Beyond Boredom: What Helped Me When I Was Stuck on the Couch

"This is the face of boredom... give me your best ideas for easy things to do while binge-watching shows. Have enough energy to be bored, but not so much that I can get out and do anything that requires more than about 20–30 minutes of energy. I’m bored of my phone games and my friends aren’t posting enough content to keep me entertained with doom scrolling."

That was the call I sent out on social media during a recent post-surgery recovery. I was tired — but not tired enough to sleep. Bored — but not well enough to go anywhere. And I’d hit my limit on Solitaire, Killer Soduku, Instagram, and scrolling through other people’s vacation pictures.

What happened next surprised me in the best way: my friends delivered. They flooded my social media feed and inbox with easy, creative, and thoughtful ideas — things they had done while recovering, or just while lying low during illness, burnout, or downtime.

Some were cozy and comforting. Others were quirky and surprisingly productive. Together, their suggestions helped me feel more grounded, entertained, and even a little bit inspired. So much so that I knew I had to share them here.

Whether you’re recovering from surgery, stuck on the couch with the flu, navigating chronic illness, or simply taking time to rest and restore — I hope this list brings you some of the same enjoyment and inspiration it brought me.

💬 Social & Low-Effort Connection

• Have friends over (even briefly or for a short game session)

• Phone calls with friends

• Create a Discord for friends and family to chat

• Watch movies with friends virtually

• Host online music listening parties

• Listen to podcasts with others

• Find community to engage with (Twitch, Instagram, other platforms)

• Stream/watch and engage on Twitch.tv

  • Comedy cooking channels

  • Vancouver Aquarium otter livestreams

🎲 Games & Interactive Entertainment

• Play cards

• Play board games

• Play online multiplayer RPGs

• Online Scrabble

• Jigsaw puzzles

• Phone games

• Watch shows (or stream your watchlist) - the list of show recommendations was fantastic!

🎨 Creative & Crafty (Couch-Ready)

• Crafts of any kind

• Paint

• Paint-by-number kits

• Adult colouring books

• Zentangle drawing (e.g., Minutes of Zen on YouTube)

• Make pom poms

• Make wreaths

• Diamond painting

• Cross stitch

• Crochet

• Knit (including knit toques for charity!)

• Needlework

• Tactile arts (anything hands-on and textural)

📚 Thoughtful & Reflective

• Read a good book

• Write (journaling, letters, reflections, blog posts)

• Script out my next podcast

• Listen to music

• Listen to podcasts

• Use the Finch app for self-care and personal reflection

• Duolingo — learn a new language!

• Research for friends (aka “thoughtful rabbit holes”)

🌿 Gentle Movement & Restorative Practices

• Go for a walk outside

• Breathing exercises

• Meditation or hypnotherapy apps

• Light exercise, as appropriate

• Nap

⏰ Light Structure & Routine (When You're Craving Stability)

A good friend who lives with physical health challenges suggested breaking the day into manageable segments to avoid the “endless scroll” feeling.

Here’s her example of a daily structure:

• Morning routine (getting ready, light wash-up, etc.)

• Breakfast

• Social media scroll (in a time-limited way)

• Reading or listening (books, podcasts, etc.)

• Music

• Breathing or mindfulness practice

• Lunch

• Meditation or hypnotherapy app

• Nap or quiet rest

• Gentle movement or exercise

• Phone games or light engagement

• Dinner

• Conversation with family

• TV shows

• Sleep

🐣 Wild Cards & Whimsical Ideas

• Get chickens (yes, someone seriously suggested this!)

  • Having previously had chickens when my kids participated in 4-H, I can attest to the joy and entertainment chickens bring to life!

A Final Thought

Healing isn’t just about the physical recovery — it’s also about tending to your spirit. It can be frustrating when your body slows you down, especially if you’re someone who thrives on movement or productivity. But rest is not wasted time. Boredom, as uncomfortable as it is, can be an invitation to recalibrate and explore.

So if you’re stuck on the couch with "just enough" energy to be bored… maybe that’s the perfect window to try something simple and satisfying. Start small. Be gentle. And know that you’re not alone in the in-between.

What I Chose to Do

You might find yourself wondering what I ended up doing with all those wonderful suggestions. Well, walking is something I love, and I was cleared to walk just under half of my normal daily steps, increasing gradually as I feel able. So, I’ve been easing into short, daily walks again.

I’ve also been carving out time for some journaling and quiet reading. But by far, the most enjoyable (and surprisingly soothing) activity has been my adult colour-by-number book. It’s delightfully simple: the only decisions I have to make are which marker is closest to the suggested shade. It’s been the perfect blend of focus and relaxation.

I’ll leave you with two of the patterns I enjoyed the most during this time of rest and recovery.

~ Haide