What Introverts Like To Do For Fun

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If you know me, you know that I love The Sims and that I can play it for weeks or months at a time. I swear, The Sims is the ultimate introvert game, as not only do you play it alone, but there are infinite ways to play the game. You can build, you can create characters, help your Sims accomplish their goals, you can tell stories, you can do all of the above. You can choose to be a hero or a public menace, or maybe a mixture of both. You can play the honest way, or you can motherlode your way to the top. If you get bored with the regular gameplay, you can look to The Sims community for different challenges to try in your game, or you can just wreak havoc upon the town. There are endless possibilities when it comes to The Sims, and there is no right or wrong way to play.

But if The Sims isn't your thing, there are obviously a ton of other games out there, so play what you like. Play multiplayer games with your friends online. Replay some of your old favorites if you have them lying around. Play mobile games if you don't have any PC or console games. It doesn't matter if the game is simple or complex, new or old, single-player or multiplayer, if you like it, play it. In my mind, playing video games is a form of self-care, and it's been proven to help relieve stress. So play away.

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I don't know about you, but when I take the time to find something to watch on Netflix (or any other streaming platform), I like to actually focus on the show or movie, with minimal distractions. Not only do I prefer to keep any sort of human contact to a minimum, but I also like to put my phone away so that I can focus on the show; while also giving myself a much-needed break from social media. If I'm watching something on my laptop, I like to close any other tabs that I may have open and enjoy the show in fullscreen, without trying to multitask.  Personally, I find that you miss a lot when you're looking down at your phone or when you're trying to work while watching a movie. I don't even know how many times I've missed the best part of a show because I was occupied with something else, and the second I turned my attention back to what I was supposed to be watching, it was already over, and I had to rewind it. Nor do I know how many times I missed something important that was said because I was distracted by a separate conversation that I was having.

So while it certainly can be enjoyable to binge-watch some shows with your friends and family, or to have online watch parties with your friends, near and far, I personally love to watch things on my own sometimes and actually chill out as I watch the show. Whether I'm binge-watching a show on Netflix, watching a movie on Amazon Prime, or even just watching a YouTube video, I like to grab a snack and use it as a little bit of me-time. But perhaps that's just me. There are countless shows, movies, and videos out there to watch, so you're sure to find something that you might enjoy, or perhaps you can rewatch your old favorites.

Everyone once in a while, I like to pamper myself just a little bit; sometimes, a lot a bit. Whether it's something as small as applying a mud mask, or something as big as giving myself a full-on home spa day, I find that I always benefit from taking a moment to give myself a little bit of extra love. For me, taking the time to practice self-love is not only a treat, but it is a crucial part of looking after my mental health, which is why I like to do something special to pamper myself at least once a week; generally on Saturday or Sunday. It doesn't have to be anything extravagant or costly. There is no reason that you have to book an expensive beauty appointment to be pampered when you can do it right from home. As an introvert, I prefer to treat myself from home. There are many ways to give pamper yourself from home without spending a lot of money, or any money if you make use of what you already have. Here are a few of my favorite ways that I like to treat myself from home...

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I have always preferred working out from home, where no one can bother me during my workout, over going to the gym. I have nothing against going to the gym or taking a workout class, but if I can do something from the comfort of home, I will generally choose to do so. At home, there is no need to impress anyone or to prove anything to anybody but yourself, so you can do everything at your own pace, and not feel the need to show off. Of course, there is no need to show off at the gym as well, but at home, there is absolutely no pressure. Sure, you may have limited to no equipment at home, but this doesn't mean that you can't get a great workout and build strength using your own bodyweight.

I personally love working out with Blogilates and Yoga With Adriene on YouTube. Almost all of their workouts are equipment-free, but they will often tell you that you don't need the suggested equipment, or that you can use soup cans as weights. If you don't have a yoga mat, you can always roll out a towel if you don't want to workout directly on the ground or maybe fold up a blanket for a little extra padding. There are also plenty of workout videos on YouTube that don't even require a yoga mat. POPSUGAR Fitness is a marvelous place to find equipment-free workout videos, with many kinds of workouts. You can also find workout routines on Pinterest to try out as you listen to your own workout playlist. The possibilities are pretty much endless, you're only limited by your imagination and level of motivation.

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Ever since I was introduced to journaling in 2nd grade, when I realized that I knew how to write, I have had a love for journaling. Not only is journaling a great way to release your emotions and put your thoughts into writing, but it is also a wonderful creative outlet. Perhaps you could start a bullet journal, and get creative with your layouts, or you could use a bullet journal to stay organized and check-in with yourself. There is no right or wrong way to go about journaling or bullet journaling, and your options are endless. You can make it super simple, or you can throw in a lot of doodles, and also use your journal as a sketchbook; it is 100% up to you. You can seriously journal about whatever you'd like however you'd like. You can write whatever is on your mind, or look online for some journaling prompts. It's also up to you whether you choose to show it to anyone or not, so there is no need to stress over making it look perfect; nor do you need to hold anything back when you're journaling. Seriously, make it yours.

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Although I wouldn't quite call myself a foodie, nor would I say that cooking is my passion, I always love a good meal. Due to social anxiety, I have a hard time eating out, as my anxiety tends to wreak havoc on my digestive system, and I'll often end up feeling nauseous, no matter how much I enjoyed the meal; so for me, it's better to eat at home. Besides, it's probably a lot cheaper to eat at home anyway, and you can eat in your PJs. That being said, if I want a special meal, someone has to make it from home, and if there is something that I really want to try, and I can find a recipe for it on Pinterest, I love preparing the meal myself. My version may not be as aesthetically pleasing as the original chef's version, but I generally cook or bake something to eat, not to look at, haha. So to me, all that really matters is that it tastes good. But if you're crafty in the kitchen, feel free to get as creative as you'd like, and enjoy the cooking or baking process, as well as the decorating process. Cooking and baking could make for an extraordinary way to spend your me-time.

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I absolutely love getting creative, and there are a ton of ways to get creative. You don't necessarily need to have an arsenal of fancy art supplies or fancy design software on your computer. You don't have to be a professional writer to write, nor do you have to be a professional photographer to get creative with photography. You don't have to be the next Leonardo da Vinci to paint. You don't have to be a world-famous chef to decorate a cake. You don't have to be a professional at anything artistic to get creative. You don't have to have the best knowledge or the best tools to get creative. To be creative, all you need is the desire to create. You don't have to create a masterpiece, just have fun with it. Seriously, just choose your medium, and have fun with it. Use it as a way to express yourself. There are countless ways to get creative, here are just a few of them...

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I've mentioned coloring quite a bit on my blog, but seriously, it is a great way to relax. For me, it's a form of meditation. You don't have to think very much about it, but it keeps your mind occupied, and it can keep you busy for hours at a time, helping you take a break from social media for a little while if you need a little detox. I seriously can not recommend coloring enough. I love putting on my favorite playlist in the morning or in the evening to listen to as I color away. Perhaps, you may also enjoy calling a loved one while you color; maybe you could both be coloring as you talk on the phone or video chat! Or, you could turn off your phone, and just enjoy the time to yourself, it's totally up to you.

If coloring isn't your thing, or you're all colored out, perhaps you could try other simple crafts that don't require too much though. Recently, I have found that I really enjoy latch-hooking, and diamond painting also looks like it can be very relaxing. Perhaps it could also be enjoyable to get a paint-by-numbers set or to follow a Bob Ross tutorial. Maybe you'd like to try origami or something along those lines. Whatever it is, if it interests you, try it out.

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I know that I'm not the only introvert who prefers animals over people. Heck, there are probably some extroverts who prefer animals over people at times. Pets are great at keeping secrets, and they will often love you unconditionally. All you have to do is treat them kindly, feed them, give them some attention, and make sure they are taken care of, and they are happy to be a faithful companion. Some pets, particularly cats, may prefer some time to themselves as well, but when they are ready for attention, why not give them a little extra affection? Talk to them, snuggle with them, play with them, give them a special treat, I'm sure that they would appreciate it.

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I'll admit it, even I need to talk to a human once in a while. Luckily, these days, technology makes it easy to communicate with other people without having to leave your house, or actually physically be around other people. Usually, I prefer texting or text-based communication, but when I'm really close with someone, I also enjoy calling my friends on the phone, or voice chatting on any app that allows it. When I'm really fond of someone, I also enjoy a little bit of video chatting. There are a lot of ways that you can bond with your friends, both near and far, using modern technology when you're feeling the need for socialization.

I know that it's not the same thing as spending time with the people that you care about in person, even as an introvert, I treasure the time I can spend with the people that I'm closest to. But if you can't spend time with somebody in person, for one reason or another, it is still a luxury to be able to have a way to communicate with them in some way. It wasn't all that long ago that we were still limited to talking on the phone, with no option for video. There was instant messaging, but there wasn't always the option to effortlessly send photos and GIFs, and there weren't near as many emojis that you could use to show emotion. I also believe that unlimited texts weren't a standard feature on most mobile plans when cellphones first became a thing, and texting was a pain in the ass anyway. If you had a flip phone, you know what I mean. But my point is, there's no reason you can't stay connected to those you care about these days, even if you can't hang out. There are countless ways that you can have fun with your friends remotely.

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I believe that social media is what you make of it. There is both a negative side and a positive side to it, and it's usually up to you whether your experience on social media is mostly positive or mostly negative. Although undeniably there are a lot of negative factors that you have little control over, there are ways that you can make your social media experience more positive than negative. Perhaps with a little bit of digital spring cleaning, and finding a way to help filter out the negative, you can even use modern technology for self-care. So while it's still not a bad idea to look away from the screen every now and then, and get off of social media, it doesn't have to be a bad thing.

There are plenty of positive ways to entertain yourself using social media, and there is a lot of positivity out there, and it is not hard to find if you are looking for it. There is an abundance of positive content that you can find on Pinterest, and there is a lot of positive content on YouTube as well. Perhaps you could follow some of your favorite content creators on social media; maybe you can even consider becoming a content creator yourself. Or you could possibly create some digital art on a platform like URSTYLE if you're feeling creative, and you enjoy fashion or interior design. But even if you just choose to watch some cute cat videos or scroll through a funny hashtag on Twitter, as long are you're enjoying it, it's time well spent. 

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I hope that I am not in the minority when I say that I have a thirst for knowledge or for learning, in general. I love spending my free time either teaching myself a new skill or brushing up on a skill that I already have. I also love learning about things that I'm curious about and learning as much as I can about them. I have always enjoyed studying up on the things that interest me, and I am always looking to know even more about them. I know that I can't be the only one who enjoys learning, at least when there is no actual homework involved. So the great thing about teaching yourself from home? There is no homework.

If you're passionate enough about something, you do have the option of taking an online course, but by no means do you have to, as I know that it can be costly. I personally choose to teach myself most of the time using information that's already readily available online, even if I have to dig for some of it, or if it may be more of a challenge to teach myself. Honestly, I actually enjoy the challenge.

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Oddly, I actually still prefer to purchase certain things in-store when I can. I love being able to see an item in person and touch it before I spend money on it. I love already having the product in my hand the second I purchase it, and not having to wait for shipping. I suppose that I am a rare breed in that aspect. But this isn't to say that I'm against online shopping, not at all. As a matter of fact, I love online shopping! I'll often window shop my favorite stores before heading out, as it helps to give me an idea of what they might have in-store, as well as what deals they might have going on. There are also a lot of things that you can get online that you can't easily find in-stores.

I personally find that online window shopping can be a lot of fun, even if you don't end up buying anything. As a matter of fact, perhaps the best part of window shopping is not spending any money. You could always get creative, and put together an outfit via online shopping, and put it together in URSTYLE, or maybe you could build your dream room. Or you could possibly get a head start on your wishlist to Santa, or if you're a blogger or content creator, you could create a gift guide!

As weird as this may sound, I really enjoy exploring the world through Google Maps. Obviously, it's nowhere near the same thing as actually traveling, but it sure is a lot cheaper. In a way, it's a form of window shopping, as it allows you to see the places that you might want to travel to one day, right from the comfort of home. Perhaps, you could have a little bit of fun, and plan a trip there for your bucket list. You could even look into what hotels they have nearby, what restaurants you might want to eat at, lesser-known attractions, and explore the area from both satellite view and street view. It may sound strange, but I've always enjoyed it, and it allows me to plan out my travel bucket list even better for when I might have the means to travel.

I realize that, unless you're already an introvert, these may not seem like the most exciting things on the planet, but they can certainly help to take your mind off of things and help you stay occupied when you can't really go anywhere. Also, these are only a few ideas, and I strongly encourage you to use your imagination and come up with your own healthy ways to entertain yourself at home. I'd love to hear some of your favorite ways you stay busy at home if you have any additional ideas as well! We are all in this together, right?

I hope you stay safe and healthy, and that you can find ways to keep yourself busy, and ways to stay close with your loved ones, even if you can't physically spend time together. If you're reading this because you're stuck at home during the COVID-19 outbreak, just know that we will get through this, but for now, we need to adapt to this new normal. Remember to take care of your mental health, and that it's okay to want a distraction from everything. I hope that there is something in my post that can bring you at least a little bit of joy during this time, and that can get your mind off of all of the bad stuff. Once again, I'd love to hear about your favorite at-home activities, and what you've been doing to keep yourself occupied.