If you are like most people, and the weather affects your mood, you probably feel a bit lethargic whenever it rains. However, there’s many ways you can still enjoy your free time — I came up with a hundred. Download the list or keep reading.
Here we go:
1. Do crossword puzzles
If it rains and you don’t feel like going out, test your knowledge with crosswords. Alternatively, play sudoku or any other puzzles online. Just like we exercise and move our body so it’s healthier, it makes sense to train our mind so it becomes sharper and more focused.
2. Go for a ride
It’s probably not a good idea to drive around during a storm or a heavy rainfall, but if the weather isn’t too intimidating, you can jump in your car and go for a ride. Unless you have to reach a specific destination and you’re short on time, it can be a calming experience.
3. Plan the following day
If it rains and you can’t do much today, why not plan tomorrow, or the following days? Grab pen and paper and create a to-do list where you write down everything you must or want to do shortly. You can use an app on your phone as well, but it won’t be as satisfying.
4. Make a drawing
No need to be Michelangelo — all you need is a piece of paper, a pen or pencil, and some creativity. You can try and draw objects around the house, a self-portrait, or even something completely abstract. If you’ve never done this before, you may be surprised by your own skills.
5. Call a friend
Is there someone you’d like to stay in touch with more often, but never have the time to contact? If you have nothing to do, and the weather isn’t the best, you can call one of your friends or relatives and have a long chat with them.
6. Write in your journal
Journaling allows you to note down your thoughts and emotions; you can even write down your dreams. By putting your thoughts on paper, you have the opportunity to reflect on your current life as well as what you would like to do in the future, and it’s good for your mental health.
7. Sip a warm drink
When it’s cold and rainy, and you don’t have to do anything in particular, you can prepare a hot drink and sip it slowly. It’s a very relaxing ritual, and it’s good for digestion as well. In the morning, or whenever you want to wake up and feel energized, you can have green tea, which contains a small amount of caffeine.
8. Shop on Etsy
Owning a product that is unique feels special. Whether you want to buy a bracelet, a new scarf, or a piece of art, Etsy gives you the opportunity to buy from private sellers; some of them are extremely creative, and their products are well worth the price.
9. Learn a new recipe
If you want to lose weight, have a better diet, or be healthier in general, it’s a good idea to learn a new recipe so you can cook it at home. Once you can cook quick, healthy meals, it will be easier to avoid junk food and get in all the essential vitamins and nutrients on a daily basis.
10. Listen to music
Sometimes all it takes to lift your mood is your favorite songs, so when the weather is gloomy, put on your headphones and listen to the music you enjoy the most. Alternatively, try and discover new songs, or a new music genre.
11. Watch your favorite movie
This may be an obvious one, but it had to be part of this list. When it’s rainy, watch your favorite movie for the 57th time (it’s probably worth it), or spend some time searching cool videos on YouTube — you may discover some hidden gems.
12. Clean your home
Not much to explain about this one — just use some of your free time to make sure your home is spotless. Not the most glamorous item on the list, and probably not something that excites you, but once you’re done it gives you a sense of accomplishment.
13. Play card games
The great thing about this is that you can play card games with others — your partner, friends, or family — or on your own. There’s hundreds of different games you can choose from, including solitaires, and you can always change some of the rules to make them more interesting.
14. Solve a jigsaw puzzle
Depending on how much time you have, as well as the amount of patience you have, you can try and solve a 100 piece, 500 piece, or even 2,000 piece puzzle. It’s challenging, and it’s not ideal if you’re impatient, but the final result can be very satisfying.
15. Knit
Grab a yarn and start creating your own masterpiece. You can knit a scarf, a blanket, or anything you like. If you’ve never done it, or need some extra tips, you can check some tutorials online and follow them step by step. If you ever become an expert at this, you may even decide to sell some of your creations.
16. Meditate
Find your inner zen and clear your mind with a short meditation session. It has been shown that meditating on a regular basis improves your sleep, mood, and ability to concentrate, and there’s basically zero side effects. If you’re a beginner, you may want to try the easiest techniques.
17. Unsubscribe from old email lists
Being able to receive updates and useful content on your email can only be a good thing, but when it gets to the point where you can’t keep up, or you receive messages from sites you never even remember subscribing to, it’s time to decide which ones to keep.
18. Do a water fast
Just like it’s essential to feed our body with the right amount of calories, vitamins, and minerals, it’s equally important to give our digestive system some rest from time to time. When practiced the right way, fasting has some amazing health benefits, so when you have some time off, you can try it out (always check with a healthcare professional before you do anything too crazy).
19. Plan your next holiday
If it rains way too often where you live, or you don’t like the weather for any reason, then you probably need to spend some time somewhere nice and sunny. You may not be able to do that today or tomorrow, but you can definitely plan your trip right now, and feel the excitement in advance.
20. Smash the walls
Angry? Frustrated? You may need to smash some walls. I don’t encourage vandalism: I am referring to a site where you can tap the screen and destroy colorful virtual surfaces, endlessly. If it sounds intriguing, go ahead and smash the walls.
21. Get a massage
A good massage will instantly improve both your physical and mental health; if you suffer from stress or anxiety, massage can do wonders, and it feels amazing. Even when the weather it’s terrible, you can still drive to the closest spa and pamper yourself.
22. Declutter
Clutter has many negative effects: it affects your productivity, and even your sanity. When you have too much stuff lying around the house, you can’t feel at your best. And unless you take action, clutter tends to accumulate and grow. So when it rains and you can’t go out, take some time to declutter. Your mental health will thank you.
23. Read inspiring quotes
Everyone loves quotes, and it’s fascinating how sometimes a five to ten word phrase can say so much and be so inspiring. You can check out my collection of a hundred quotes about intuition, or have a look at your favorite quotes online.
24. Make an origami
Surprisingly, it’s possible to create tiny sculptures of dragons, trees, and cartoon characters with a single piece of paper. And while you may not be able to create a masterpiece yet, you can still learn the basics and express your creativity.
25. Nourish your hands
It’s important to take care of our skin, especially when the weather is cold and dry. When it rains, and you have some free time, nourish your hands by applying a lotion; if you want, you can wear dermatological gloves so your hands absorb the cream better, and you are still able to do other tasks.
26. Do nothing
There’s no need to be super productive all the time, and a small dose of laziness is actually good for your health. So take advantage of your time off to recharge, and do nothing. Some of our best ideas and intuitions come to us when we are fully relaxed, so by doing nothing your mind may generate some clever plans for your future.
27. Uninstall apps you no longer use
You already read the paragraph about decluttering your home, and your house may be immaculate, but what about your phone? If you haven’t already, get rid of all those apps you haven’t used for months. They take up storage and may slow your phone down. Don’t forget to delete old photos and videos, too.
28. Visit a museum
When it rains, you may have to postpone outdoor activities, but you can still jump in your car and go to places. Visiting museums and art exhibitions is a good way to de-stress and discover new things. When you walk around and observe everything, it’s as if you were time traveling, or in a different dimension.
29. Create a “stop doing list”
To-do lists make you more productive; stop-doing lists make you more efficient. We all tend to waste our time and energy on things that aren’t really important, so whenever you have time, I encourage you to create a list of things you no longer want, or need, to do.
30. Listen to meditation sounds
Our body and mind subconsciously react to external stimuli. When we hear high-pitched sounds, or unpleasant noises in general, we usually become more alert, or anxious; when we listen to soothing music, we automatically feel better. Meditation sounds are a great way to relax and turn off your brain temporarily.
31. Learn ten new words
Apparently, English has almost half a million words. And although many of them are extremely rare, it’s still an incredible amount. One thing you can do when you are bored at home is open the dictionary and learn ten new words — to improve your knowledge of the language, or simply out of curiosity.
32. Repeat positive affirmations
Do affirmations really work? The answer is: it’s up to you. Many don’t have the discipline to use affirmations every day, but if you do, you can reprogram your mind and increase your motivation, confidence, assertiveness, and so on. Give it a try and see what happens.
33. Sell one of your items
If you’ve done some decluttering, you may have found items that you no longer use, but don’t want to throw away. If that’s the case, consider selling these items online, or even giving them away for free. Whatever old item you’ve found around the house, there’s probably someone looking for it.
34. Eat out
If it’s rainy, you may not want to go for a walk in nature, but you can still drive to your favorite restaurant and indulge in a fabulous dinner. Just make sure you don’t eat piles of hypercaloric junk food — you may regret it later on when you are trying to fall asleep.
35. Shop at a mall
Some malls, particularly in Asia, are so big they look like an entire town — one where it never rains, and it’s never too cold or too dark. Browsing online stores at home isn’t too exciting, so go ahead and get your shopping fix at the closest mall.
36. Prepare all meals in advance
There’s a lot of different life hacks you can use to optimize your time and have an easier life; meal prepping is one of them. When it’s rainy, and you have a couple hours available, you can cook all your meals for the following day or even the whole week. This is especially useful if you have kids.
37. Listen to an audiobook
If you think books are boring and slow, and you don’t want to strain your eyes for too long, consider listening to audiobooks. Some people find that by listening to someone else’s voice, it’s easier to remember the content; plus, audiobooks are usually cheaper than the paper version.
38. Take a bath
When you are bored at home and want to de-stress, take a bubble bath or a relaxing shower; you can’t go wrong. For extra relaxation, put on some jazz music and light a couple candles. Aaah.
39. Build a domino
This is a fun hobby that can keep you busy for hours in a row. There are no rules, and you don’t need any particular skill — just a bunch of bricks. You can also use coins, playing cards, or any other flat item. If you’re happy with the result, don’t forget to take a video.
40. Clean your laptop
Nobody likes to stare at a dusty screen, or use a dirty keyboard. This is especially true if you use your laptop for work. So take some time to clean up your computer; you probably only need a brush, a lint free cloth, and some warm water.
41. Write your name in a different alphabet
If you have an English name, or any name that’s spelt with the English alphabet — try and write it in Cyrillic, or using Japanese or Chinese characters. Perhaps your name looks a lot better (or a lot shorter) when written in a different language.
42. Discover your personality type
Are you predominantly introverted, or extroverted? And according to the Myers—Briggs theory, which personality type are you? ENTP? INFJ? It’s interesting to learn more about psychology and how our mind works; and once you understand how you think and behave, you will have more clarity, and you will be able to make better decisions in your life.
43. Make a list of everything you own
Unless you are an extreme minimalist, this is going to take a while. It isn’t just a way to kill time: when you list and count your possessions, you get a better idea of what you need to keep, and what you should discard, as well as which of your items are the most useful, beautiful, or unique.
44. Update your profile pictures
Master the art of taking selfies and update your social media profiles. If it rains, you probably won’t be able to take any pictures outdoors, however you can still dress up, experiment with the lighting, or make funny faces while holding your pet, and surprise all your followers.
45. Create a bucket list
If you believe in living life to the fullest, you should definitely create a bucket list, and the longer it is, the longer it’s going to take to write it. So whenever you’re bored, I encourage you to take the time and think about your own unique bucket list. If you need some inspiration, you can check out my list of 100 things to do before you die.
46. Learn a cool trick
It’s pretty cool when you watch a magic trick that’s skillfully executed, but it’s equally cool to perform one. So grab a deck of cards, or a coin, or a pen, and learn some tricks. Of course, there’s no need to buy any books: there’s tons of tutorials online.
47. Write some reviews
Did you get amazing customer service last time you ate out, or was the food exceptional? Have you bought something from an online store recently, and you are happy about your purchase? Let the world know by leaving some reviews and comments — people always find them very useful.
48. Use essential oils
Just like our mind reacts to soothing music and sounds — certain scents trigger a response in our body. For example, the smell of mint, citrus, or rosemary usually have an energizing effect; the smell of lavender, rose, and bergamot can help you relax and fall asleep faster. This is why some massage therapists use aromatherapy to enhance the relaxing effects of massage.
49. Learn Tai Chi
Although Tai Chi is technically a martial art, it is commonly used to increase one’s awareness, inner peace, and physical health. Apparently, practicing Tai Chi on a regular basis will help you live longer, too. If it sounds interesting, take some time to learn the basics.
50. Practice gratitude
You’ll never be truly happy until you learn to be grateful for all the things you are able to experience on this planet. Think: what are you grateful for? Which things brighten your days, what makes you joyful and fulfilled? You can answer these questions silently, or write down the answers in your journal.
51. Rearrange the furniture
When you’re done decluttering, practice your feng shui skills and rearrange the furniture so your home looks bigger, better, and cleaner. This may be especially useful if you work from home, or use one of the rooms to exercise.
52. Fill in a coloring book
This is the kind of activity that can be compared to mindfulness meditation: it’s really good for focus and concentration, and the final result is super satisfying. If you don’t have a coloring book, try and make an intricate drawing yourself, then fill the sections.
53. Change your passwords
In today’s world, we are supposed to use passwords all the time — when we log in to a website, access our bank account, buy something online, and so on. For extra security, change some of your most important passwords right now.
54. Calculate how much money you spend
Most people aren’t actually aware of the amount of money they spend every month, and simply live paycheck to paycheck. But it would be best to at least have a rough idea of how much you need to live and enjoy life, so you can eliminate unnecessary expenses and manage your money.
55. Write a letter to your old self
If you think of the younger version of yourself (the person that you used to be, say, ten years ago), you’ll probably be amazed by how much you have changed and grown. Write a letter to your old self and reflect on your achievements, big or small.
56. Change your pillowcase
Do you want spotless, clear, glowing skin? Even the best anti-aging lotions won’t do much if your face touches a dirty pillowcase for over eight hours every night. And the more often you change your pillowcase, the better: ideally, you want to change it every day, even if you’ve just taken a shower.
57. Build a house of cards
How tall can you build? Creating towers with playing cards is a fun, inexpensive hobby, and all you need is one or two decks and a flat surface. You may not be able to beat the world record (currently 7.86 meters), but you can still build some cool houses.
58. Workout
Hit the gym, or exercise at home, and get a good sweat. You don’t want to go for a run when it rains, but you can always workout indoors. Moving your body improves your mood instantly and does wonders for your overall health.
59. Go to the theater
Again, this is indoors, so you won’t have to worry about the weather. Watching a theater play is kind of like going to the cinema, but the atmosphere is very different, and you should do it at least once in your lifetime.
60. Play with LEGOs
Stacking colored tiny bricks is a lot of fun, and it’s a good way to express your creativity, regardless of how old you are. There’s many different sets you can buy — castles, cars, minifigures, spaceships — and they all guarantee hours of “work”.
61. Listen to the rain
You have probably noticed many rain sound videos on YouTube already. Just like other natural noises, such as birds or the ocean, the sound of the rain is very calming. So get a warm drink, sit down, and listen: it can be a meditative experience.
62. Play pool with friends
Practice some trick shots and show off your skills with a bunch of friends. Whether you are experienced or you’ve never played pool in your life, it’s a great way to spend time with your friends and do something different.
63. Learn the world map
Even if you used to hate geography lessons, you should still have a rough idea of what the world map looks like. Take some time and try to memorize the position of the main cities, countries, and oceans. Most people would never do this, so if you spent a couple hours looking at the world map, you’d automatically be more knowledgeable than the average person (at least in terms of geography).
64. Go to a casino
Feeling lucky? Drive to the closest casino and play one of the games. Alternatively, just walk around the casino and have a look; eat dinner and have a cocktail. Most casinos are open until late, and some are open 24/7, so whenever you want to go out and everything’s closed down, that’s an option.
65. Read a book
There’s books on a million different topics — self help, adventure, biographies, food, photography, humor, business, science, and many others. Get a new book, or grab one you’ve started already, and read the day away.
66. Burn a scented candle
As we saw earlier, to practice aromatherapy it would be best to use essential oils. However, if you use scented candles you will create a soothing atmosphere as well. Some candles have a mild scent, while others are quite strong, so choose one according to the size of your room/home.
67. Find an anagram of your name
For example, a possible anagram of “Sandra Smith” would be “smart Danish”. Not all names have a perfect anagram; if you can’t find one for yours, try to use your first name and the first letter of your surname (e.g. S. Smith) or vice versa.
68. Draw one of your dreams
Can you remember a dream that was completely surreal, or hilarious? If so, grab a pen and some colors and make a drawing of it. Sometimes it’s difficult to describe your dreams with words, so you can draw them instead.
69. Cook your favorite dish
Cooking can be very relaxing: when you are paying attention to the ingredients, the cooking process, and the timing of everything, you can’t think of anything else; as if you were meditating. When you don’t feel like going out and it’s time to eat, cook your favorite dish and enjoy your masterpiece.
70. Check your posture
The position of your tongue, neck, and upper back affects your whole body, so you want to make sure it’s optimal; if it isn’t, take a break from digital screens and spend five minutes stretching your neck and arms.
71. Read a blog
Yep, read a blog — this one, or any other. It’s kind of like reading a book, and you can imagine each post as a chapter; only, blog posts cover a lot of different topics, so it’s impossible to get bored. Alternatively, write an article yourself and publish it on your site (some blogging platforms are 100 percent free).
72. Think of ways to improve your life
“If money and time were not an issue, what would I do? What kind of person do I want to become? Do I focus on the past too often?” Questions like these can help you identify what your goals are and how you can improve your current life. You can have a look at 30 questions for self improvement here.
73. Have a look at old pictures
If you are lucky enough to have captured some of the best moments of your life with photos — grab some popcorn and have a look at them. If you see some really old ones, you’ll probably remember events you had completely forgotten about.
74. Go to bed earlier
If it rains, you can’t go out, and you have nothing to do, going to bed a bit earlier than usual might be a really good idea — you’ll have more energy the following day. Don’t go to bed too early though, you won’t be able to fall asleep.
75. Practice face yoga
Yes, there is such a thing as face yoga. Just like your legs and biceps, the muscles of your face can be stretched and trained so they are stronger and more flexible. Learn some face yoga exercises and make it part of your anti-aging skin routine.
76. Watch the fireplace
Few things are as relaxing as watching the fire crackling, especially when it’s cold and rainy outside. Ideally you want to watch a real fireplace, but you can also turn off the lights and watch the video version on your laptop.
77. Drink more water
Not the most original item on the list, right? But… hydration is really important: it prevents fatigue and headaches, and makes it easy for your body to digest food and get rid of toxins. So when you’re at home, remember to drink enough water.
78. Watch a cartoon
The illustrations and animations in some cartoons are superb, and most of them are pretty funny as well. So go back in time and watch the cartoons that entertained you when you were little.
79. Build a Rube Goldberg machine
Turn into an inventor and create your own Rube Goldberg chain reaction. If you need some inspiration, you can have a look at the famous Honda commercial, or even a scene from Tom & Jerry. Yes, these are pretty crazy, and most of us will never have the time to create anything like that, but it’s fun to brainstorm.
80. Visit a friend
When it’s rainy, you can visit a friend and have a good chat. If you don’t feel like going anywhere, you can always have a look at this list and choose two or three activities to spend time with. Or just keep talking for hours.
81. Plan your outfits in advance
This is another mini life hack that can save you a lot of time in the long run. When you need to decide what you are wearing every single day, you waste time and energy. By planning your outfits and pairing clothes in advance, you make life a little bit easier, especially if you have a family.
82. Go fingerboarding
If it rains, you can’t go skateboarding (at least not outdoors), but you can test your hand dexterity with a fingerboard — a tiny replica of a skateboard you can do tricks with. Probably not as cool as the real sport, but you won’t risk any serious injuries.
83. Spend ten minutes in total silence
Silence heals the mind; if you are a highly sensitive person, then spending ten minutes in complete silence from time to time should be part of your self care routine. Pretend you are a monk, turn off all your electronic devices, and give your ears some rest.
84. Dance
It’s easy to dance like nobody’s watching… when nobody’s watching. When you are bored at home, put on some upbeat tunes and practice your skills. It’s good for your mood, and good for your health as well.
85. Collect rainwater for plants
Do you have plants at home? If you do, you may want to put a bucket outside and collect some premium quality rainwater for them. Rainwater is rich in nitrogen and oxygen, and will make your plants look greener and healthier.
86. Create an amazing color palette
It’s fascinating to see how some color combinations are naturally eye-pleasing, attractive, or calming; while others are pure ugliness. Create your own color palette and experiment with different tones and shades. If you need inspiration, you can check out this site.
87. Visit a bookstore
As consuming content on digital devices becomes the norm, and an increasing number of people prefers to use screens to read and write — visiting an actual bookstore is quite revolutionary. Some book stores have an incredible design, too, and kind of look like museums, or art exhibitions.
88. Go for a walk
Yes, it’s raining, but it doesn’t automatically prevent you from going for a walk. If you live in a crowded area, this may also be your opportunity to walk around without being surrounded by a sea of people. Don’t let the weather ruin your plans — put on some waterproof shoes, and leave the house.
89. Go swimming
When it’s rainy, you can always drive to an indoor pool and spend some time swimming. Or, if it’s not too cold, drive to the closest beach or lake, and swim there. It’ll be a pretty unique experience.
90. Order sushi
Not everyone likes Japanese food, but if you do, order some and enjoy it in the comfort of your home — you deserve it. Japanese cuisine is one of the healthiest on the planet: fish, rice, vegetables, and tobiko won’t make you fat, and will give you plenty of protein and essential nutrients.
91. Test your memory
To do this, you can play some games online, but to be fair it could be as simple as thinking of an event in the past, and trying to remember all the details: who was there, their names, which clothes you were wearing, the time of the day, and so on.
92. Witness a million LOLs
If you didn’t know before, now you do: after thousands of years of evolution, human beings are now able to witness one million LOLs. Click on this link, laugh, cry, hallucinate, and ponder how something so useless can even exist.
93. Save your most important files
I know, it’s a pretty boring task. But chances are there’s some pictures or videos that you absolutely love, and simply can’t lose. I think it’s worth taking the time to create some extra copies and save them on one or two cloud accounts. It only takes a few minutes anyway.
94. Visit an arcade
Feel like a kid again and play some loud, colorful games. Arcade games can be quite addictive, and you may end up spending hours there — especially if you hit a jackpot.
95. Do yoga poses
Another activity that doesn’t require going out, or any large spaces: yoga poses. It’s a good way to exercise and stretch your body, and improve your mood at the same time. Depending on the time of the day, you can practice poses that are energizing, or calming.
96. Come up with a business idea
Turn into an entrepreneur (at least temporarily, for the sake of this exercise) and come up with one or two business ideas you’d like to pursue. You’ll probably end up forgetting about them, but you never know.
97. Build a marble run
This is ideal if you have kids, but it can be done with a friend, or alone, as well. Grab some cardboard, a pair of scissors, and some glue and create your own marble track. The longer the track, the more fun you’ll have using it.
98. Try a new hairstyle
When it’s rainy and you don’t want to go out, you can still experiment with new hairstyles, or hair colors. There are even smartphone apps you can use to take pictures of yourself and test dozens of different hairstyles.
99. Record the rain and upload it online
I mentioned earlier that you can simply sit down, relax, and listen to the sound of the rain. However you can also use a microphone (or your phone or laptop) and try to record the sound of the rain. You can then upload it on YouTube or some sound effect websites. Some music producers may download it and use it in one of their projects.
100. Leave a comment below
So… which item did you find the most interesting? What are you going to do today? Let me know with a comment below! Alternatively, post your favorite emoji 🦋
You can download the full list of 100 items by clicking on this button:
