Nine ways to fight boredom

What are you doing this weekend? Your friends might ask you and when you say, “I’ll just spend the weekend at home alone”, they give you the “that’s so boring, you lonely soul look…!”

Who said a couple hours, a day or a week by yourself has to feel like you`re locked up in solitude.

The next time its just you and you feel like the clock is ticking too slow and you dread it, here’s how to be occupied:

Watch a movie.

A big bowl of popcorn and a nice movie, whatever you like watching or even something new and out of your comfort zone; documentaries, features, animations, commentary, series, sitcoms etc.

Hang out with your favorite actors and meet new ones.

Before you know it you`ll be chuckling yourself up real bad or getting your emotions up.

Apart from entertainment, we learn so much from watching a movie; new cultures, new languages, new perspectives and also gain motivation from the characters.

2. Have a solo house date.

Cook a nice meal for a solo date at the comfort of your space. Make a new recipe: something special, go extra if you can!

3 course meal, something delicious, that turns your taste buds on.

Set the table up real nicely, get the perfect outfit and dig in.

Spending quality planned time with yourself will let you know yourself better and discover new things about you.

With good music in the background a solo date couldn’t be better!

3. Read a book.

Fiction, self-help, thrillers; name it! Taking yourself to a different universe through the pages of a book does so much for you.

With a vast number of topics to choose from, you’ll get so much knowledge.

Did you know that reading stimulates different parts of your brain that control language processing and reduces stress levels?

By reading a book, especially fiction, your imagination awakens and your focus is narrowed down to the pages before you, hence relaxing muscle tension.

4. Listen to a podcast.

“Stuff you should know” podcast for those interested and curious about the world, “Girls and a Pod” talking about stories from Africa and all over the world hosted by Kenyans Beverly Ochieng and Nyambura Mutayi, “Crime Junkie” podcast, true crime podcast hosted by Brit Prawat and Ashley Flowers are just my top favorites.

Podcasts allow you to multi task. You could do your laundry, organize your space and still learn or laugh.

Podcast listenership is widely growing and one can get inspiration, knowledge, information, entertainment through podcasts.

5. Sing your soul out.

With the music quite high, we all sound like we are vocally twinning with Mariah Carey, Beyoncé and Nikita Kering’ and we can all put up a show.

Turn your cooking spoon to a microphone and let loose to your imaginary fans.

Music is considered a form of therapy.When singing, happy hormones like dopamine, endorphins and serotonin are released which enhances your mood and improves mental health.

6. Get into your mind.

The mind is the center control of our beliefs, feelings and desires.

Penning down your thoughts in your journal, writing yourself a love letter, life’s bucket list, making a vision board are some of the ways to bring your thoughts to life.

You will be able to master your emotional patterns, figure out what is important to you and envision the life of your dreams.

7. Practice self-care.

Take time to give yourself a mani-pedi, facial, long shower, make some herbal tea for yourself, pray or do yoga.

Show yourself love in the best way you can in that moment.

This will definitely light up your mood.

Practicing dimensions of self-care such as physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing reduces anxiety, depression and improves your general wellbeing.

8. Put on your dancing shoes.

Move like the world is waiting on your choreos and you are the dance master, let your guard down.

It doesn’t have to be perfect, with the right tune anybody can move their body.

You can learn a new dance by taking classes online varying from ballet, jazz, hip-hop, afro-beats, belly dancing, salsa to tiktok dance challenges or just your silly un-choreographed dance moves.

Apart from dance being a form of expression and culture, it gives you room to burn some calories, keep fit and have fun.

9. Take pictures of yourself

Get inspiration from Pinterest or Instagram and put your smartphone to work. Use a timer or a Bluetooth remote control and be your own photographer. Have all the fun editing to your preference.

Pictures tell so much and hold memories that forever stay.

The best part is you can frame a picture you took of yourself, place it on your bedside table, mount it on the wall or even gift a friend, significant other or family to look at every time they think of you.