18 Things To Do When You're Bored But Are Tired Of Scrolling Through Your Phone

There's plenty of ways to pass the time.

We recently asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to tell us what cellphone-free activities are great to do when bored. Here are some of their suggestions!

1. Do some brush stroke art.

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"I actually did not have a passion or something I was deeply interested in for a long time. I’d come home from work beat-tired and zone my mind out with TV. I realised I was wasting a lot of my life, so I did some research, found a cheap hobby, brush stroking, and began to practise. I got really good, and even learned to sell stuff on Etsy. It is so much more rewarding and I can do that now instead of constantly trying to recall if I had done anything memorable the day before. Of course, there are definitely still about two nights a week where I don’t mind an hour or two of TV!"

—erinc58

2. Give writing short stories a try.

Flickr: w00ter / Creative Commons

"I write short stories that I then keep in a book or journal or whatever. They’re really bad stories but I appreciate them."

—zarakhan2004

3. Read or write some poetry.

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"It doesn’t take a lot of time to read (especially haiku!) but it's so rewarding. And writing poetry is amazing as well – the perfect emotional outlet and a really beautiful art form."

—kateg44899cc54

4. Experiment with makeup, even if you're not going anywhere.

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"It’s so fun get super creative with any kind of art!"

—justmemorgan

5. Start on a bullet journal.

Flickr: anandi_raman_creath / Creative Commons

"I know it's like trendy and stuff but it's really relaxing. You don't have to be a pro at drawing – watch a few 'how to; calligraphy videos (the key is to make the line bigger when you go down with the pen) and bullet journal videos and invest in a pretty dotted notebook and maybe even a brush or calligraphy pen. I don't have my shit together but having a bullet journal makes me feel like I have.

"I wont promise you that you will be more organised but its a great way to start. I never really liked colouring books and mandalas or had the patience to draw one entirely, but with my journal I draw and write in my own planer while doing something creative, listening to music, and having the same relaxing feeling. Trust me it's great."

—mycathatesme

6. Bake something tasty.

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"I bake something. I’ve got piles and piles of recipe books and I just pick one at random and choose a recipe I’ve never made before. And I’m a super messy cook, so I get to clean up after myself. A couple of hours killed all at once, plus there’s cake at the end."

—alih26

7. Give yourself a home manicure.

Flickr: 100796844@N07 / Creative Commons

"It's fun to pick a new colour based on the season, any events you have coming up, or just based on your mood. For me, it's a creative way to focus my attention and energy while avoiding boredom. Plus, it results in forced relaxation time while I wait for my nails to dry!"

—sra18

8. Try your hand at sewing.

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"I’ve learnt to sew. I started with a 1970s book designed to teach children and a £40 sewing machine and now I have a wardrobe of unique clothing WITH POCKETS."

—irisb4ab629eea

9. Get to grips with making diamond paintings.

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"I do the 'diamond' paintings – basically paint by number with a sticky picture and a bunch of little jewel/bead things. They are pretty relaxing and make some nice looking pictures when they're done."

—sams75

10. Take some time to really stretch.

Flickr: auntiep / Creative Commons

"When I'm bored I like to sit on my really fluffy rug and take time to stretch while listening to whatever album is my favourite at that time! It's not only relaxing but a great way to use your free time and practice self-care!"

—m4f09c0f39

11. Do some life admin and organise that work you've been meaning to sort.

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"I try and have about two hours a week where I switch my phone off and organise school work / sort notes."

—jessicas4186d6a3a

12. Learn how to make bobbin/bilro lace.

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"I'm from Brazil and I’ve recently learned how to make bilro lace! I could make lace collars all day long."

—vivica

13. Grab a crossword puzzle book.

Flickr: dlytle / Creatice COmmons

"I do have an app for it but I also have a book of them. I’m a stay at home mom with a four and one-year-old so it’s easy to put away and the kids don’t get into it, unlike jigsaw puzzles. Keeps me sane sometimes when I had a long day, I put the kids to bed and sit and put on music or mindless TV and just fill out my crosswords."

—mamameows

14. Create a memory scrapbook.

Flickr: chasingdonguri / Creative Commons

"I like to make memory scrapbooks; I often keep little mementos from special days out and trips, like receipts, bar mats, and tickets, and then I’ll get a load of photos printed from those occasions and spent time making a scrap book and writing my memories from the day alongside. These also make a very sentimental gift idea!"

—hannahlouisem424a17f10

15. Do some sketching.

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"Drawing in my sketchbook. I put on some music or a show for some background noise and draw for as long as I can."

—lizzkd

16. Make felt ornaments.

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"I make felt Christmas ornaments anytime of the year. It’s cheap, and you can finish each one in an evening."

—acefrost

17. Write someone mail.

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"When I’m feeling more creative or like I still want to connect, I find writing mail rocks!"

—rachelm4c0676a0c

18. Do some embroidery.

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"I embroider every once in a while to help me relax, 10/10 highly recommend."

– emmab4b52f1392

Note: submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.

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