You’re bored.

You don’t want to do whatever it is you’re supposed to be doing, be it a work assignment, school project, or house chores.        

Still, you want to get at least something done today.

In this post, I offer eighteen tasks you can take care of with relative ease.

Before we begin, I’m going to preface these tasks with a little note: productivity isn’t always about churning out work or assignments at record speeds.

Sometimes we have to take a step back from whatever it is we’re heavily involved in at the moment.

We need to take a well-deserved break.

We need to take time to take care of our personal, administrative, professional, or household affairs.

Or perhaps we just need to take a day off to de-stress, daydream, and imagine.

I hope this list of tasks will give you some ideas on what to do the next time you’re feeling bored.

Do laundry.

At the very least, you’ll have a fresh set of clean clothes and your hamper will be empty. Besides washing your clothes, you could launder bedsheets, blankets, comforters, curtains, and towels.

Daydream.

When’s the last time you looked out at the window and let your gaze fall on the scenery in front of you? Stared at the clouds in the sky? Cuddled up with a good book and imagine yourself as the hero in the story? It’s worth taking a step back to just take in the moment.

Throw out old clothes.

Soggy socks and threadbare sweaters aren’t doing you or your wardrobe much good. Chuck at least ten pieces of old or worn-out clothing that are past their prime.

Get outdoors and move.

You could play basketball, soccer, hide and go seek, baseball, badminton, volleyball, or tennis. You could go skiing, hiking, walking, biking, swimming, sailing, fly a kite…you get the idea. Your body will thank you.

Clean out your wallet.

Remove receipts, shred or recycle expired cards and coupons, count coins, and put everything back inside the wallet. Congratulations, you now have a clean wallet. No more fumbling at the cash register!

Doodle.

A sheet of paper and a pen, pencil, or marker are all you need. Draw whatever shapes, lines, doodles, or images you’d like. You’ll get your creativity flowing and calm your nerves all at the same time.

Shine a pair of shoes.

Grab some shoe polish and a shoe brush and have at it. Your shoes will look great and they’ll be ready for that next big meeting, date, or job interview.

Call a good friend.

You know, it’s that certain someone who’s been on your mind for the past few weeks. Give them a call and catch up. You won’t regret it!

Declutter personal grooming supplies.

Raid your bathroom cabinets and drawers, and the tops of your dressers and vanities for old or expired makeup, soaps, lotions, and potions. Then, go online to your municipality’s website to learn how to properly dispose of items.

Play a game with your pet.

Bust out the ol’ chew toy for Fido and pull out the sparkly wand for Fluffy. They will be absolutely thrilled. You’ll be their new best friend, again.

Flip your mattress.

When’s the last time you flipped your mattress? You can also wash/change your bedsheets, blankets, comforters, and pillowcases while you’re at it.

Pick up litter in your neighborhood.

A simple way to get some exercise and make your local streets look great.

Vacuum the stairs in your home.

You don’t have to vacuum the whole house to make a big difference. Put the nozzle attachment on your vacuum and get to work.

Write down three goals for the next three months.

What would you really like to complete sometime over the next three months? Now’s your chance to plan…

Clean out your car’s glove compartment.

Chuck any visible trash, move items that belong inside of your home, and make sure you have your registration and a flashlight handy for emergencies.

Plan your next vacation.

It’s never to early to plan your next holiday or vacation. What country, city, or town would you love to visit?

Sew a button on a sweater or coat.

You know that button you’ve been meaning to sew on your favorite dress coat for the past two months? Why not sew it on now?

Just be bored.

Yes, boredom can be a good thing. Being bored allows your mind to reset, find solutions to problems, and gets your creative juices flowing. Why not allow yourself to be bored? The feeling will soon pass and you’ll be back to your regular routine before you realize it.

How about you? What do you do to pass the time when you’re bored? Join the conversation and leave a comment below!