45 Productive things to do when bored at work

Introduction

No matter how busy our jobs get, there are always those slow moments at work. A meeting gets canceled, you have just wrapped up a big task, you have nothing to do, and you get bored.

Even when you are in work mode, your brain does not know what to do with that downtime. Scrolling through emails again? Staring at the clock? Or anything else.

But those slow moments don’t have to go to waste. Boredom at work doesn’t have to mean wasting time. It’s actually a great chance to do something useful, refreshing, or even a little fun. Whether you want to sharpen your skills or just reset your brain, there are plenty of ways to stay productive and feel good about how you are spending your time.

Let’s explore the wide range of productive things to do when you get bored at work to help you optimize your time and enhance your overall well-being.

Things to do for personal development and learning

Personal development and continuous learning are key to unlocking your full potential. Investing time in growth activities not only boosts your skills and confidence but also keeps you motivated. Here are some productivity things you can do for personal development and learning:

1. Find a new hobby

If you have reached occupational burnout in your career and boredom is frequent, it is time to find a new hobby to keep life interesting.

Ask yourself what are the things that have aroused your interest in the past, but you were unable to keep up? How long has it been since you added a new hobby to your list?

Discovering new hobbies not only allows you to spend your time productively but also contributes to honing your skills.

2. Learn a new language

Some individuals do not want to put additional stress on learning a new professional skill in their free time. But at the same time, they want to do something useful. In that scenario, you can simply learn a new language, and it has numerous benefits. It improves your cognitive abilities, improves learning skills, enhances memory, and expands career opportunities.You can use free language learning apps like Duolingo, watch YouTube videos, or enroll in free foreign language learning courses.

3. Read books

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” There’s so much to learn by reading books, as the old saying goes, and this is something productive and useful anyone can do.

So, go and grab a book that is based on a topic that you find interesting to read. It can be general affairs, fiction, humor, suspense, sports, inspirational, etc. No matter what type of book you read, you only stand to gain from it.

4. Listen to an audiobook

If reading books is not your thing, you can listen to an audiobook. It is quite an easy and effective way to go through the books that you have been planning to read for years. You can count it in reading books because the purpose is the same; it’s just that the sensory medium is different.  

Also, if you commute to work by public transportation, you can put on your headphones and continue listening where you left off, making the most of your free time.

5. Watch a TED talk 

Let’s get it straight. Watching a TED talk can be considered a responsible person’s method of procrastinating.

Yeah, you’re killing time, but you’re working on something meaningful.  By the way, TED Talks are more useful than the web series you’ve been watching.

Many wise people talk there on a variety of topics, so there are good chances you will learn new things.

6. Engage in cognitive exercise

Some knowledge workers find pleasure in activities that push their brains. For those individuals, cognitive exercise is the best way to spend free time. It helps them feel rejuvenated and recharged for the next few hours of deep work. Memory games, crosswords, puzzles, sudoku, visual perception games, chess, and video games can provide you with the stimulation your brain needs and improve your cognitive capabilities.

7. Listen to productivity podcasts

Productivity podcasts can help you to uplift your morale and be on top of your game. The best thing about productivity podcasts is that you can listen to them even while carrying out other activities, like walking, driving, or having your coffee.

Refine your search and find tips and tricks from thought leaders and entrepreneurs who are inspiring people to bring positive change in their lives and make their careers more lucrative.

8. Maintain a journal

Do you pen down your thoughts, goals, achievements, wishes, ideas, etc., in a personal diary or journal? Many people find it among the top fun things to do at work when bored because they enjoy writing.

Not just that, journaling is now considered an effective method for stress relief as writing down your inner thoughts helps to declutter your mind and focus on things that matter to you. It is a good problem-solving tool as one can jot down the problem as well as come up with potential solutions on a piece of paper.

9. Evaluate your productivity timings

Many people find they are most productive during the pre-lunch hours. You can use good time tracking software and find out whether you are at your productive best during morning hours or post-noon.

If you kind of drag yourself during the daytime, pull your socks up and try to get through most of your important tasks during the day. This will enable you to get more work done and still have ample time left to do other work.

10. Set goals for the next year

There are many productive things to do when bored at work. One of them is setting targets and goals. Even if you’re still away from a new year, it helps to create an outline of your future goals.

This will give you a direction to work towards, as well as compare your performance with that of previous years. While setting goals, use SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely) metrics. This will also help you be accountable for your written plans.

11. Write a blog

Do you run a blogging site? If not, then this is the right time to do it. If you run a blog, then you can use your free time to pen down a new blog that reflects your current state of mind. Write about the topic that you love and share your creation with other people on social media.

12. Share your expertise

How to stay entertained at work? Share your tips on LinkedIn and Quora on topics you have a good understanding of.

Do you know that sharing your expertise on the internet can help many people find a potential solution to their problems? Surprised? Don’t be.

Go to Quora and check how many people post their questions in the hope of finding a relevant reply. You will be amazed at how you will receive so many “thank you” from people who found your expertise useful.

13. Brush up on industry news

Use your downtime to catch up on the latest trends, innovations, and news in your field. Staying updated not only keeps you informed but also positions you as a thought leader in your industry.

Reading articles, blogs, or listening to podcasts can spark new ideas that you can apply to your current projects. Plus, it keeps you ahead of the curve when it comes to industry shifts and emerging opportunities.

14. Play a brain game

Give your brain a fun little workout with a quick game. For example, you can try word association – just think of the first word that comes to mind when you hear another word. It helps you stay sharp and think faster. These simple games can also reduce stress and give you a short mental break without losing focus. You’ll feel refreshed.

You can also try puzzles, memory games, or quick online quizzes. Even a few minutes a day can improve your concentration and problem-solving skills. It doesn’t feel like work, but it still keeps your mind active. It’s a smart way to beat boredom without wasting time.

15. Start improving your weaknesses

Use your free time to work on skills you are not confident in. It could be public speaking, time management, or even learning to use a new tool. Watch a short video, read a quick article, or practice on your own.

Working on your weak spots makes you more confident and capable over time. It shows you’re serious about self-growth, which your team and managers will appreciate. You don’t need to fix everything at once—just starting is a big win.

Things to do related to work

When boredom strikes at work, it is the perfect opportunity to catch up on tasks that often get overlooked. From organizing your emails to checking your tasks, there are plenty of productive ways to stay engaged. Here are some productive things you can do related to work:

16. Prioritize your tasks

Another productive thing that you can do to feel productive when bored in the office is task prioritization. And if you don’t do it yet, then you should do it ASAP. You can prioritize your tasks based on their importance and urgency and filter them in that order. 

Generally, tasks are prioritized into the following categories:

• Urgent and Important (do it now)
• Important but not urgent (schedule them)
• Urgent but not important (delegate them)
• Not important, not urgent (eliminate them)

This framework helps in the decision-making of the tasks you need to do on priority and the tasks that can be delegated, scheduled, and eliminated.

17. Check your emails 

The next productive thing to do when bored at work is to deal with your emails. Is your inbox full of emails that you never checked? Then you are not alone, it’s a common problem with so many working people. They are so busy with their work schedules that they don’t get enough time to check all their emails.

When you’re bored at your workplace and want things to do to feel productive, you can check all your unchecked emails, filter spam/junk emails out, and reply to those that are important.

18. Assess your performance 

When making a list of productive things to do when bored at work, it’s one of the most important things to do – assess your performance yourself.

Do you think you are progressing in your work, or have you reached a plateau? You can plan your future course of action based on your current job situation – seek better opportunities elsewhere or achieve career growth in your current organization.

19. Update your resume

Updating your resume is one of the most productive things to do when bored at work, especially if you are seeking job opportunities elsewhere.

It’s possible that recruiters are not impressed with the outdated resume that you left unchanged for quite some time now.

Your skills, qualifications, and job responsibilities have likely increased in recent times. You never know when your next chance is coming, so update your resume at the earliest.

20. Check your task status 

You might be busy with your task at hand, but it’s important to keep an eye on the status of your other tasks too for effective workload management.

What will you do once you’re done with your current task at hand? Which task will you begin working on?  Have you been assigned new tasks? Is there a pending task with a looming deadline? Use a good task management tool to find out the accurate status of all tasks you’re assigned so that you can plan accordingly.

21. Minimize distractions

Where there’s work, there are distractions and they kill your productivity. They are in the form of chatty colleagues, mobile usage, water cooler conversations, kids and pets, domestic chores, texting, frequent meetings, cluttered workspace, etc.

You need to minimize distractions to improve your focus, productivity, and motivation. Make a list of everything that hampers your work and figure out how these can be removed.

22. Help your colleagues

The word collaboration holds the utmost importance in the context of teamwork. Spending your free time is not always about using it for yourself. Some of your team members might be stuck on their work, and you could help them out to do their work quickly and efficiently with your insights.

This idea might appear off the line or even weird, but it will show you in a positive light that you’re not only a good performer but also an excellent team player, contributing to team-building efforts. 

23. Grow your professional network

In your free time, make new professional connections through apps like LinkedIn. Recruiters these days are highly active on LinkedIn; your posts are getting noticed.

Do you know that even a single post of yours can land you a good job through LinkedIn? Widen your professional network and make sure that you only post engaging and meaningful content to increase the usability of your network on this platform.

24. Do your research to find the latest online tools 

If you’re using time tracking, project management, or virtual communication tools, then you should use your free time to research whether there are better tools available that offer more than what your current tool does.

This data analysis might end up saving valuable money, besides getting more functionality and ease of use.

25. Figure out ways to improve team collaboration

These are days of remote working, and you are likely working remotely too. Is your team facing collaboration issues, which are causing some tasks to get delayed and projects to deviate from the track? You can bring all your team members on the same page through good project management and team collaboration software like ProofHub, which offers a wide range of tools in a centralized location. This will help your team collaborate seamlessly on tasks and projects and yield desired results.

26. Find your next job

It’s possible that you’ve reached the nadir in your current organization. You are bored because you no longer enjoy your work and feel stuck in a rut.

If boredom at work is frequent, then it’s time you start looking for the next job that can offer the type of work and environment you need. That said, don’t tender a resignation impulsively.

Use online job portals to look for job openings, update your resume, contact recruiters, and send job applications to a few places. This can take time, so you should start soon.

27. Make a list of your achievements

When you have some spare time, take a moment to reflect on what you have accomplished. List down your big wins, completed projects, skills you’ve learned, or even small goals you have met.

This can boost your confidence and remind you of how far you have come. It is also helpful when preparing for appraisals or setting future goals. It also gives you a positive push to keep growing and improving.

Things to do for organization & planning

Staying organized and planning effectively can bring clarity to your day and help you work more efficiently. Even small actions in this area can lead to better focus and smoother workflows. Below are some things that you can do in your free time for organization and planning:

28. Organize your workspace

Among the best things to do to be productive on our list for you to feel productive is organization & planning.

Do you know that a neat and clean workspace can improve our productivity as well as our overall mood? Your workspace can get messy and untidy, and it can harm your productivity.

So, take a look around and declutter and organize your workspace to give it a neat, professional look where you want to work for hours.

Read more: Effective ways to stay organized at work

29. Organize your closet

If you are working from home, it is equally important to have a neat and clean workspace as in the office, so that it encourages you to work.

In the office, your workspace is limited to your desk. However, at home, your workspace extends to the entire room. Closets are included because, despite not being visible, a messy closet can impact your mood subconsciously when you see it, even from outside. Just as a tidy desk helps you focus, a well-organized closet contributes to a more serene and efficient workspace.

Whenever you have free time, organize your closet.

30. Organize your files in one place

This is the digital age. Heaps of paperwork have been replaced by digital files that you can easily create, store, and manage in a centralized location. With the help of a reliable file management tool, such as ProofHub, you can easily create, store, and manage all your documents in one central place.

You can use your free time to upload, store, and organize all your digital files in a single place. You can access them easily and collaborate on them even when you’re on the go, through a mobile app also.

31. Financial planning

One of the most productive things to do at work when bored is to manage your finances. Track your expenses compared to your income, and note down unnecessary expenses that punch a hole in your wallet.

Do some research on various savings and investment plans in the market today. Building strong financial habits can give you more freedom and peace of mind in the future.

32. Make your grocery list in advance

Okay, many people might not consider this activity as productive, but it helps to save a lot of time. You can take my word for it.

Make a checklist of all essential items that you need this weekend, and you are less likely to forget the prime ingredients in a planned barbeque.

This planned grocery list will also help you in checking how much you’re spending on what items, and what items you can remove from the list.

33. Research upcoming industry conferences 

Research when the next industry conference is scheduled and attend it if it’s in proximity to your location. These days, most industry conferences are taking place virtually, which means you can participate in them from the comfort of your home.

This will give you a chance to grow your network as well as improve your industry know-how. Taking a break for a new task will reduce fatigue and boredom with your typical to-do list.

34. Write a bucket list

If you need something to inspire you at work, there is no better motivation than your bucket list. This will kill all the boredom immediately and give you the burst of energy you want at the moment. It is because you are thinking about the things that are close to your heart and you want to do.  

Revisiting the dreams and goals that truly matter to you can instantly dispel boredom and reinvigorate your energy.

Things to do for health & well-being

Prioritizing your health and well-being helps you stay energized, focused, and mentally balanced. Even small actions can make a big difference. Here are some things you can do for health and well-being:

35. Take a walk

Whether you’re a remote worker or working from a regular office space, practice self-care by going out for a stroll for some time when job melancholy gets the better of you. It is a much better productive thing to do at work than sitting idle in a chair.

This productive activity will help in the relaxation of your body as well as your mind, and both will get a much-needed change in surroundings. It will also help to improve blood circulation in your body as you get an opportunity to move away and think something new about work or personal life.

36. Work on your mental & physical health 

Boredom is considered one of the main causes of depression, anxiety, and emotional turmoil. When it comes to doing something productive in your free time, keeping yourself physically and mentally fit should be a priority for everyone. Otherwise, you risk losing the energy and motivation needed to achieve both your short-term and long-term goals.

Use your free time for exercise, which can help you break the monotony and give you that energy boost to finish that task.

37. Listen to music 

If you just want to relax in your free time, simply listen to the music.
This will recharge your mind. If you want, you can write, make a coffee, or take a stroll while listening to music. This act will not directly add to your productivity, but it definitely rejuvenates you to improve your focus, performance, and creativity for the next few hours.

Go out for a walk, jogging, swimming, or biking. You can also meditate and do yoga for better mental health benefits.

38. Meditate at your desk

In case you don’t want to move from your desk, this mindfulness activity can help you relieve stress and improve your focus. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. It helps to bring your focus back to the present and soothes you. Practice gratitude. It’ll calm you.

39. Step away for lunch 

Do you take your lunch at your desk? If yes, then it’s time to move away because eating at your desk might make you sleepy and feel disconnected from your coworkers.

Things to do for social & team building

Engaging in social and team-building activities can strengthen workplace relationships and boost team morale. Stronger connections lead to a more productive work environment. Here are productive things to do for social & team building:

40. Appreciate your team members

When was the last time you appreciated your fellow workers for good performance? Whether you’re a project manager or a team member, appreciating other people for a job well done can go a long way in improving team camaraderie. Moreover, doing something productive like this can help break the ice between team members.

41. Grab a coffee with the CEO 

Meeting your CEO over a cup of coffee may give you anxiety attacks, but it’s not as nerve-wracking an experience as made out to be.

In fact, such meetings can help you to know more about your company and what are the expectations of the top brass from you. You can also offer some suggestions which you think can help your company in problem-solving of existing challenges and have a leading edge over competitors.

42. Reach out to old contacts 

We are so busy with our professional and personal commitments that we lose touch with old contacts from our friends and family circle.

This communication gap can lead to misunderstandings in relationships. Use your free time to connect with old contacts and let them know that they are always in your thoughts.

Things to do for remote workers

If you work remotely, it is important to stay focused and connected with your team. Small things help you stay productive and feel less alone while working remotely. Here are some things to do for remote workers:

43. Indulge in domestic chores

This one is for remote workers who often juggle domestic work and professional work. You can always do some personal stuff when you’re bored at work.

You can try your hand at cooking, playing with kids teaching them, or assisting your family members in household chores. There’s so much stuff to do when at home.

You can always utilize your free time for these activities rather than mixing them with work.

44. Make an unexpected weekend plan with your family

Bored with the remote work? Why not use your hard-earned money on a weekend trip with your family or loved ones that can give you memories for a lifetime?

You can postpone your purchase of a new technical gadget or clothing and rather visit a new place you’ve never been to. Research shows that experiential purchases give us more fulfilling experiences as compared to materialistic ones.

So, go on a hike, camping, bike ride, or something adventurous — bungee jumping, scuba diving, etc.

45. Find a new hobby

If you have reached occupational burnout in your career and boredom is frequent, it is time to find a new hobby to keep life interesting.  

Ask yourself what are the things that have aroused your interest in the past, but you were unable to keep up? How long has it been since you added a new hobby to your list?

Discovering new hobbies not only allows you to spend your time productively but also contributes to honing your skills.

Conclusion

If you’re still wondering how to stay productive during downtime at work, the ideas shared above should give you a good starting point. But there will be days when you are fed up with your robotic, repetitive, and hectic work schedule.

Rather than wasting your time on unproductive activities that offer little or no benefit, you can engage in some of the above productive things that give your exhausted mind some much-needed breathing space. Apart from that, if you want to improve your operational productivity and feel less bored by mundane and repetitive tasks, you can use work management software like ProofHub. It helps you manage tasks, collaborate with colleagues, keep track of your projects, and automate your repetitive tasks to save time and effort to invest in things that matter.

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