Is there anything meaningful you can say to bored people who don't have hobbies?

KathyB1968

KathyB1968

New Member
Location
Washington DC area
Occasionally I run into people both online and in person who don't have any hobbies and complain of being bored or having nothing to do.

I feel a little puzzled. While it is possible there are specific hobbies they haven't heard of, certainly they are aware that hobbies exist. For example, it seems unlikely that they don't know that crafting, reading and playing sports exist.

Is it helpful to give them lists of potential hobbies? Or are some people just not into hobbies? I can understand not liking specific types of hobbies, but hobbies encompasses so many different type of things. I can't imagine not being interested in any of them.

I recall offering suggestions to a coworker once who responded she wasn't into crafty things or reading or outdoorsy things and was too out of shape to play sports. I could have come up with things that didn't fit those categories, but at that point I felt like she really didn't want a hobby.

I do give answers to people looking for something specific like hobbies for people with limited mobility or hobbies for a limited income. But I am not sure how to respond to general "bored, nothing to do" statements.
 

IDK how anyone can complain that they are bored, nothing to do. There is always something to do.

That's a phrase I never hear anymore since my daughter was a teenager, many, many years ago. She said that to me, once. I handed her a shop broom and told her, "go sweep the driveway and after you are done, if you still felt bored with nothing to do, I could find you another task to accomplish." She never complained again.
 

I think they generally mean there's nothing they feel like doing. Hobbies are great because it's something that gives you pleasure, it's fun! But if someone is depressed, I guess boredom could come into it.

I did once read someone writing, "there's nothing on the internet". I mean, what can you even say?!?
 
VaughanJB said:
I think they generally mean there's nothing they feel like doing. Hobbies are great because it's something that gives you pleasure, it's fun! But if someone is depressed, I guess boredom could come into it.

I did once read someone writing, "there's nothing on the internet". I mean, what can you even say?!?
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I do think depression could be a factor in at least some of the cases. One of the symptoms of depression is anhedonia which is the inability to feel pleasure. So someone with anhedonia could have tried a lot things and not liked any of them.
 
KathyB1968 said:
Occasionally I run into people both online and in person who don't have any hobbies and complain of being bored or having nothing to do.

I feel a little puzzled. While it is possible there are specific hobbies they haven't heard of, certainly they are aware that hobbies exist. For example, it seems unlikely that they don't know that crafting, reading and playing sports exist.

Is it helpful to give them lists of potential hobbies? Or are some people just not into hobbies? I can understand not liking specific types of hobbies, but hobbies encompasses so many different type of things. I can't imagine not being interested in any of them.

I recall offering suggestions to a coworker once who responded she wasn't into crafty things or reading or outdoorsy things and was too out of shape to play sports. I could have come up with things that didn't fit those categories, but at that point I felt like she really didn't want a hobby.

I do give answers to people looking for something specific like hobbies for people with limited mobility or hobbies for a limited income. But I am not sure how to respond to general "bored, nothing to do" statements.
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It's fine to ask an old bored person if they have a hobby, but don't make suggestions unless they ask you for some.

Being old and bored is awful. Really, really awful. You put pressure on yourself every single day because you feel like you have to do something about it, and like you've failed somewhere along the line, and you constantly question your usefulness. Someone telling you that you should take up knitting or whatever just adds to the pressure. Plus, it sounds like a dumb solution to a major personal crisis.
 
Why should I care, stick my nose. Mental problems are theirs.
I spent my working years very physical, and slept hard when I had a chance.
Especially Sunday and Monday nights. You know you can still exercise even
if confined to a Power Chair. Count to 4 - 6000 reps at least. Even slowly at
first till you have perty much full movement. If ya can't just do them slowly.
But count. You use a lot of mental energy to. Keep a journal of what yo do
So you remember them. Toe Rubs to the bottom of the feet does great stuff.

How can anyone feel depressed when they know all the stuff they can do.

I didn't say go hang gliding with a motor and prop hanging on shoulders. ... :coffee: ...
Sure 10,000 mt coffee mugs lifts that can occupy a mental for days.
We don't need to be cruel to ourselves to respect how much we still can do if we can remember it.
 
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Gemma said:
IDK how anyone can complain that they are bored, nothing to do. There is always something to do.

That's a phrase I never hear anymore since my daughter was a teenager, many, many years ago. She said that to me, once. I handed her a shop broom and told her, "go sweep the driveway and after you are done, if you still felt bored with nothing to do, I could find you another task to accomplish." She never complained again.
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Oh, being bored was a fatal condition at my house. God forbid that Mom would hear you say that. You wouldn't be bored for long but you'd sure be unhappy when you saw what chore she had for you....
 
Judycat said:
When someone says they are bored with nothing to do, just say, "That's too bad. Tomorrow's another day." Or my favorite, "Turn to crime, you'll eventually get arrested, but that'll stir things up for a while."
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Jails and prisons are wonderful places to meet people and have conversation. In the dayroom there is TV, reading materials and hobby crafts. Canteen is open after lunch...
 
I would suggest they do what I do. Become addicted to online hearts and play five or six games a day, eating fattening snacks at the same time. Others might choose to drink at the same time, instead. Or watch all the police cam footage on YouTube until you're all wound up and then watch the people who clean hoarded houses or mow overgrown yards for free -- very relaxing. While you're there watch all the Doctor Katz episodes. Go on all the virtual trips through unusual towns. Watch all the funny cats and dogs.

Step away from the computer and do a jigsaw puzzle while listening to talk radio at the same time! Get mad over something they said and come back to the computer for relaxing music or an old movie on Tubi followed by a game of hearts ...

I haven't left the house in five days and I'm always in danger of never leaving it again.
 
JBR said:
Plant some trees. Or help the people in your community to plant trees. If it's too difficult for you to shovel, or bend over to plant a tree, help the people who organize tree planting. There are probably numerous contributory roles.

I've found the folks who do it to be great people. The whole project feels good.
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You wouldn't wanna do that around here; they'll just burn up.
 
Gemma said:
IDK how anyone can complain that they are bored, nothing to do. There is always something to do.

That's a phrase I never hear anymore since my daughter was a teenager, many, many years ago. She said that to me, once. I handed her a shop broom and told her, "go sweep the driveway and after you are done, if you still felt bored with nothing to do, I could find you another task to accomplish." She never complained again.
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Lol, my daughter called me today and told me that my granddaughter complained of being bored, so she handed her a broom. She told me that she vividly remembered me doing the same when she was a child.
 
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