We’ve all been there, there’s not much going on, boredom’s setting in, it’s Friday and you want to put your party hat on!
I get it, I’ve been there and tried a fair few ideas to inject some energy into the work day.
So here are my top 7 fun things to do working from home:
1) Play a quick virtual game
If you’re got a quick 5-10 minutes to spare, why not play a virtual game for a few minutes to kill time?
There’s a million and one options out there.
A couple of my favorites for both individual and team play, include Wordscapes and Uno – download them and give them a try next time you need to inject some fun into a break.
2) Listen to the radio/podcasts
This is my go to. I like a bit of indie music, so I put on my favorite radio station when the atmosphere at home needs some spicing up.
It’s advised to stop singing along before you join your Zoom calls.
If I need to focus more, some light background or atmospheric playlists are better.
Or if I’m working on something easy, I can devote more of my focus to a podcast.
3) Try a new recipe
Lunchtime is the one time where you’re free from the shackles of work for a decent amount of time.
Maximize how much you get out of it by cooking a delicious new dish.
There recipes from BBC food have some great options that are nice and quick – so you can squeeze in a game of Uno too!
4) Arrange a virtual coffee break
Got a work bestie who you haven’t spoken to in a while? Why not put 30 minutes in their calendar for a catch up.
This can not only be a fun thing to do, but works wonders to break up your work day with something more informal. The break of pace does wonders for re-energizing your mind for the rest of the day.
5) Get creative with your workspace
If your work from home setup is lacking in any color or you haven’t splashed your personality over it yet. Taking some time to freshen things up and add some fun elements to it can be a great activity with the added bonus of long-term benefits.
Some ideas might include:
- A small plant
- A novelty coaster
- A Quirky mug
- Miniature figurine
- An framed inspirational quote
6) Cram in a mini workout
Getting to grips with a full blown workout or a 5k lunchtime run is probably not considered within the realms of ‘fun’ for most people.
You can make short bursts of exercise a lot more fun though.
That aforementioned music? Why not get up and have a 5 minute dance around the room (closing the blinds is at your discretion).
Everytime I get up to get something to eat/drink I like to get a quick 5 minutes of stretching in whilst walking around.
Deskrobics is also a popular option that requires minimal effort and can come with a few chuckles as you contend with stretching and the confines of your desk!
7) Go somewhere new for lunch
We’re creatures of habits, but there’s a problem with the same old sandwich 3 days in a row, it’s the antithesis of fun.
If you don’t live too far from local shops/cafes/restaurants you could head out exploring and try somewhere new.
Even better if you have a friend or family member nearby you can invite along too.
Summary
I hope some of those ideas helped.
If you’re after a few more ideas – you might also be interested in how to prevent boredom working from home.
James Waite
Founder of Remoteopia, James has worked in remote roles for 6 years. After a stint in recruitment, he now works as a director of website strategy in tech.
