Contributed by Jennifer Andrews, Catalogs.com Top 10 Guru

Although most people have busy, hectic schedules, there will inevitably be many points during life when boredom will be experienced.

Indeed, as daily tasks and activities are completed, you may find yourself twiddling your thumbs and looking for something to do. Boredom is a subjective feeling and state of being. Often, boredom may be mistaken for other feelings such as feelings of being lonely, tired or purpose-less. Furthermore, boredom may also be the cause of increased fatigue and idleness since the less active and stimulated you are the more like you are to experience such physical and mental side-effects.

Stave off the negative effects of boredom by following one or more of the best ways to beat boredom in your own life.

Make Plans

Fill your day-planner

One of the best ways to beat boredom is to make plans for the day, week or weekend in advance. People are more likely to be bored when they have nothing to do or look forward to doing. Avoid being stuck inside by yourself by calling up a few friends, getting your personal planner and arranging a social get-together.

Plan to meet for dinner or drinks after work instead of going straight home to another night sitting in front of the television. Weekend planning is an ideal way to beat boredom since the weekends are usually when work demands are lowest and the days are wide open and free. Plan for a weekend skiing trip, a family hike, an outing with your book club or even an afternoon spent running errands to cross off your to-do list and keep you busy.

Start a new activity

Get creative

Taking up a new hobby or pastime can help you successfully beat boredom. Often, boredom is a result of being stuck in the same routines, habits and life patterns. If you find yourself constantly doing the same things day in and day out, try introducing a new activity that will help you get excited about life again.

A new activity can be something you may have always wanted to try such as learning to paint, learning how to kayak, signing up for dance lessons or learning how to swim. Try scheduling new activities into your day during periods of down-time when you are most likely to feel bored and uninspired to help jumpstart a new routine.

Pick up a book

Make a reading (or listening) list

Reading is a great pastime activity that can help keep boredom at bay. Books have the ability to occupy your mind where feelings of boredom are most pronounced. If you are looking to laugh, pick up a funny comedic book; to cry, look for a romance novel; to get inspired and find your calling in life, search for a self-help book or one with a plan to get you out of a life rut.

Deseret Book has books for every aspect of life, from family and marriage to history and technology. And for times when you just want a good escape, they have a full selection of fiction for every taste from romance to adventure. They even have downloadable audio books for those times when you need a good book for that long commute or dull housecleaning day.

Clean and de-clutter

Get some powerful cleaning products

Although cleaning may be the last thing you want to do on a free evening or weekend off from school, it can in fact be one of the best ways to beat boredom. The less active and occupied we are, the more likely we are to experience increased feelings of boredom, fatigue and even mild depressive symptoms. In general, people need and want to have a feeling of purpose in life, including life’s day-to-day activities. Cleaning can help you pass the time while checking off a long list of waiting to-do tasks such as sweeping, vacuuming, washing the walls and laundry.

Arm yourself with the specialty cleaning products from Fresh Finds to get every task done right – from cleaning your ceramic cook top to making your stainless sink sparkle. Keep your mood positive during such tasks by playing music or enlisting the help of your kids and making a game of it. Before you know it, a whole afternoon will have passed and you can sit down to well-deserved dinner and movie with your family.

Be spontaneous

Do something different

Feelings of boredom are most likely to occur when we find ourselves stuck in the same routines and life cycles. Beat boredom by incorporating spontaneity into your life and doing something unexpectedly last minute. Spontaneous acts don’t always have to be risky or big acts, rather they can be something simple such as getting up from the couch and going for a walk outdoors when you typically wouldn’t.

Other simple things you can do include going to the mall for an impromptu shopping or window-browsing trip; going to the movies solo or with a friend; renting a pair of skates and hitting the local ice rink; or trying some new recipes with new cooking gear and have the resources you need to create a culinary adventure on short notice.

Above all, remember that boredom is a state of mind. There is always something you can do to take your mind off of feeling bored and to occupy your time whether it’s getting outdoors, reading, cleaning or going to the movies, you’ll have something to keep you busy and happy.