We’ve all been there. You’re desperate for some downtime, but once you get it, you find yourself at a loss. It’s not that there’s nothing to do but you just don’t know where to start. And if you don’t have much downtime, or you’re just waiting in between tasks, your time can slip away before you’ve decided what to do with it.
If you have a penchant for all things nerdy, there are lots of things both big and small that you can do when you have some spare time. Even if you only have five or ten minutes while you’re waiting for something else to happen, there are little ways you can keep yourself entertained. You might even learn a new skill or make a friend along the way.
Check the Latest Fandom Happenings
Engaging in the fandom around something you like can make it that much more fun. While some people like to do things on their own, sharing your passions with other people often enhances how enjoyable it is. When you’ve got a bit of spare time on your hands, dipping into your favorite fandoms is a great way to use it. Whether you have a few minutes or an hour, you can check on the latest news or maybe seek out like-minded people in both online and offline spaces. Find out what’s happening on Tumblr or see if there’s a local meetup of people who share your favorite media.
Have a Quick Read
Reading is more portable than it’s ever been. You no longer need to carry around a book, newspaper, or magazine—but you can if you want to. Being able to read on your phone, tablet or an e-reader means you can do it whenever or wherever you want to even if you weren’t planning to. If you have a spare few minutes, a quick read of the next chapter or page of a book is easy to squeeze in. And if you’ve got more time on your hands, you can get stuck in. Even comics come in digital form so they’re available when you want them.
Play a Game
Games are much more portable now too. Playing games on your phone or other devices is something you can do when you like and you can choose to play alone or with others. If you want to play a quick game alone, it could be anything from solitaire to Candy Crush. Mobile games are perfect for fitting into a few spare minutes of downtime. They’re great stress-relievers too and can help you take your mind off other things. Of course, if you have more time on your hands, you can get more involved in a game and even play with other people.
Watch or Listen
There’s always something new to watch or listen to when you’re someone who’s into nerd culture. It’s the basis of many people’s nerdy activities. If you’re at a loss for what to do, it’s always worth checking if you’ve got any new episodes of your favorite shows or podcasts waiting for you. If you haven’t, searching for something new might mean you find another favorite. It’s easier than it’s ever been to get recommendations based on what you already like, if not from an algorithm then by actually asking other people what they recommend.
Plan a Future Activity
Some stuff doesn’t happen if you don’t plan it. It’s always fun to do activities either with friends or on your own, but it’s not always possible for it to be spontaneous. You can especially find this as you get older and you and your friends all have various commitments. So some of your downtime might be spent not doing these things but just planning them out so you have something to look forward to. It’s a good activity to fit in between other obligations, enabling you to use up five or ten minutes when you might be researching, collaborating with friends, or just thinking about what you want to do.
Pick Up a Hobby
If you identify as any kind of nerd, you might already have something you think of as a hobby. But some people spend a lot of their time doing more passive activities, like watching TV and movies, and less time getting involved with more hands-on things. A hobby is a great way to fill your time and can come with a range of benefits. Some hobbies are perfect for doing on your own and can even be portable. Pick up knitting and you can work on your projects anywhere. Others will encourage you to be more social with others, meeting up with them to enjoy your hobby together.
Learn a New Skill
A lot of nerdy people love to learn. It’s common to have a wide range of interests too or to be interested in slightly more unusual stuff. No matter how old you are, you never have to be done learning. There are all kinds of skills you can learn and they don’t have to be skills that are useful for your job or anything. If you want to learn pottery or how to fire dance, there’s nothing stopping you. Learning a new skill can take up a lot of your time, but it doesn’t have to feel like an obligation. You can fit it into your spare time whenever you feel like it or maybe learn in a more structured way like taking a class.
Go on an Educational Field Trip
Places like museums, galleries and libraries are heaven for many nerdy people. They’re places of learning where you can pick up interesting facts and see some fascinating things. They’re also often fairly quiet places, so they’re great to visit if you’re looking for something to do but also want some peace and quiet. If you have a few hours to spare or a free day on your hands, taking a trip to one of these places is a nice use of your time. You might not have seen some of your local places because you see them as places for tourists to visit, but locals need to make the most of them too.
Share Your Nerdy Passions
Blogging is still something that people have a lot of fun with. And you can now also explore the option of vlogging or sharing your thoughts on social media. It’s a good way to indulge in what you love and get involved with a community. Start a blog or maybe run a YouTube or TikTok account where you post about the things you love. People like seeing reviews and reactions to the media that they’re enjoying or recommendations on what they should watch, read, or listen to next.
Let Yourself Rest
It can be tempting to be busy and productive all the time. A lot of us aren’t comfortable with having nothing to do or feeling bored. But you don’t have to be doing something whenever you have a spare moment. Sometimes the best way to make the most of your downtime is to allow yourself to have a few moments of quiet. Give yourself time to reflect, rest, and maybe just do nothing for a little bit. Even just a few minutes of relaxation can make a huge difference to your day.
Use your downtime in the best ways with these activities that are perfect for engaging with your nerdy side. Or simply enjoy having a few moments to yourself.