“What do you do for fun?”
If you dread the question “what do you do for fun?” you are definitely not alone. Somewhere between childhood and adulthood, we stopped having time for ourselves and fell out of the hobbies or activities we used to do all the time to keep us smiling. The idea of having a hobby as an adult is trendy right now, as I see more people realizing that all their free time has seemingly been swallowed up- and we are desperate to find it again.
How did we get here? Well, now we have responsibilities that we didn’t have before. As a kid, we played on sports teams and played board games and did a craft all in the same day. Now, it’s easier to get stuck in monotony. Maybe it feels like your life is all about work right now, and you’re too tired to do anything at the end of the day. Maybe after becoming a parent, your priorities have shifted- understandably so- but you also feel a little lonely. Maybe after your time in competitive athletics ended, you aren’t sure how to fill up your schedule anymore and are lost when it comes to things you enjoy doing. Maybe you just moved to a new city, and have yet to make new friends here, so you find yourself desperate to engage in something new. I am by no means anti-technology, but I do think that our dependence on social media contributes to feeling lost. We aim to fill this void with an outside stimulus without challenging our ability to create our own entertainment or get to know ourselves better. Why learn to chrochet when I can scroll on Tik Tok for 4 hours straight? Why sit with my emotions when I have videos to watch and occupy my mind?
So, if you’re looking to integrate some more ‘me’ time into your life, I got you. Consider these suggestions as an investment in yourself. Each of these activities can be done solo, and many are free or low-cost. Consider spending at least 10-20 minutes on each activity, while being mindful about any effects it has on you. Are you able to relax during it? Are you excited about it? Does it make you feel accomplished or frustrated? Paying attention to your experience during the activity will help inform you what you truly enjoy- and may help you uncover some values you hold.
Film- Look up the greatest movies in your favorite genre- or best movies of all time- and watch the ones you haven’t seen. Rate them.
Nature Walk- gather leaves, flowers, rocks etc. that are interesting to you. Discard them after your walk, take a photo of them, or consider displaying them in a scrap book or on a poster board.
Photography- Take photos of things you think are beautiful, things you think are weird, things that make you laugh. Plan an outing specifically to take pictures of what is around you.
Make Jewelry- Go to a craft store or even the thrift store and scour jewrely-making kits for some quiet creative time.
Books- Try a new book or audiobook that you haven’t yet read but everyone says is great.
Mindful Meditation- Take at least 5-10 minutes to put on a relaxing soundtrack, get comfortable, and close your eyes. Think about all of the thoughts and feelings that come up as you sit. Notice them without judgement or shame. Notice how it feels to sit with each feeling without assigning meaning to them. Notice what thoughts you have without trying to push them away. Maybe write about your experience afterwards.
Pet-Sitting- Offer pet-sitting services to friends or family. Post something in a local group offering to pet sit.
Brain Games- Sudoku, crossword puzzles, word searches, riddles. Try ‘em all. Which games come easy to you? Which ones are most fun?
Start a garden- start small with herbs, or start big with a full outdoor vegetable garden.
Pick a recipe- One for each meal: breakfast, lunch, appetizer, dinner, drinks, desert. Make something new each week and add it to your recipe list.
Go thrifting- Go in with a list or nothing at all. You’ll never know what you’ll find. Search the books for something new to read. Search the DVDs for a new movie. Look for puzzles or games. Look to put together a brand new outfit.
Podcasts- Pick a genre that interests you and listen to clips of different shows to get an idea of what you like.
Coloring- Print a coloring page, get a coloring book, or just doodle freehand.
Puzzles- A great activity to do alone that occupies your mind and your hands.
Come up with a story- Doesn’t have to be the next great American novel, just getting the creative juices flowing. What are your characters' names? What is their struggle? How do they overcome it?
Get crafty- crochet, needlepoint, sewing, punch needle, candle making, and sooo many more options are available to browse at the craft store. See what speaks to you and see what you can create!
Look into star signs and horoscopes- If you’re not already into it, check it out to see what the buzz is.
Take a personality test- It’s a free test that is insightful into your traits and characteristics. What’s your attachment style, your Big 5 personality traits, your love language?
Take a workout class- boxing, yoga, cycling- try as many as you can and see what you enjoy most. For a free version, check youtube and there’s thousands to choose from.
Start a junk journal- collecting things from your daily life or the important events you attend- from scraps of paper to stamps to receipts- junk journaling is a creative way to journal your week without words.
Stretch- spend 10-20 minutes stretching whatever muscles need attention, or follow a guided stretch through youtube.
Sing- in the shower, in the car, wherever- choose your most belt-worthy song and sing it out loud.
Try creative writing- use ChatGPT or google creative writing prompts to generate ideas to help you start journaling or writing short stories.
Calligraphy- Try your hand at calligraphy by looking up tutorials online.
Learn a new language- with Duolingo and other online platforms, taking 5-10 minutes each day to learn a language is accessible and feels productive without taking a lot of time.
Go hiking- do some research on good hikes in your area. Pack a snack and plenty of water, and set aside time to appreciate nature and what your body is capable of.
Go to the movie theatre- a solo movie date where you don’t have to share popcorn and get total choice of movie? Yes, please. Plus no one is looking to talk to you because it’s dark and there’s a movie playing.
Try a new restaurant- Take out or dine in solo- enjoy the experience of eating your food and taking in the value of treating yourself.
Dance it out- try putting on a song and dancing for the entirety of the song.
Reach out to friends- schedule a time for a facetime or zoom catch-up, text back and forth, or give them a random phone call or voice memo.
Listen to music- discover new songs/artists in your favorite genre, or listen to your favorites. Find a song that describes your life right now. Find a song that describes how you want your life to be.
Look for resources- Google or ask around to find out what is going on in your community- what clubs or groups are meeting that you could join? Look at postings in your local library for book clubs. Look at postings in the gym for workout classes or sports teams looking to add members. Join a facebook group or follow an instagram account dedicated to keeping you informed on what’s going on. Look at local college campus posts for resources and groups for students.
Try a new makeup look- if you have makeup that you’ve never or rarely used, try it out by giving yourself a makeover with things that you don’t normally wear. You could also follow an online tutorial.
Declutter- start by making a list of small things you notice you want to clean, organize, or declutter. One by one, check those things off the list. Be sure to celebrate your accomplishment each time you complete one item- you did it! Give yourself a pat on the back and a kind word.
Write a poem- about anything. Your life, your experiences, your feelings. About nature, questions you have about the world, or fears.
Be a food critic- Try different versions of things you normally buy while grocery shopping. Maybe same product but different brands, maybe a slightly different product each time. Compare each time you try the new item by rating it based on taste and price and compare what you learn.
Board games- Many board games come in solo versions. Personal favorites are escape room type games or mysteries, where you have to analyze clues or solve puzzles to continue through the game and eventually come to a conclusion.
Write a letter to your younger self- Think back to a time that was particularly impactful for you growing up- what would you want to tell that younger version of you? What did you need to hear back then?
Volunteer- Look for opportunities to donate your time. Look up animal shelters, homeless or domestic violence shelters, or food kitchens in your area to see if any are accepting new volunteers.