Entertaining yourself on a quiet day isn’t always straightforward. You know you want to amuse yourself with something, but you don’t really know what. 

Usually, in these situations, it’s best to go out and be proactive. You want to make sure that you really make the best use of the time, not to be productive, but to do something rewarding. 

But what could that be, precisely? 

Glad you asked. This article runs through some at-home activities to entertain yourself on a quiet day so you aren’t left twiddling your thumbs. 

Jar of colorful paintbrushes.

Learn A Skill

Being proactive with your downtime could involve learning a skill. Yes, it requires brain power. But once you get into the habit of living this way, it can make your life so much better. 

Learning a skill is something that once you’ve done it, it sticks with you for life. For example, if you become good at an instrument or a language, you can take it with you wherever you go. 

Learning a skill is part and parcel of what it means to be human. Instead of working all the time, you can put your mind to something rewarding. 

Video Games

At the other end of the spectrum, you could commit to a day of video games. Firing up your console or PC and simply blasting your way through hordes of enemies is an excellent way to blow off steam. 

The best way to play video games is with solo adventures. These take you into new worlds, encouraging you to explore them in all their glorious detail. You could also try a multiplayer game, but these have a knack for leaving you feeling worn out. 

Try A Craft

If something as intellectual as learning a new skill doesn’t appeal to you, you could also try a craft. These can be a great way to do something to earn money or put your house back together. 

For example, you could engage in painting, knitting, or trying your hand at various DIY projects. You could also recycle or upcycle some of your older possessions. 

Once you get into crafting, there’s usually no stopping you. All you want to do is keep going and explore your options and possibilities. 

Sometimes, you can make things to sell online or simply create them as gifts for friends and family. You never know when the next birthday might arrive!

Work Out Indoors

Another option if you’re the sort of person who loves moving is to work out indoors. This option is often far less expensive than going to the gym while providing you with a safe, secure space where no one’s watching you. 

What you do indoors is entirely your choice. You could experiment with bodyweight exercises, or you could just dance around in your gym shorts–the choice is yours. You’re completely free to explore whatever type of exercise works for you. 

Organize Your Life

Another way to entertain yourself on a quiet afternoon on a lazy Saturday is to organize your life. Just doing all those odd jobs that need doing can be an excellent way to spend the time. 

For example, you could tidy your closet or rearrange your desk. You could also sort through your photos or even put your bills in order (if you find that sort of thing entertaining). 

Play Card Games Online

Playing cards online is also something you could get into. These games are classics, but can be a lot of fun. Rummy, blackjack, poker, and solitaire are all options, and most are available for free. 

These days, you can get card games on your smartphone with very little fuss. Simply download an app or bookmark your favorite pages for some gaming action when the mood takes you. 

Complete A Puzzle

Back in the 1990s before the internet, people used to complete puzzles on long afternoons after lunch. Most of the time, these involved placing 1,000 pieces or more in the correct position to create a picture. 

Fortunately, these days, puzzles are more varied, so you don’t have to do the same thing all the time. And many are AI-generated, meaning there’s always a new challenge. 

For example, consider Sudoku. Previously, you had to wait for newspaper editors to develop puzzles, but now you can play infinite games online. 


The same is true for crosswords. Previously, you had to wait for the Sunday supplement, but now that’s all a thing of the past. There are so many puzzle-related games today to try that there’s an almost endless supply. 

Meditate

Of course, you don’t necessarily have to do anything to amuse yourself. Putting the time into a round of meditation can be an excellent way to unwind and move your life forward. 

Taking some quiet time to reflect is something that people have been doing for many generations. Concentrating on your thoughts and letting them pass while relaxing the body can put you into a new state of mind. 

Meditation can also take various forms. Some people close their eyes and adopt specific poses, but that isn’t always a requirement. Daoist meditation, for instance, often emphasises lying down and relaxing parts of the body sequentially to reduce stress and anxiety about the future. 

Woman wearing an apron sifting flour in the kitchen.

Cook A New Recipe

You could also use a quiet afternoon to cook a new recipe, which you might find entertaining. If you have a spare couple of hours, you could indulge yourself in something new that you haven’t tried before. 

For example, you could work with nutritional yeast for the first time, seeing if you can make a cheese sauce with cashew nuts. Or you could bake a cake (if it is something you haven’t done in a long while). 

Read

Finally, you can use a quiet day to read. Usually, there’s a stack of novels you want to get through, but normally, you don’t have time. Remember, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. 

Ultimately, you want to find something that will entertain your mind and keep you occupied in a meaningful way.