10 Things I like to do to stave off boredom
1. Knit
I LOVE to knit. I honestly start knitting Christmas presents in January and typically have to finish them all up as quickly as possible in December. I always have at least 2 knitting projects going at a time in case I need to switch it up. Confession: I knit while watching TV so that I feel like I'm still being productive. Type A anyone?
2. Write lists
I have so much going on right now, that keeping up with my own schedule can be difficult. I always have running lists for things that need to get done by a deadline. If I ever think I might be getting bored, I start making other lists like: Things that need to get done around the house, Cleaning tasks, shopping lists, long term goals, goals for the week, etc etc etc. I think you get the point.
3. Pinterest or Etsy Surf
Hi, my name is Hillary, and I'm completely addicted to Etsy and Pinterest. There, I said it. You can follow me on both.
4. Read a book
My best friend, who also has a PhD, told me that the one thing she missed in grad school was reading for fun. She advised that I always keep a fun book going on the side. I took that advice to heart, and have always one going. I even started a book club with a couple friends so that we could talk about the books we read together. Currently we're reading Amy Tan's The Bonesetter's Daughter. It happens in 10 minute increments usually, but I love that little escape.
5. Hold a living room dance party
Oh yes, sometimes the only cure for boredom is to get up and shake our booties! The girls love it, and I usually work up a little bit of a sweat. Bonus: tiny workout!
6. Get outside
Nature always changes my perspective. Slowing down and listening to the sounds of the birds and watching my girls find bugs with their magnifying glasses reminds me that chilling out isn't such a bad thing.
7. Ask my girls what they want to do
I LOVE this game. I love to hear what they come up with. Currently, they keep trying to nonchalantly suggest that we go back to Holiday World, the local theme park. More often than not, they want to go to a playground or go get ice cream. I'm always down for both of those things!
8. Call a friend
I love randomly dialing my friends all around the country and surprising them. It is so much fun to hear their voices and to catch up. I tend to keep friends that I love for a very long time, and keeping in touch with them, even if only occasionally, is really important to me. I love random phone calls from long out of touch friends too, so being the one to call makes it all the more fun.
9. Organize or clean something
That's right, I don't just make lists about what needs to be done. I also actually do things. I'm not talking major projects, but sometimes the cabinet under the sink just needs to be reorganized. Sometimes I need to go through the pile of papers and actually put them in the filing cabinet. Sometimes the refrigerator just needs to be cleaned out. If I think I'm bored, that is when those things happen in our house.
10. Play on my iPad
Yes, I do play games on my iPad. I like to play word rush (kinda like boggle) and any puzzle games. I refuse to even try that Candy Crush Saga because I KNOW I'll get addicted. I also really like to peruse the local real estate on Zillow and check the news on Huffington Post. This isn't even counting the games I play with the kids on there, but that's a separate list all together.
So there they are, 10 things that I do to stave off boredom. I am quite rarely bored, but it does happen. I really wish for bored days sometimes. Being bored is also a chance to get lost in your own thoughts, and lost in thought is sometimes where my best ideas come from*.
Bored? Not me!
*PhD Comics is one of my favorites, despite totally embarrassing myself in front of the guy who draws it. That is a story for another time though.
