What are you doing right now? Are you browsing social media on your phone, wasting time watching YouTube videos or skimming through articles involving the latest celebrity gossip? Are you playing Candy Crush or Angry Birds? Or tweeting your most recent late night thoughts?
We've all been there, done that... myself included. Whether it's sitting in bed avoiding sleep or procrastinating your next big project, everyone is guilty of overusing their phone out of boredom. To try to help both myself and others avoid this issue, here is a list of things to do (especially at night) when you are bored.
1. Read a book.
Uh, thanks Ms. Obvious! Reading books is something many of us tell ourselves we don't have enough time to do, forgetting about the amount of time we spend on our phones. Books that aren't found in an app or on an electronic device and can be held in your hand are much more exciting. You can take notes in them and make yourself a bookmark... the ideas are endless!
2. Write.
Writing is something I've started doing again more recently especially when I can't sleep late at night. Pulling up Facebook or Twitter on my phone won't do anything for my poor sleeping habits but writing down all my current thoughts definitely will. It clears your mind so you can sleep and also sets an reminder for tomorrow on the oh-so-important topics you felt you just had to think about as you were trying to sleep.
Writing is also great to do during the day. Whether you keep your own personal journal or diary on your life or you write short stories, etc., it allows you to express some of your creativity and passion for things in your life. Instead of tweeting your thoughts, writing them down is so much more intimate and personal.
3. Listen to music.
Remember CDs? The things we had before we had iPhones? Those are awesome! I still have a whole stack of CDs in my room that I save for a rainy day. From the old Avril Lavigne to movie soundtracks, I've got it all! Listening to music instead of skimming through social media pages allows you to connect with artists and even yourself in ways you couldn't possibly imagine, even if it is through iTunes. Sometimes all it takes is finding that one band or artist, and you're hooked.
4. Go outside.
Taking the time your spending indoors on your phone and using it to spend outside playing sports, watching the stars, catching lightning bugs, or even taking a walk is a great way to enjoy yourself. On beautiful sunny days, it's simply a waste of time to spend it on your phone, and even on rainy days I would much rather get a game of Ultimate Frisbee going in the rain than be staring at a phone screen.
5. Actually converse with someone.
Instead of texting or Snapchatting, why not get off your butt and go talk to someone face-to-face. Go out for coffee, dinner, to the park, the movies, anything! Talking to your parents will brighten up both their day and yours. Ask your siblings to play a board game. The possibilities are endless on this one.
Honestly, phones are great. They keep us connected, entertained, updated, and interested. Keeping this in mind, use your free time to create experiences, memories, and art that will last your entire life, instead of wasting it on a electronic screen.
