How to Create Goals When You Are Bored at Home

By Danielle Dahl | Published September 25, 2020 | 7 min read

Setting goals is not a new concept.

We have all set goals for ourselves at one point or another.

If you have spent time in the collegiate system, you likely had a few classes on setting goals.

Like many people, I have had some extra time in my home lately.

That free time (alright, maybe it was the boredom) got me wondering; does everyone need goals?

What are some of the best techniques for goal setting?

Lastly, is there a way to channel this boredom and newfound time into something great?

Why are goals important?

Goals are essential because they keep us moving forward in our life.

Goals don’t have to be about our careers.

They can be about our education, our family, and our dreams.

If life is about chasing our dreams, our goals are the running shoes we lace up every morning.

They help us focus on the purpose behind the task.

Goals provide a benchmark of our progress, which can keep us from getting discouraged.

Motivation and excitement are also the bi-products of goals.

Goals will also keep you on the path of continual improvement.

Kathryn Sanford, a Career Resilience Coach, explains that continual improvement is “perpetual, and so to maintain gains and improvement, you need to work on them continuously.”

Being bored at home offers the perfect chance to use the opportunity and achieve those 1% gains over and over.

The best way to do that is to start with small goals.

Don’t let boredom distract you; use it to your advantage instead

Since the beginning of time, people have seen boredom as a negative trait.

Likely, you have heard the saying that, “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.”

It implies that when humans are bored, we get into mischief or find unhealthy ways to distract ourselves.

However, what if you used this emotion to craft some killer goals?

I firmly believe that being bored is good, and I actively encourage my children to be bored.

Being bored helps us tap into our minds and increases creativity.

Sandi Mann is a senior psychology lecturer and author of The Upside of Downtime: Why Boredom Is Good.

Mann states that boredom is “a search for neural stimulation that isn’t satisfied.

If we can’t find that, our mind will create it.”

The other day, my youngest was whining about being bored because he had used all his video game time for the day.

I sent him on his way to create something.

My standard response to “I’m bored” was:

Find a book to read, draw a picture, write a story, or clean something.

There are plenty of other things to do.

I have recently begun to add “or come up with a goal you want to achieve.”

He created an entire Dungeons and Dragons game, using sheets of paper and a dice.

The characters have health, give damage, and heal, and he even drew a picture for each one.

Maybe someday, he will have a goal to sell a board game.

Coming up with a plan while your mind is seeking stimulation is a perfect time to flex your brain.

What are some of the best ways to set goals

Goals should be SMART.

Aligning your plans with this acronym will help set you up for success.

For a goal to be SMART, it should be:

Specific – It should be explicit, detailed, and have meaning to you
Measurable – The goal should have quantifiable benchmarks, so you track your progress
Attainable – Is it realistic? Do you have, or can you get the resources you need?
Relevant – Keep your set goals aligned with your values and mission statement
Time-Based – How much time will the goal take to complete? When is the deadline?

Remember the power of the process

By setting up your goals this way, you can focus on the process, not the goal itself.

The measurable aspect of a SMART goal breaks the whole thing into pieces that are much more manageable and focus on the process.

For instance, if your goal is to lose weight, specifically, say 50 pounds.

Your benchmarks might be 2-4 pounds a week.

That sounds much more doable than 50, and you will learn what gets you there.

If you realize you need to drink more water, then track your water intake.

You can track your meals and count your steps each day for a week.

Did you make your benchmark?

Hitting the small goals by focusing on the process will help you develop new behaviors to help you grow, as you work toward the ultimate goal.

Maybe you go to school and get a college degree.

Sure the plan is a 4-year degree, but how do you get there?

The answer is one class at a time.

You get good grades in those classes by being organized, and productive, and practicing good study habits.

Rest and proper nutrition will also help and are part of the process.

Create a daily routine

Looking at the process required to achieve your goals will help you create a daily routine.

Having a routine enables you to focus on what you do every day.

Daily meditation, exercise, or journaling will contribute to your success; each can also healthily help combat boredom.

Having a daily routine can help you find yourself, which plays a massive role in how successful you will be at reaching your destination.

Part of the reasons goals fail is that we don’t know who we truly are or what we need, and we set the wrong ones.

Mix it up every once in a while, so there is some excitement

Sure, boredom can help us conceive excellent ideas and turn them into worthwhile goals.

Daily routines have so many benefits, but you can’t just do the same thing every day.

That could quickly turn into boredom that has you staring at the walls of your house, wondering what they would like if you started randomly smashing your head into them.

One thing that makes up my daily routine is walking around the lake near my house.

Sometimes I go early in the morning when the fox is out, and I can catch a glimpse of her.

Other times, I go in the evening when the deer is lying cautiously in the field.

My favorite time is when it is almost pitch black, and the moon is high.

I have walked it many times, but each trip is an entirely unique experience.

Varying the order, or time, that you do the things in your routine can keep it fresh and exciting.