What to do when you've nothing to do

Written by Anam Tariq, one of our opinion writers, and edited by Greg, one of our editors!

There are times in life when you feel lost, when you are not able to decide what

to do, or when you are in the process of figuring out what to do in the next

phase of your life. So, what do you do in such a situation?

Life made me walk up to such a block once but I’ve since learned to circumvent

it. The story goes like this – right after completing my studies I was faced with

a sudden roller-coaster ride of my twenties (those who are approaching their

mid-twenties, beware!). In my opinion, it is the most twisted climb of your life

so far.

After completing education, a new phase is supposed to commence in the life

of every person. You either get into a job or settle down, have a family or both.

The dilemma clouding me was that though I wanted to secure either an

admission to a PhD program or a job, I ended up being triumphant in neither.

What I wanted to do, I couldn’t do. Now what was I supposed to do?

But I guess it is sometimes okay to be lost. Only by being lost can you find

yourself anew. It is a learning curve. It is the chance to contemplate upon your

life, your actions, and plan what to do ahead. I learned many things during my

hiatus after post-graduation. While I was figuring out what to do with my life, I

held on to some activities/hobbies/habits that succoured and cheered me up in

this vacant time. Hence, arriving at our topic, ‘what to do when you’ve nothing

to do.’

Thus, I’ve managed to bring together a list of things/activities which you can

try out while you wait and figure things out in life, while you discover your

calling, or find yourself:

1. Reading

Reading is one of the knowledge enhancing experiences. I try to read whenever

I get the time. And it is the easiest thing to do in my opinion. Check out the

essay, “Reading: A Puissant Art”, on the benefits of reading.

2. Writing

I find my refuge in writing where I can fully express my gloom, my

apprehensions, my elation. Writing is a beneficial way of channelling inner

thoughts. At a time when you feel lost, writing could serve as a medium of

outlet for the feelings that are brimming inside. Free, digital publishing

platforms like Substack and Medium are alluring and handy tools which have

made writing and sharing easier. Writing could be of various kinds – personal

essays, poetry, articles, haiku, reviews, advice columns, pieces based on

health, fashion, beauty, food, travel, tech, literature, current events, etc.

3. Finding a hobby

If writing doesn’t work, other hobbies could be as well explored. It is a really

healthy distraction for the mind. For instance, I sometimes like to play

badminton or table tennis. Others include – embroidery, knitting, crocheting,

calligraphy, starting a small online business, teaching, cooking, etc. Maybe a

hobby could turn into a full-time job!

4. Journaling

Journaling is a good pastime. A journal could be about a specific thing, like

plants or art, or it could be about daily life. There are interesting journaling

items on the internet, from stickers to stamps to washi tapes. People often

makes collages for their journals. I find it particularly fascinating.

5. Gardening

Gardening is another activity to try. If you have a house and enough space to

plant a few seeds here and there, then give it a shot. And if the sown plants bear

fruits, then it’s even more rewarding (from personal experience).

6. Tidying home and helping with chores

It is the simplest thing to employ yourself in. It works as a good exercise for the

body and I guess no one dislikes a spick and span house. Also, spending time

exploring some interior decor ideas would be fun.

7. Spending time outdoors/in nature

Spending time outside or in nature is refreshing. It has helped me a lot. It helps

take my mind away from things that are perturbing me at the moment. I have

shared my experience in “The Road of Peace”. Kayti Christian shares a similar

experience on her Substack, “Internal chatter hardly existed, and my usual

overwhelming emotions subsided. High in the alpines, where my fingers

scraped the sky, my heart found the rhythm it had been searching for all along.

… Life requires so much of us—chores, work, caretaking, finances—it can

make it hard to breathe, let alone recognize ourselves. And so asking these

questions matter. Questions like, Where do you find “you”?”

8. Learning new things

When it comes to learning, it can be learning pretty much anything. But what I

am hinting at is doing some useful, short courses online/offline which could be

beneficial to your line of work. For instance, I am learning Arabic free of cost

on Duolingo these days. Platforms like Udemy and Coursera offer online

courses too. Doing such courses and learning new languages assure you that at

least you are gaining something and using your time wisely.

I hope you find something in this list which can cheer you up when you are

feeling listless. Quoting a line from Only Murders in the Building:

“You can afford to take your time, Mabel. What you can’t afford to do is waste

it.”

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This piece was written by one of our opinion writers, Anam. Reach her at @anam.tariq_ on Instagram!

This piece was edited by one of our editors, Greg! Reach him at @Gtomaini on Instagram and Twitter!

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