Whether or not you’re “stuck” at home alone or not (introverts, ya feel me?), here are some great ideas for quality me-time, or things you can do today to improve your current or future state!
*This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a referral commission (or “store credit”) if you make a purchase.
Fun or Relaxing Things to Do By Yourself to Recharge at Home
Sometimes you just need to chill and recharge or practice some self-care. Here are some great ways to veg out or do something to perk yourself up!
1. Binge Watch Your Fave TV Show or Movies
This one is probably the most obvious, but when I’m feeling drained it’s one of the best ways to “turn off my brain” without actually sleeping. If you’re like me and don’t have access to live TV or cable and/or your own DVD collection, you can have unlimited access to tons of shows and movies online with Amazon Prime, Hulu, and/or Netflix.
If you prefer a totally free option, YouTube is a great distraction as well! I often go here to learn how to do something or veg out on animal stories or beauty tool testing videos:)
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2. Take a Nap / Sleep in Late
Speaking of sleeping, every once in a while my body just really needs a good long sleep.
If you don’t have somewhere you have to be, letting yourself wake up naturally (without an alarm) or taking an untimed nap during the day can rejuvenate a tired brain or body, and even help spark creativity!
3. Listen to a Podcast
A podcast can be a great way to tune out the world like with watching videos, while potentially learning something or getting some inspiration at the same time.
And because you don’t have to watch anything, it’s also great to have on in the background while doing a more “productive” task, which I’ll get to soon!
4. Read or Listen to a Book
Sometimes getting lost in a good book is just what the doctor ordered!
Don’t have any good books on hand? You can start reading digitally on your Kindle, tablet, or even desktop!
But if you’re a more auditory person, or just want something entertaining to listen to while doing other tasks (similar to a podcast), audiobooks are a great option!
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5. Listen to Your Fave Music (or Something New!)
Similar to a podcast, listening to music in the background while doing other things around the house is a great way to keep you motivated.
As a musician myself, I sometimes find it therapeutic, if not energizing, to actually sit and take in the lyrics of a beautiful and heartfelt song or an entire album.
Music can greatly affect one’s mood as well, so depending on whether to need some motivation, inspiration, relaxation or to be still and reflect, music can be a great aid!
6. Have a Good Cry
If you’ve recently gone through something difficult (or even if you haven’t), sometimes you just need a good cry!
What better time to let it all out than when you’re already home alone? Just be sure to end the crying sesh with something positive or fun! For instance:
7. Dance it Out!
Even if you’re a terrible dancer like me, sometimes you just need to dance and shake off the day (or month or year).
So if you’re home alone and feeling stressed or sad or tense or creatively stuck, put on your favorite upbeat song and have yourself your own little dance party! I promise you’ll feel energized if not more positive, and get in a little workout in the process 😉
8. Journal / Reflect / Be Creative
Especially if you’re an introvert, or need time to “process” things like I do, it’s good to take some time periodically to reflect on what’s been going on in your life, and if there’s anything you can and want to change about it.
TIP: It’s also a GREAT idea to make a log of the good things that happen, or that you accomplish, so you can remember them later when times are tough!
For me, songwriting has always been my biggest way of “sorting things out,” as well as my biggest creative outlet.
For you, maybe it’s journaling, or poetry, or drawing, or building something with your hands. It doesn’t have to be something you’re “good” at, just something you like to do to work out your own thoughts or express your creativity (even if it’s just for you).
If you’re feeling stuck, sometimes just doing something creative or active (even if you don’t feel like it at first), can help give your brain and heart space to let thoughts and more creativity start flowing naturally. (For instance, as I write this post I keep coming up with more ideas I didn’t initially plan to include! #sweet)
If you want to learn more about how physical movement can actually help spark creativity, this book for songwriters is what actually really got me thinking about movement and creativity in general!
Struggling to think of something creative to do, or aren’t a natural “free-flow” artist? How about a coloring book for adults?! That way you don’t have to come up with something from scratch.
TIP: If you want to be creative while also doing something productive, you could try bullet journaling, which is kind of like organizational doodling 😉 For instance, here are 15 bullet journal ideas to organize + track your finances!
9. Do Something to Improve or Maintain Your Beauty / Hygiene Regimen
Even if you don’t have time for (or aren’t up for) an entire DIY spa day adventure, just doing one or two quick and uplifting things to maintain or improve your appearance can boost your mood, and make you feel a little more ready to conquer something else.
For me this could be simply tweezing my eyebrows, giving myself a facial (or using my oh-so-satisfying guilty pleasure…), refreshing my boxed hair color, a DIY pedi or an in-shower sugar and olive oil scrub!
Sometimes I even put on a little makeup so I look a more awake and put together to myself in the mirror 😉 It actually helps me FEEL more awake and productive!
10. Play a Game
If you want something fun to do that requires a little more brainpower than watching TV or listening to an audiobook, games are a great way to tune out the world while still keeping your brain active.
You could go old school and play solitaire with a deck of cards, or find tons of free or paid games online you can play on our computer, tablet or phone.
>> Gold-Foil Waterproof Playing Cards on Amazon
I tend to like strategy and/or time management type games I can play on my iPad, like Plants vs. Zombies or Harvest Land.
But there are tons of other kinds of games you might find more stimulating like word games, virtual card games, and more interactive games you can play with real-life or online-only friends.
And of course, if you already have your own fancy gaming system, you’re set!
Fun AND Productive Things to Do By Yourself at Home
Here are a few things you can do that you might enjoy, and they’re also productive and useful!
11. Try a New Recipe
Whether you’re craving a certain kind of food or just like to cook or bake as a creative outlet, trying a new recipe (or making up your own) is a great way to have fun AND be productive. I mean, you’ve gotta eat anyway, right?
Even if cooking isn’t really your thing, doing trying something quick and easy that you might like and might be good for you can be a great pick-me-up. For instance, maybe try some new ingredients in a smoothie, or one of these keto mug cakes if you’re having sweet cravings!
12. Try a New Craft or DIY Project
Again, creating something with your hands is a great way to relax and have fun while also being productive, say by creating (or upcycling, refurbishing?) a unique piece of decor or furniture for your home.
13. Take an Online Course to Learn a New Skill
This is my all-time favorite way to combine entertainment, vegging out, AND productivity — learning something online!
An online course doesn’t have to be accredited or expensive, it can simply be for your own pleasure, or to teach you something to help better your life in a practical way.
One of my favorite places to take all kinds of classes online is Skillshare!
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Productive Things to Check Off Your To-Do List
Speaking of doing practical things to better your life, here some things you can do at home that simply need to be gotten out of the way, but checking them off feels so good!
14. Catch Up on Laundry / Dishes
Everybody’s gotta get these done on a regular basis, and for some reason doing my laundry in the background or taking 10 minutes to do the dishes (I don’t use a dishwasher, but for you, it could be loading and running the dishwasher) really helps me feel accomplished and productive!
If your laundry or dishes are piling up, taking a bit of time to get them taken care of can help you feel accomplished too, and ready to take on something else!
15. Finally Organize That ____ You’ve Been Meaning To
Maybe it’s your closet, or garage, or pantry, or car or bathroom vanity counter space… *raises hand*.
Whatever that thing is that you’ve been putting off organizing, why not do it now?
16. Spring Clean, Any Time of Year
Any time of year is a good time to give all or part of your home a good cleaning. I personally get overwhelmed trying to “Spring clean” everything at once, once a year, so I prefer to tackle section by section, or room by room.
17. Work Out
If you love working out, this can also be a part of your “fun” list. Or if you’re like me… you can add it to your “practical, do it ’cause it’s good for you” list 😉
Either way, even a quick workout can make you feel accomplished and physically rejuvenated.
18. Pay Your Bills Online
If you have some bills that aren’t automatically paid, go pay them now and get it out of the way!
19. Do Your Taxes Online
Of course, this can only be done during certain months of the year. But, if you’re currently in that window and have an hour or 2 to spare, you can do your own taxes online for free or for a small fee, depending on your needs.
If you only have a W-2 from an employer, you should be able to get everything done quickly and for free with TurboTax! Or if your income is a little more complicated, like if you worked in more than one state, are self-employed, invest in the stock market, etc. you might have to pay a fee (around $100 or less) that can optionally be deducted from your refund if you have one.
I’ve done my own taxes for years this way — free and paid — and it’s never taken me more than a few hours to file my own taxes online just by entering my info and following Turbotax’s self-guided instructions! And I like that it displays and re-calculates my expected state and federal refund or payment amounts as I go.
Things to Improve Your Present + Future from Home
Here are a few things that can be fun, kind of have a learning curve at first, and require some ongoing commitment. But, they are SO worth putting in a little effort upfront to improve your future — and maybe your present too!
20. Open a Retirement Account Online (for free!)
This is so, so important, especially for those of us who are self-employed, and/or work for an employer that doesn’t offer a 401k or other retirement option. It has given me so much more peace of mind that I just might not be homeless when I’m old!
One of the best things I’ve ever done to give myself some peace of mind about my future is to learn a bit about the stock market and open a free Roth IRA account online with M1 Finance! It doesn’t cost ANYTHING to open the account, or to purchase or sell stocks and funds!
It’s also super easy to set up auto-deposits to your account, and/or reinvest your dividends and other earnings automatically or manually so your account can keep growing even without adding more money!
And a Roth IRA is pre-taxed, which means your income is taxed BEFORE you invest, but anything you earn WITHIN your account is tax-free! So if you earn dividends (kind of like interest) or earn by selling stock for more than you bought it for (capital gains), you won’t be taxed on these earnings as long as you don’t take out the money prematurely.
By the time you retire, you could double your money (if not a lot more) just by investing in some stable EFT funds or dividend stocks, and not have to pay any additional income taxes as you take out your earnings. The sooner you get started the better, even if you only have a little to spare each year, because you’ll have more time for your account to grow tax-free!
21. Open a Stock Market Investing Account Online (for free!)
The next best thing I did after starting my retirement account was to open a general stock market investing account — actually 2 of them. This is great if you have enough money to surpass the yearly deposit limit for your retirement account, or if you just want to keep some of your investments a little more fluid and short-term.
I started 1 account with M1, the same place I have my retirement account. I think M1 is really the best place for beginners or more passive investors to get started, while still maintaining some control over exactly what to purchase or sell in your account.
When you use my referral link, we’ll both get $10 FREE cash to invest! (NOTE: This is for a regular investing account only, not a retirement account.)
22. Start a (Money-Making) Blog / Add to Your Blog
OK, maybe this one is arguably the best decision I made for my future… I can’t decide! 🙂
My last productive suggestion of something you can do from home to greatly improve your future AND express your creativity is to start a blog!
Or, if you’ve already started one and are feeling stuck or discouraged, DON’T GIVE UP! It took me several years to get my bearings so to speak and start to see some real traction.
If you need some help getting started, here’s a super affordable book about starting a blog by Meera Kothand, who’s an excellent writer and online teacher! It’s available as a paperback or Kindle ebook.
Plus, here are over 100 FREE Blogging tools and apps for beginners to check out if you need help getting started on a budget!
Phew! Well there you have it, 22 things you could do while bored at home by yourself. I hope this list given you some inspiration to go do something fun, relaxing, productive, or all of the above!
But before you do… PIN THIS LIST FOR LATER! 🙂
