as we are experiencing right now, spending a few hours with your family can lift your mood and make you feel so much better. Whether board games or just a chat over coffee and cake. If you don’t live with your family, how about calling your loved ones?
Create to-do lists
To-do lists can really change your life by making your day way more productive. It can help write down everything you want to do someday or soon and break it down into tasks. Big tasks can be divided into smaller subtasks and suddenly don’t seem that big anymore.
Create a shopping list
This the following sound like you? You just finished grocery shopping, and as soon as you get home, you can think of dozens of things you should have bought. It always helps to have a shopping list ready. As soon as something is running low, it should be written down, whether it’s food or household items. So if you have a bit of time, you can just take a look through your kitchen and everyday products to see what needs to be refilled.
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