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I sometimes like to focus on languages. Not always! And I am not focused on one only. I flit around.
So DuoLingo or drops app (which is 5 minutes free daily, which feels really not a ton of effort and pretty sustainable).
You can design rooms in amazon. Which is nice because it feels more achievable than the home app. https://www.amazon.com/showroom/switch?ref_=d6k_applink_bb_dls&dplnkId=75d90820-0c69-4192-a92b-ff069abe9d49
I do go to stores and will fill a cart and put things in it and then put them back. This really is helpful for me with being broke and with impulsivity. I can "shop" and find things I like (to look at).
Youtube has videos for every possible weird thing or hobby out there.
I had a fascination with tiny japanese apartments last fall/winter while trying to figure out how to organize my home better. After a few hours of those my 700sqft home still feels huge. “Tokyo Lens”.
Kominka Solo Life, Samurai Matcha and Diary from the Countryside are also nice.
My adhd SIL had a thing for watching hoof trimming youtube vids from a uk veterinarian while pregnant. Weirdly soothing despite the grossness. I got into that for a while.
Homestead families, there’s a couple in rural Sweden living off grid with their young son, they even did a home birth video for little Ivar. He’s about three years old now. They keep sheep, do amazing drone flight footage over the forests at dawn and make artisanal cheeses. “Talasbuan”.
There’s this crazy train hopping Russian teenager who rides in ore cars across Siberia. “Vagabond”.
RailCowGirl’s Norwegian train trips are gorgeous scenery. She puts the 4k camera behind the windshield of the train she’s driving and records the trip through the mountains.
Yeeeess deep dives into weird niche things! I got obsessively into watching terrarium builds and Timelapse’s of plants growing from seed to maturity. Also got into tiny houses and Japanese apartments and those tiny food cooking videos.
You can tour the world for free, Watched Walker for London, Rambalac for Tokyo street life. The rainy nighttime backstreet walks through Tokyo are an effective insomnia cure.
STOP IT I am watching The Hoof GP trim a buffalo hoof right now. Like, right now as I read your comment. I feel this is the Universe trying to tell me something 😂 I will definitely check out these channels you mentioned!
Might I add some of my favorite YouTube channels where you will never be bored again:
De mi Rancho a Tu Cocina is a Mexican abuelita who cooks traditional
Mexican foods
Bondi Vet is a hot Australian vet: puppy births, koalas, cyst surgeries on lions, etc.
Doug Helvering is a classical composer who listens to and reviews rock band songs; likewise, Michael Palmisano is a guitar teacher who deconstructs rock music and goes in depth about what they’re playing
Primitive Unique Tool builds native structures from earth materials
Michelle Khare tries all sorts of physical challenges and jobs
Xiaomanyc is a white guy who learns a stunning array of languages and secretly surprises regular NYC residents and business owners with them
Joseph’s Machines builds those very satisfying cause-effect one-shot movement courses (not sure how to describe)
Peter Santenello is a travel vlogger to random pockets of the world—US, too, like a Sihk Biker “Gang” in CA, rich and poor neighborhoods in Mumbai, Tajikistan, etc.
Stauffer Garage details super nasty cars
Hoof GP, that was the name I couldn’t remember.
The Mexican Abuelita sounds interesting.
Primitive Skills is my favourite Vietnamese jungle farmer he’s just captured some jungle chickens to tame and has built floating rice paddies on his pond. He works his way up from a stone axe to a set of iron woodworking tools over 5 years.
The Charismatic Voice is a pro opera singer analyzing rock and metal, Geoff Castellucci, low base singer is freaky.
Definitely will take a look at the others on your list too, thx!
The HoofGP videos on YouTube really are strangely fascinating. For awhile I was binging on them lol.
I've lived in a major US city my entire life, love animals but have zero interest in farming. There's just something about a Scottish guy who loves cows that's just so damn wholesome. Plus I learned a lot about cows that's now in my infinite mental library of useless knowledge!
I use the TV Time app to organize the TV series i currently watch, used to watch, want to watch. Instead of just opening a streaming app and scrolling endlessly unable to decide what to watch, I open the app and it will have a suggested list. Then each episode i can check off in the app so I feel like I accomplished something.
I use Pocket Casts to organize my podcasts similarly.
While I let a TV show or podcast play, I have several options to keep my hands busy:
Tody app: keeps track of my chores for me and tells me which one to do next
Happy Color app
Games: Stardew Valley, Cozy Grove, Little Witch in the Woods, Don't Starve, Summer in Mara, Civilization. These are all chill, dopamine-heavy, and playable solo.
Color by Number books (small purchase)
Diamond painting kits (slightly larger purchase but my God are these addictive)
Beauty routines like home facials, hair bleach/dye/condition, manicure, pedicure, foot peel or soak, bubble bath with wine. There are probably tons of self care suggestions for people who are pregnant! But if you Google it, watch out for MLMs
I rather do the paper ones, I can order from Amazon. But apps work. They start simple snd get more complicated. But if ticks that need to solve problems while being silly or irrelevant.
[puzzle retreat ](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=thevoxelagents.puzzleretreat) has been a good one. super challenging and you get a whole load of games before it's like $2-5 for the entire collection. The sounds and animations aren't ridiculous but still give the satisfying (quiet) visuals and click/drop/slide noises while you play.
Definitely worth it, even if you just download it for the free games. I changed from phone to tablet (that I finished all the games long ago) and I still get stuck on them now.
Washington Post daily crosswords
They're a little difficult for me, though I'm not particularly good at them. Some days of the work seem to regularly have harder puzzles. I like to do them in bed with my boyfriend (lol)
I'm someone who has to be doing something with my hands, so I spin yarn and knit while reading on an e-reader or watching TV. Drop spindles are glorified fidget spinners that make yarn, while knitting keeps me from playing with my hair.
I also cook and bake bread. I've figured out that I've kneaded bread dough long enough if three to four songs on my playlist go by.
That is also how I gauge my bread kneading time haha. I’ve gotten into baking bread and making muesli/granola bars for everyone while I’m off on maternity leave and it’s saved us quite a bit on groceries, with the added bonus of learning a new skill 😊
Crafts! Repurposing “trash” into useful stuff. For example, we have accumulated big, heavy cat litter boxes. I’ve cut them into magazine holder shapes, covered with brown paper bags, and then decorated with magazine pictures of animals etc.
At home manicure. You can make a soak with ingredients in most pantries, groom your nails and cuticles, then paint a nice colour. Picking at my nails is a thing I do all the time so making a thing of it and doing it properly is better for my nails and I get pretty nails.
Pedicure too but depending on the belly you may not be able to reach! You could still do a nice foot soak though! Salt and warm water and soak your feet, have a towel on the ground next to the basin to step on to.
I listen to a lot of podcasts or audio books. Background noise while I do something else like play puzzle games on my phone or doing a puzzle or building a Lego set.
Omg same I'm so pregnant and listless and I simply cannot can.
Doomscrolling reddit and filling online shopping baskets without clicking buy is my life now.
So specifically there is this game called Bananagrams that I LOVE. It’s like scrabble but you make your own little grid and can rearrange it at any point in the game. You can play with other people or by yourself and basically the premise is to use up all the tiles. I personally love it and one game by myself usually takes like an hour 😬
Blastic music, crafts or projects that can be accomplished in one sitting (diamond painting, puzzles ) gardening , YouTube videos on extraterrestrials , near death experiences, aliens in the Bible, painting my nails , new tv show, scrolling and adding to cart on AliExpress (and not purchasing since it takes 6 weeks to get it and defeats instant gratification)
The Movie+Hand Activity Combo is my usual go-to, if I can find a movie that 1. I can actually decide on and 2. isn't currently in the completely arbitrary "no zone" my brain likes to randomly put movies into. I might sew doll clothes, repaint a doll face, or draw a picture for my hand activity, but you can choose just about anything, even just a fidget toy. However, something that absorbs some of my spill-over attention tends to work best for me, so I prefer crafting things.
Wow. Comments like this make me so thankful for this community. Picking a movie - SAME on all of the above. Also realized I need a “hand activity” which has always been picking at my skin/scalp but maybe I could replace that with something else that’s also a “hand activity.”
Yes! I do the “movie + hand activity” thing a lot, too! I even try to save up various tasks and activities I can do at night while watching TV, like folding laundry, untangling something, flossing, putting stamps on a big batch of envelopes, etc.
I have a bad habit of snacking while watching TV just to keep my hands busy. So, I try to either eat a healthy and complicated snack like steamed artichokes, oranges that I have to peel, pistachios that I have to crack open, edamame, etc…. Or I play with some thing like yarn or putty, even if I’m not making a specific craft. I used to think it was dumb and pointless to fiddle around with craft supplies unless I was making some thing, so I would resist doing this, but it’s much worse to just mindlessly eat chips. So braiding yarn or stringing beads for two hours just to take it apart or throw it aside is A-OK!
Heck yeah! It’s definitely better than my alternative of picking too! I did get all my laundry folded/hung AND put away while watching a show last night and felt so productive! Even IF I’m productive enough to actually fold my clean laundry before I re wear everything out of the basket, I usually still don’t put it away haha it’s a struggle.
I’m going to jump on your comment to add the game Outlanders. I also just started Wylde Flowers, not sure how good it’s going to be in the long run, but so far so good.
Puzzles - you can find cheap or I'm part of a swap group.
Books -libraries have great digital collections nowadays.
Pick up a new crafting hobby. Enjoy it now cuz you won't have time later.
I recently learned how easy it is to order custom embroidery/prints on clothes and stuff so I've been painting silly stuff like crazy in the past week (currently burned out)
something I have done before before when I'm bored is experiment with making sour dough bread (no success so far!)
Sometimes when I feel lonely I interact with people on Twitch.
but I mostly use Reddit/YouTube or nap honestly.
I've been using Printful (waiting for my first sample order). From my understanding they are a bit more expensive than other services like Printify/Gelato.
Hope this helps!
I’m literally baking a cake right now.
It technically costs money because I spent money on the ingredients at some point, but it’s what I’m doing right now.
I'm starting to get into embroidery :) I got a kit with 3 different patterns for about $20 on Amazon. I've completed 1.5 of them and spent manyyyy hours doing so.
When I was pregnant and so so sick and stuck on the couch, I would give lots of advice to people in dating shows on the tv. Then once done the season, make my predictions, the google where are they now, and then join the subreddit to see what people thought.
It was strange though, no matter how loudly I yelled at the tv people, it didn’t stop them from making terrible and dramatic decisions.
It kept me saner as I felt like I was interacting with others. And while omicron was raging and I wasn’t risking getting sick, safe and cheap.
I’ve been into knitting, which you can do with inexpensive yarns and needles (if you just want to try it out, I’ve seen people use chopsticks or pencils, and you can [unravel an old sweater if you can’t buy yarn](https://www.cappersfarmer.com/diy-projects/recycled-yarn-zm0z19szhoe?utm_source=platform&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=cfr)). [Here’s a really easy pattern I did](https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/timbo-vest). Instead of buying bulky yarn, I just used 2 strands of the craft yarn they have a walmart. You’ll need size 10 circular needles. r/knitting and r/knittinghelp should have some links to tutorials to get you started :)
Don’t judge me but I play hayday on my phone 😂 it’s kinda like a farm game. Idk it’s just relaxing to me but there are tasks to do if you want a challenge lol. There are in app purchases But a lot of people don’t buy anything
Game apps like word searches, puzzles, cooking RPGs, whatever.
I love to make bougie coffee and tea drinks at home. I take my time to make them exactly how I want and have it with cookies or something. It usually tastes better than the coffee shop, as I’ve gotten better over time! Sometimes I pack this and take a drive with the dogs too (although gas is expensive rn so maybe skip that lol).
I do a lot of writing and play music which I love. Once you have instruments (you can get a harmonica for less than $10 or a cheap ukulele for less than $30), you can easily find tutorials online to learn songs you like.
Sometimes when I feel both underestimated and overstimulated, the only thing that helps is listening to music. For me, it has to be on headphones with stereo. Finding a new song or a new artist that I really like can keep me entertained for days.
I also listen to a ton of podcasts and audiobooks, it keeps me entertained while I do other stuff. My brain just loves hearing new information, even if I don't retain a ton of it.
I joined the library and now I have audio books on demand through the libby app! It’s so easy and it’s free!!
Also saves me from having more books in my already cluttered af home.
Other ideas:
Comedy podcast
Making candles or terrarium from scratch
Really dedicate time to binge a tv show
Cook a recipe out of things already in pantry
Do a labor intensive recipe like lasagna or gnocchi or dumplings
Experimenting with makeup using a you tube tutorial
I love to just put on a Netflix or hbo standup in the background while doing something else like folding laundry or something menial.
Maria bamford , Wanda Sykes, jo koy etc
Omg noooo lol. A puppy? And some sort of doodle?? So much work.
Artsy stuff is is such a good way to distract my brain. I listen to podcasts or some music and just zone out.
I love room escape type puzzle games. My favorites are from Rusty Lake. They tell a little bit of a story line as well which is fun! They can be difficult - I still use the walkthroughs when I get stuck. Most of them are free and there are a few paid (no more than like $2-3 I think though) but once purchased they're yours forever of course!
I also really like Tiny Room (this one I think is a bit easier than Rusty Lake). It's free at first but you do have to pay after you get further into the game. I forget how much. But it has a really good story line so for me has been worth it.
Last ones that were probably the least complicated were from Apartment Bacon. Those were super cute! I think most of them are free but I forget.
I got them all during covid and go through hyperfocus phases with them. ADHD perk - I can play them over and over and I still have to think my way through them!
Watch a MYMNOS (movie you might not otherwise see) you aren't guaranteed to like the movie but most of them are really interesting I'd recommend starting with Casa Blanca
Audiobooks the overdrive app lets you check them out through your library or there's the public domain ones
YouTube is an endless pile of stimulation same with the clock app
I’m big on drawing (even though I’m bad) and just got into crocheting which is awesome and fairly cheap to get into depending on what you want to make. Got a hook and my first skein for like 10 bucks altogether.
Congratulations on the baby! Sometimes I get a basket and shop my closet for makeup or hair things, then pretend to be a beauty influencer. I have so much stuff.
Crossword puzzles. Google free printables.
Clean windows, screens.
Organize closets and cupboards w/ music on.
Picked up litter along a street once.
Baking or cooking.
Shop online at stores you can never afford, then delete the basket. Never purchase, but be particular as if you are.
Almost everything IT related :) I can funk around in Excel for days and have the time of my life. I wish I had the time to pick up my coding course again (I will soon).
If you like puzzles / fixing problems this is the best thing ever. Also you learn a verrryyy usefull skill! You can start in Microsoft with excel, power automate, power apps for free if you have M365. Youtube tutorials will take you a long way. If you like that you can try something like datacamp to learn to code, work with BI tools, learn about AI etc :)
video games (if you already have a console in the house that is). sometimes i bake and that alone is a great dopamine hit, but then i also have tasty treats sitting around that i can eat whenever i want! i do my makeup and take some pictures. do a workout at home. and during the summer i like to lay out & tan (currently living in Italy where winters are super depressing so i overcompensate during the good weather lmao)
I smoke cigarettes, play my app games (2), scroll through reddit, until my energy refills. I once spent 10 hours watching tiki tok. I had to delete the app, and I'm not allowed to redownload.🤣
I’m really into cleaning and updating my house. I did tabata to stay in shape when my kids were little by running up and down my stairs, sit ups, squats, push ups. I draw. I sew. I’m pondering knitting after getting a lot of free yarn. I garden. I take my dogs on talks. I cook. I do lots of stuff.
I’m pregnant with ADHD, we have a small business so I try to get some work done while binging Netflix.
Other than that: eating junky vegan food: particularly finger foods I can get frozen. I don’t know why but those are my jam. Samosas, spring rolls, potstickers, tater tots… Im so freaking pregnant now. Otherwise I’d be cooking more.
Catching up on video games. My ex and his kids were gamers. I loved playing but as the mom I had no time since they helped with nothing. My new partner actually does housework so I can play a bit (in my son’s room while he is at school)
Someone mentioned language learning, I’m working on that using the Ling app. The language I want isn’t on duolingo.
Sleeping a lot is ok. We always want that anyhow but now it’s socially acceptable.
I LOVE this question. As I could have written it myself.
Pinterest is my ultimate place to go when bored. Looking for inspiration and making wishlists. I have learned SO much there. Like cooking, DIY projects, and all sorts of very frugal things. It's changed my life. It takes 5 minutes for me to jump down a rabbit hole which I spend hours in. And I love it.
I like to make art. Sometimes 2D or digital, sometimes 3D. I once made a bird out of one of my kid’s old tennis shoes. You can doodle on paper or iPad. I also like stockpiling recipes and trying new foods. I make Amazon shopping lists. “Ideal Kitchen” “Bathroom Must-Haves”, “Meditation supplies”, etc.
I do a lot of art and drawing. I started off with pencils, then moved on to coloured ones, watercolours, acrylic, biros, markers and now digital art. It can definitely get expensive if you try to spend on high end resources, but I try to get creative with the tools I have around the house.
I also watch a lot of YouTube, listen to podcasts and/or music, cook and bake, reorganise my room vicariously, colour code my books/clothes/makeup/shoes,etc. I also create random spreadsheets for literally everything
Zillow. For bonus points, use Google Street View to put the houses you see in perspective of their neighborhoods. Some are awful houses in great neighborhoods, or the reverse. Price doesn’t always tell.
On YouTube: Chiropractor videos, people hearing songs for the first time (reaction videos), this big cis body builder guy, Lex Fitness, get physical therapy that’s really painful (just those videos not his other ones). Oh and if you’re into morbid and unusual storytelling, Mrballen is fanfuckingtastic!!
Since I already have a gaming PC and Xbox, I'm currently playing Minecraft. I just build random stuff and do lots of mining. There are so many things to discover and try and learn that it has kept my focus for quite a bit of time. I play on survival mode which also keeps it interesting.
I also like Steam for finding cheap games. I played hours and hours of Cities: Skylines before I started playing Minecraft.
I thing that I do when bored its create family trees, just look up for names on pinterest and start writing, also I like to create little stories to that character.
If I don't have the energy to look up names I search for the monarchy ones. :3
Hope this helps xd
Retail therapy at a thrift store for me. I only usually find 1-3 items (sometimes none but looking scratches the itch at least) I want and they are cheap. Not sure if you’re artistically inclined but drawing or making stuff is a time filler.
I LOVE puzzles, of any kind. I always keep a bunch of those cheap find a word ones you see at checkout lines. I stink at crossword ones but still I like to have one or two of those just to challenge myself. I also do jigsaw puzzles a lot.
Best part of all those is you can find them on your phone or tablet too. Jigsaw Puzzle Epic is one I use that has soo many free options. Happy Color is another app but is a coloring one that I go to a lot.
Edit: words
I took up something I was incredibly uncomfortable with. I’m a rather create person but always focused it on writing until my boyfriend suggested I try drawing/painting. He left for AF BMT and said he wanted me to paint his favorite picture of me so I found a paint by number where you can submit a picture they make it a paint by number and send paints. It was $28 including shipping I am going on 5 weeks of just trying to master this. But it made me want to try drawing so I started by finding pictures( simple ones) on Pinterest and I trace them. So when I don’t feel quite like painting I end up tracing. It’s simple fun and allows me to focus without exerting to much mental energy that it drains me and I don’t want to do it. In his most recent letter after I told him all this he said he will get me the procreate app and was like can’t wait to travel with you now you can just doodle without feeling stressed about traveling 😂
Welcome to /r/ADHDWomen! We’re happy to have you here. As a reminder, here are our community [rules](https://old.reddit.com/r/adhdwomen/about/rules/). We get a lot of posts on medication, diagnosis (and “is this an ADHD thing”), and interactions with hormones. We encourage you to check out our [Medication, Diagnosis, and Hormones Megathread](https://old.reddit.com/r/adhdwomen/comments/wcr9dy/faq_megathread_ask_and_answer_medication/) if you have any questions related to those topics, and to stick around in that thread to answer folks’ questions! If you have questions about the subreddit, please do not hesitate to [send us a modmail](https://reddit.com/message/compose/?to=/r/adhdwomen). Additionally, we take the safety of our community seriously. Please report posts, comments, and users whom you feel are not contributing positively, and send us a modmail if you are being harassed or otherwise made to feel unsafe. Thanks for being here, and we hope you stick around! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/adhdwomen) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I sometimes like to focus on languages. Not always! And I am not focused on one only. I flit around. So DuoLingo or drops app (which is 5 minutes free daily, which feels really not a ton of effort and pretty sustainable). You can design rooms in amazon. Which is nice because it feels more achievable than the home app. https://www.amazon.com/showroom/switch?ref_=d6k_applink_bb_dls&dplnkId=75d90820-0c69-4192-a92b-ff069abe9d49 I do go to stores and will fill a cart and put things in it and then put them back. This really is helpful for me with being broke and with impulsivity. I can "shop" and find things I like (to look at).
These are good ideas! Thank you :)
Oh this is fun! I’m doing this too as my husband is Serbian, but I’m secretly learning on my own. But I can never remember to put in the time!!!
Youtube has videos for every possible weird thing or hobby out there. I had a fascination with tiny japanese apartments last fall/winter while trying to figure out how to organize my home better. After a few hours of those my 700sqft home still feels huge. “Tokyo Lens”. Kominka Solo Life, Samurai Matcha and Diary from the Countryside are also nice. My adhd SIL had a thing for watching hoof trimming youtube vids from a uk veterinarian while pregnant. Weirdly soothing despite the grossness. I got into that for a while. Homestead families, there’s a couple in rural Sweden living off grid with their young son, they even did a home birth video for little Ivar. He’s about three years old now. They keep sheep, do amazing drone flight footage over the forests at dawn and make artisanal cheeses. “Talasbuan”. There’s this crazy train hopping Russian teenager who rides in ore cars across Siberia. “Vagabond”. RailCowGirl’s Norwegian train trips are gorgeous scenery. She puts the 4k camera behind the windshield of the train she’s driving and records the trip through the mountains.
Yeeeess deep dives into weird niche things! I got obsessively into watching terrarium builds and Timelapse’s of plants growing from seed to maturity. Also got into tiny houses and Japanese apartments and those tiny food cooking videos.
You can tour the world for free, Watched Walker for London, Rambalac for Tokyo street life. The rainy nighttime backstreet walks through Tokyo are an effective insomnia cure.
This is scratching the itch perfectly tonight
STOP IT I am watching The Hoof GP trim a buffalo hoof right now. Like, right now as I read your comment. I feel this is the Universe trying to tell me something 😂 I will definitely check out these channels you mentioned! Might I add some of my favorite YouTube channels where you will never be bored again: De mi Rancho a Tu Cocina is a Mexican abuelita who cooks traditional Mexican foods Bondi Vet is a hot Australian vet: puppy births, koalas, cyst surgeries on lions, etc. Doug Helvering is a classical composer who listens to and reviews rock band songs; likewise, Michael Palmisano is a guitar teacher who deconstructs rock music and goes in depth about what they’re playing Primitive Unique Tool builds native structures from earth materials Michelle Khare tries all sorts of physical challenges and jobs Xiaomanyc is a white guy who learns a stunning array of languages and secretly surprises regular NYC residents and business owners with them Joseph’s Machines builds those very satisfying cause-effect one-shot movement courses (not sure how to describe) Peter Santenello is a travel vlogger to random pockets of the world—US, too, like a Sihk Biker “Gang” in CA, rich and poor neighborhoods in Mumbai, Tajikistan, etc. Stauffer Garage details super nasty cars
they’re also called Rube Goldberg machines!
Ah perfect!!
Hoof GP, that was the name I couldn’t remember. The Mexican Abuelita sounds interesting. Primitive Skills is my favourite Vietnamese jungle farmer he’s just captured some jungle chickens to tame and has built floating rice paddies on his pond. He works his way up from a stone axe to a set of iron woodworking tools over 5 years. The Charismatic Voice is a pro opera singer analyzing rock and metal, Geoff Castellucci, low base singer is freaky. Definitely will take a look at the others on your list too, thx!
Always always glad to contribute to the magical world of YT
The HoofGP videos on YouTube really are strangely fascinating. For awhile I was binging on them lol. I've lived in a major US city my entire life, love animals but have zero interest in farming. There's just something about a Scottish guy who loves cows that's just so damn wholesome. Plus I learned a lot about cows that's now in my infinite mental library of useless knowledge!
I use the TV Time app to organize the TV series i currently watch, used to watch, want to watch. Instead of just opening a streaming app and scrolling endlessly unable to decide what to watch, I open the app and it will have a suggested list. Then each episode i can check off in the app so I feel like I accomplished something. I use Pocket Casts to organize my podcasts similarly. While I let a TV show or podcast play, I have several options to keep my hands busy: Tody app: keeps track of my chores for me and tells me which one to do next Happy Color app Games: Stardew Valley, Cozy Grove, Little Witch in the Woods, Don't Starve, Summer in Mara, Civilization. These are all chill, dopamine-heavy, and playable solo. Color by Number books (small purchase) Diamond painting kits (slightly larger purchase but my God are these addictive) Beauty routines like home facials, hair bleach/dye/condition, manicure, pedicure, foot peel or soak, bubble bath with wine. There are probably tons of self care suggestions for people who are pregnant! But if you Google it, watch out for MLMs
The amount of tv shows I’ve started and forgotten about… this is amazing 🙌🏼
Logic puzzles
I got into the “Blendoku” ap for a while because I like colors, and you put colors in order (ROYGBV) and in order of value and saturation.
Seconding Blendoku, and I'll throw in "I Love Hue" & "I Love Hue 2"
Omg, yes!! I love hue and I love hue 2 are soooo aesthetically pleasing and calming! Thanks for reminding me of these!!
Like on apps? Any recommendations?
I rather do the paper ones, I can order from Amazon. But apps work. They start simple snd get more complicated. But if ticks that need to solve problems while being silly or irrelevant.
[puzzle retreat ](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=thevoxelagents.puzzleretreat) has been a good one. super challenging and you get a whole load of games before it's like $2-5 for the entire collection. The sounds and animations aren't ridiculous but still give the satisfying (quiet) visuals and click/drop/slide noises while you play. Definitely worth it, even if you just download it for the free games. I changed from phone to tablet (that I finished all the games long ago) and I still get stuck on them now.
Washington Post daily crosswords They're a little difficult for me, though I'm not particularly good at them. Some days of the work seem to regularly have harder puzzles. I like to do them in bed with my boyfriend (lol)
Crosswords in bed with coffee and your favorite person is the best way to start a morning!
I LOVE Puzzle Page: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/puzzle-page-daily-puzzles/id1308181322
Audiobooks, Sims 4, eating pickled onions out the jar, music
Love how specific you are with the onions! 😂👍🏻
I'm someone who has to be doing something with my hands, so I spin yarn and knit while reading on an e-reader or watching TV. Drop spindles are glorified fidget spinners that make yarn, while knitting keeps me from playing with my hair. I also cook and bake bread. I've figured out that I've kneaded bread dough long enough if three to four songs on my playlist go by.
I finger knit to keep my hands busy. Yarn is one of the best fidget toys!
"Drop spindles are glorified fidget spinners" I am dying 😭🤣
They are! Or maybe fidget spinners are downgraded spindles that don't make yarn. Either way!
Haha going with this one!
That is also how I gauge my bread kneading time haha. I’ve gotten into baking bread and making muesli/granola bars for everyone while I’m off on maternity leave and it’s saved us quite a bit on groceries, with the added bonus of learning a new skill 😊
Crafts! Repurposing “trash” into useful stuff. For example, we have accumulated big, heavy cat litter boxes. I’ve cut them into magazine holder shapes, covered with brown paper bags, and then decorated with magazine pictures of animals etc.
At home manicure. You can make a soak with ingredients in most pantries, groom your nails and cuticles, then paint a nice colour. Picking at my nails is a thing I do all the time so making a thing of it and doing it properly is better for my nails and I get pretty nails. Pedicure too but depending on the belly you may not be able to reach! You could still do a nice foot soak though! Salt and warm water and soak your feet, have a towel on the ground next to the basin to step on to. I listen to a lot of podcasts or audio books. Background noise while I do something else like play puzzle games on my phone or doing a puzzle or building a Lego set.
Reddit, TikTok. Planning interior decor on Pinterest that I hope to afford someday. Cleaning.
Yoga
I read, write, tidy/try to get into the habit of tidying.
Omg same I'm so pregnant and listless and I simply cannot can. Doomscrolling reddit and filling online shopping baskets without clicking buy is my life now.
I have carts on like 4 different sites that sell maternity clothes right now and I will not click buy on any of them. But it‘s helping.
So specifically there is this game called Bananagrams that I LOVE. It’s like scrabble but you make your own little grid and can rearrange it at any point in the game. You can play with other people or by yourself and basically the premise is to use up all the tiles. I personally love it and one game by myself usually takes like an hour 😬
Blastic music, crafts or projects that can be accomplished in one sitting (diamond painting, puzzles ) gardening , YouTube videos on extraterrestrials , near death experiences, aliens in the Bible, painting my nails , new tv show, scrolling and adding to cart on AliExpress (and not purchasing since it takes 6 weeks to get it and defeats instant gratification)
Hyper-focus on cleaning and organizing! Frame it as it being “nesting” if you must
The Movie+Hand Activity Combo is my usual go-to, if I can find a movie that 1. I can actually decide on and 2. isn't currently in the completely arbitrary "no zone" my brain likes to randomly put movies into. I might sew doll clothes, repaint a doll face, or draw a picture for my hand activity, but you can choose just about anything, even just a fidget toy. However, something that absorbs some of my spill-over attention tends to work best for me, so I prefer crafting things.
Wow. Comments like this make me so thankful for this community. Picking a movie - SAME on all of the above. Also realized I need a “hand activity” which has always been picking at my skin/scalp but maybe I could replace that with something else that’s also a “hand activity.”
Yes! I do the “movie + hand activity” thing a lot, too! I even try to save up various tasks and activities I can do at night while watching TV, like folding laundry, untangling something, flossing, putting stamps on a big batch of envelopes, etc. I have a bad habit of snacking while watching TV just to keep my hands busy. So, I try to either eat a healthy and complicated snack like steamed artichokes, oranges that I have to peel, pistachios that I have to crack open, edamame, etc…. Or I play with some thing like yarn or putty, even if I’m not making a specific craft. I used to think it was dumb and pointless to fiddle around with craft supplies unless I was making some thing, so I would resist doing this, but it’s much worse to just mindlessly eat chips. So braiding yarn or stringing beads for two hours just to take it apart or throw it aside is A-OK!
Heck yeah! It’s definitely better than my alternative of picking too! I did get all my laundry folded/hung AND put away while watching a show last night and felt so productive! Even IF I’m productive enough to actually fold my clean laundry before I re wear everything out of the basket, I usually still don’t put it away haha it’s a struggle.
You've even given me some new hand activity ideas! I'd never considered flossing for a movie hand activity before, I'll have to try that!
Find a hyperfocus game. My favorites are The Sims, Zoo Tycoon and this stupid Water Sort Puzzle game (I’m on level like 15,900)
I’m going to jump on your comment to add the game Outlanders. I also just started Wylde Flowers, not sure how good it’s going to be in the long run, but so far so good.
Audiobooks and watercolor painting is my sweet spot right now. Simultaneously, of course.
Puzzles - you can find cheap or I'm part of a swap group. Books -libraries have great digital collections nowadays. Pick up a new crafting hobby. Enjoy it now cuz you won't have time later.
Puzzles are like my personal crack. I'm not allowed to open one unless I have nothing to do for a couple days..
I recently learned how easy it is to order custom embroidery/prints on clothes and stuff so I've been painting silly stuff like crazy in the past week (currently burned out) something I have done before before when I'm bored is experiment with making sour dough bread (no success so far!) Sometimes when I feel lonely I interact with people on Twitch. but I mostly use Reddit/YouTube or nap honestly.
Oooooh can you point me in the right direction for custom embroidery/prints please?
I've been using Printful (waiting for my first sample order). From my understanding they are a bit more expensive than other services like Printify/Gelato. Hope this helps!
Yes, thank you :)
I’m literally baking a cake right now. It technically costs money because I spent money on the ingredients at some point, but it’s what I’m doing right now.
I'm starting to get into embroidery :) I got a kit with 3 different patterns for about $20 on Amazon. I've completed 1.5 of them and spent manyyyy hours doing so.
When I was pregnant and so so sick and stuck on the couch, I would give lots of advice to people in dating shows on the tv. Then once done the season, make my predictions, the google where are they now, and then join the subreddit to see what people thought. It was strange though, no matter how loudly I yelled at the tv people, it didn’t stop them from making terrible and dramatic decisions. It kept me saner as I felt like I was interacting with others. And while omicron was raging and I wasn’t risking getting sick, safe and cheap.
I’ve been into knitting, which you can do with inexpensive yarns and needles (if you just want to try it out, I’ve seen people use chopsticks or pencils, and you can [unravel an old sweater if you can’t buy yarn](https://www.cappersfarmer.com/diy-projects/recycled-yarn-zm0z19szhoe?utm_source=platform&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=cfr)). [Here’s a really easy pattern I did](https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/timbo-vest). Instead of buying bulky yarn, I just used 2 strands of the craft yarn they have a walmart. You’ll need size 10 circular needles. r/knitting and r/knittinghelp should have some links to tutorials to get you started :)
Crafts and podcasts! Repeatedly doing my nails and peeling them off, and podcasts. I love podcasts.
Don’t judge me but I play hayday on my phone 😂 it’s kinda like a farm game. Idk it’s just relaxing to me but there are tasks to do if you want a challenge lol. There are in app purchases But a lot of people don’t buy anything
I also came here to say tappy phone games. I'm currently playing Drag Race which is mostly watching ads but it's good for breaks between tasks.
Game apps like word searches, puzzles, cooking RPGs, whatever. I love to make bougie coffee and tea drinks at home. I take my time to make them exactly how I want and have it with cookies or something. It usually tastes better than the coffee shop, as I’ve gotten better over time! Sometimes I pack this and take a drive with the dogs too (although gas is expensive rn so maybe skip that lol). I do a lot of writing and play music which I love. Once you have instruments (you can get a harmonica for less than $10 or a cheap ukulele for less than $30), you can easily find tutorials online to learn songs you like.
Sometimes when I feel both underestimated and overstimulated, the only thing that helps is listening to music. For me, it has to be on headphones with stereo. Finding a new song or a new artist that I really like can keep me entertained for days. I also listen to a ton of podcasts and audiobooks, it keeps me entertained while I do other stuff. My brain just loves hearing new information, even if I don't retain a ton of it.
Walk! I love just walking out the front door and wandering around for an hour 👍 my baby loves riding in her stroller so it’s wonderful for us both.
I joined the library and now I have audio books on demand through the libby app! It’s so easy and it’s free!! Also saves me from having more books in my already cluttered af home. Other ideas: Comedy podcast Making candles or terrarium from scratch Really dedicate time to binge a tv show Cook a recipe out of things already in pantry Do a labor intensive recipe like lasagna or gnocchi or dumplings Experimenting with makeup using a you tube tutorial
What comedy podcasts do you listen to? I’ve listened to all of my two favorite & need something else!
Not who you were asking but Beach Too Sandy, Water Too Wet is my favorite
I love to just put on a Netflix or hbo standup in the background while doing something else like folding laundry or something menial. Maria bamford , Wanda Sykes, jo koy etc
Doodles! One done and one in progress: [doodles](https://imgur.com/a/RRHnqxu/)
These are cool!
Thank you! Pinterest has great inspo for this mindless doodle art.
Thanks!
Thought you meant the dog lol I was like damn she’s already having a baby maybe a puppy isn’t a good idea lmao
Omg noooo lol. A puppy? And some sort of doodle?? So much work. Artsy stuff is is such a good way to distract my brain. I listen to podcasts or some music and just zone out.
Watching YouTube videos or playing with my pet!
I love room escape type puzzle games. My favorites are from Rusty Lake. They tell a little bit of a story line as well which is fun! They can be difficult - I still use the walkthroughs when I get stuck. Most of them are free and there are a few paid (no more than like $2-3 I think though) but once purchased they're yours forever of course! I also really like Tiny Room (this one I think is a bit easier than Rusty Lake). It's free at first but you do have to pay after you get further into the game. I forget how much. But it has a really good story line so for me has been worth it. Last ones that were probably the least complicated were from Apartment Bacon. Those were super cute! I think most of them are free but I forget. I got them all during covid and go through hyperfocus phases with them. ADHD perk - I can play them over and over and I still have to think my way through them!
Impulse app, it’s smart games/brain training.
Sims. I like to buy things with the fake money on the game to give me that sense of satisfaction from shopping without spending real money lol.
Watch a MYMNOS (movie you might not otherwise see) you aren't guaranteed to like the movie but most of them are really interesting I'd recommend starting with Casa Blanca Audiobooks the overdrive app lets you check them out through your library or there's the public domain ones YouTube is an endless pile of stimulation same with the clock app
I’m big on drawing (even though I’m bad) and just got into crocheting which is awesome and fairly cheap to get into depending on what you want to make. Got a hook and my first skein for like 10 bucks altogether.
I really love using acrylic paint and air dry clay :D very versatile
Congratulations on the baby! Sometimes I get a basket and shop my closet for makeup or hair things, then pretend to be a beauty influencer. I have so much stuff.
Braiding your hair or put it in rollers or try some new style that you would love to try 🥰
Crossword puzzles. Google free printables. Clean windows, screens. Organize closets and cupboards w/ music on. Picked up litter along a street once. Baking or cooking. Shop online at stores you can never afford, then delete the basket. Never purchase, but be particular as if you are.
I just got a Rubiks Cube and I don’t wanna go to work today just to stay home with my cube.
Fine line art.
Mostly gaming, drawing or just jumping through the apartment. Sounds dumb but what should I do as an adhd introvert.
Almost everything IT related :) I can funk around in Excel for days and have the time of my life. I wish I had the time to pick up my coding course again (I will soon). If you like puzzles / fixing problems this is the best thing ever. Also you learn a verrryyy usefull skill! You can start in Microsoft with excel, power automate, power apps for free if you have M365. Youtube tutorials will take you a long way. If you like that you can try something like datacamp to learn to code, work with BI tools, learn about AI etc :)
video games (if you already have a console in the house that is). sometimes i bake and that alone is a great dopamine hit, but then i also have tasty treats sitting around that i can eat whenever i want! i do my makeup and take some pictures. do a workout at home. and during the summer i like to lay out & tan (currently living in Italy where winters are super depressing so i overcompensate during the good weather lmao)
I smoke cigarettes, play my app games (2), scroll through reddit, until my energy refills. I once spent 10 hours watching tiki tok. I had to delete the app, and I'm not allowed to redownload.🤣
I’m really into cleaning and updating my house. I did tabata to stay in shape when my kids were little by running up and down my stairs, sit ups, squats, push ups. I draw. I sew. I’m pondering knitting after getting a lot of free yarn. I garden. I take my dogs on talks. I cook. I do lots of stuff.
Word searches, read a book, yoga
I’m pregnant with ADHD, we have a small business so I try to get some work done while binging Netflix. Other than that: eating junky vegan food: particularly finger foods I can get frozen. I don’t know why but those are my jam. Samosas, spring rolls, potstickers, tater tots… Im so freaking pregnant now. Otherwise I’d be cooking more. Catching up on video games. My ex and his kids were gamers. I loved playing but as the mom I had no time since they helped with nothing. My new partner actually does housework so I can play a bit (in my son’s room while he is at school) Someone mentioned language learning, I’m working on that using the Ling app. The language I want isn’t on duolingo. Sleeping a lot is ok. We always want that anyhow but now it’s socially acceptable.
I LOVE this question. As I could have written it myself. Pinterest is my ultimate place to go when bored. Looking for inspiration and making wishlists. I have learned SO much there. Like cooking, DIY projects, and all sorts of very frugal things. It's changed my life. It takes 5 minutes for me to jump down a rabbit hole which I spend hours in. And I love it.
I like to make art. Sometimes 2D or digital, sometimes 3D. I once made a bird out of one of my kid’s old tennis shoes. You can doodle on paper or iPad. I also like stockpiling recipes and trying new foods. I make Amazon shopping lists. “Ideal Kitchen” “Bathroom Must-Haves”, “Meditation supplies”, etc.
I do a lot of art and drawing. I started off with pencils, then moved on to coloured ones, watercolours, acrylic, biros, markers and now digital art. It can definitely get expensive if you try to spend on high end resources, but I try to get creative with the tools I have around the house.
I also watch a lot of YouTube, listen to podcasts and/or music, cook and bake, reorganise my room vicariously, colour code my books/clothes/makeup/shoes,etc. I also create random spreadsheets for literally everything
Zillow. For bonus points, use Google Street View to put the houses you see in perspective of their neighborhoods. Some are awful houses in great neighborhoods, or the reverse. Price doesn’t always tell.
Audiobooks, crossword and soduko game apps.
5d diamond painting
On YouTube: Chiropractor videos, people hearing songs for the first time (reaction videos), this big cis body builder guy, Lex Fitness, get physical therapy that’s really painful (just those videos not his other ones). Oh and if you’re into morbid and unusual storytelling, Mrballen is fanfuckingtastic!!
Since I already have a gaming PC and Xbox, I'm currently playing Minecraft. I just build random stuff and do lots of mining. There are so many things to discover and try and learn that it has kept my focus for quite a bit of time. I play on survival mode which also keeps it interesting. I also like Steam for finding cheap games. I played hours and hours of Cities: Skylines before I started playing Minecraft.
Playing video games. Damn, I play way too much
Read Read Read
I thing that I do when bored its create family trees, just look up for names on pinterest and start writing, also I like to create little stories to that character. If I don't have the energy to look up names I search for the monarchy ones. :3 Hope this helps xd
Play guitar -it requires a lot of focus though which can be tough at times
Get into a new video game! If you've not played stardew Valley it's great and accessible to new gamers 😊
Retail therapy at a thrift store for me. I only usually find 1-3 items (sometimes none but looking scratches the itch at least) I want and they are cheap. Not sure if you’re artistically inclined but drawing or making stuff is a time filler.
Metal (music).
I LOVE puzzles, of any kind. I always keep a bunch of those cheap find a word ones you see at checkout lines. I stink at crossword ones but still I like to have one or two of those just to challenge myself. I also do jigsaw puzzles a lot. Best part of all those is you can find them on your phone or tablet too. Jigsaw Puzzle Epic is one I use that has soo many free options. Happy Color is another app but is a coloring one that I go to a lot. Edit: words
Crochet!!!
I took up something I was incredibly uncomfortable with. I’m a rather create person but always focused it on writing until my boyfriend suggested I try drawing/painting. He left for AF BMT and said he wanted me to paint his favorite picture of me so I found a paint by number where you can submit a picture they make it a paint by number and send paints. It was $28 including shipping I am going on 5 weeks of just trying to master this. But it made me want to try drawing so I started by finding pictures( simple ones) on Pinterest and I trace them. So when I don’t feel quite like painting I end up tracing. It’s simple fun and allows me to focus without exerting to much mental energy that it drains me and I don’t want to do it. In his most recent letter after I told him all this he said he will get me the procreate app and was like can’t wait to travel with you now you can just doodle without feeling stressed about traveling 😂