this post was submitted on 16 Oct 2023
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Recently deleted Instagram, Reddit and disabled YouTube shorts. I now noticed how much I miss doing something — like when sitting in the train or during breaks at work.

So what do you do with your idle time? Any suggestions?

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[–] [email protected] 30 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I bought a Steam Deck 1 1/2 years ago and most of my idle time is now spent playing all the games I never had time or energy for. It's amazing if you're into video games.

[–] pete_the_cat 7 points 8 months ago

I did something similar and got a USB C expansion controller for my Galaxy S23. Find a few good mobile games and add in RetroArch and other emulators with a bunch of ROMs and you have yourself a mobile gaming rig!

[–] [email protected] 18 points 8 months ago (1 children)

honestly just sit with boredom for a bit, you will detox and find something interesting to do.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 8 months ago (1 children)

12 hours of laying in bed, staring at the ceiling later

"When does the idea happen?"

[–] stoicmaverick 8 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Dude, I have kids. The mere idea of this being even a possibility from time to time sounds amazing.

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[–] effakcuL 16 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I have so much Idle time during my commute, that I picked up duolingo to learn spanish. If that is too much I tend to just listen to audiobooks/a d&d podcast

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[–] [email protected] 14 points 8 months ago (3 children)

How do you disable YouTube shorts?

As for your question, boredom isn’t a bad thing. Have you tried using that time for meditation/introspection?

[–] L1to 7 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

To disable shorts on android use revanced.

[–] MeanEYE 2 points 8 months ago

Just use NewPipe.

[–] Roshakk 4 points 8 months ago

With the revanced client you can completely disable the shorts feature

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago

How do you disable YouTube shorts?

https://pastebin.com/2cHLLhaC

[–] [email protected] 11 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (2 children)

I have a RSS reader that I check everyday for articles / blogposts from websites I subscribe to.

The interesting stuff gets saved in Wallabag to read later. It syncs with my phone, and I can read offline whenever I got some time to kill.

[–] 200ok 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

What RSS reader do you use? Would you recommend it?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

Depends on the effort.

If you want a newbie friendly one with syncing: Feedly

If you care about open source and controlling your own data (but don't care about syncing). Maybe liferea? There are tons of options.

If you care about syncing and don't mind self-hosting: miniflux.

I use miniflux, but requires some tech knowledge to set up.

[–] 200ok 2 points 8 months ago
[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Any interesting feeds you'd recommend? My phone launcher has a built in RSS feed which is really nice

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 8 months ago

Endlessly screaming in to the void

[–] [email protected] 9 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (2 children)

Hang around on Lemmy

Lisinig to music

Practice norsk via Duolingo(I know it isn't foss)

[–] [email protected] 4 points 8 months ago (1 children)

You might be interested in Clozemaster for language learning. It has collections of most frequent words where you get a sentence with a word missing that you have to input. That way you just get blasted with hundreds and thousands of sentences in your target language.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

It isn't Foss ether so I see no point to switch

Edit: I found librelingo but unfortunately it doesn't have Norwegian as a language option https://librelingo.app/dev/

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[–] skybreaker 9 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

Video games, TV, books, music. Usually in that order.

Used to be reddit, but I left that crap during the great migration.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago

I still get sucked into Reddit stories from time to time, they're so bad but so entertaining >:(

[–] zacher_glachl 8 points 8 months ago

While commuting, I mostly read ebooks, listen to fiction audiobooks or long-form history/pop science podcasts/youtube videos. Depending also on whether I am driving that day or taking the subway. Breaks at work, I just chat with colleagues, and scroll lemmy or the birdsite on toilet breaks.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 8 months ago

Podcasts and audiobooks.

And I don't get hung up on those being "better" than YouTube videos. There are educational videos and there is enjoyable fluff and there is actively crap content (think stuff that makes you go into negativity spirals).

Educational YT is the same as educational podcasts or audiobooks, imo.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Sudoku, specifically 6x6 libresudoku (available on f-droid)

[–] you_dont_666 2 points 8 months ago

Thank you! Downloaded and love it

[–] Potatos_are_not_friends 7 points 8 months ago

I read a lot of books.

And by reading, half is a actual book. The other half is a audiobook while doing chores, working out, or general crafting.

I can honestly say reading non-fiction books about various subjects helped me a lot in life. From social issues and self-help, to finances, to dating. I grew up poor in a pretty rough environment, and climbed out of it because of reading.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 8 months ago

I talk to you folks lol. I use this pretty much the same way I did Reddit. Something kinda brainless to scroll when I'm standing in line. And the more you comment, the more you have to read/do on here, so when I'm particularly bored, I talk more. I also don't have any other social media.

I have a couple phone puzzle games I play. If I know I'm gonna be sitting like in a waiting room for a while, I'll take a book with me. For the longer moments sitting at home, podcasts and music.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 8 months ago

I am trying to reduce distractions and be more mindful of my surroundings. The sights, smells, and sounds of everything around me and my existence as part of it all.

It is still new to me and I find myself unconsciously getting my phone from my pocket and scrolling because it is boring. However, the effects I feel like reduced anxiety and depression are worth it. I also get to see things that I would miss if I were distracted by electronics.

Maybe practicing mindfulness could be beneficial for you as well.

[–] Arsinoe 6 points 8 months ago

I'm almost constantly crafting something. I've been knitting for about 16 years and have picked up various other small/portable crafts along the way. I like to put a podcast on and listen while I keep my hands busy.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Sleep. Read. Listen to my inner monologue review everything wrong with my life and all of the mistakes I've made.

[–] TryingToEscapeTarkov 3 points 8 months ago

Same but add existential dread about the future and "what if" scenarios. "What if my dog died?"

[–] [email protected] 5 points 8 months ago (1 children)

How do you disable YouTube shorts?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (3 children)

I'm on android so I used ReVanced, though I recently deleted the YouTube app and installed LibreTube which has no YouTube algorithm and no shorts tab. (I use the IzzyOnDroid repo with F-Droid)

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[–] theywilleatthestars 5 points 8 months ago

dominion.games

[–] [email protected] 4 points 8 months ago

Using my Miyoo Mini, or my DS Lite or DSi XL.

IMHO handhelds are truly a gem to be kept, and until streaming gaming (appears to be "the future") is widely available for everyone we are better with the retro gaming community.

Honorable mention to larger handhelds such as the Switch or the Steam Deck...

[–] Mamertine 4 points 8 months ago

Audiobooks

Stream tv on my phone. I used to watch Crunchyroll (anime streaming service) on the train.

[–] AlmightySnoo 3 points 8 months ago

Purely idle would for me be a walk, meditation or just sit down and just listen to music. When I'm commuting, it would be gaming or quick chess puzzles.

[–] ViscloReader 3 points 8 months ago

I listen to gdc talks and other tech related talks. They are pretty informative (with a grain of salt). Bonus point, they make me feel smart because of the reverb and the audience clapping ^^

[–] sock 3 points 8 months ago

learn something

exercise

stretch

listening to music staring at a wall while blazed out of my mind

gaming

options r endless really (i say while laying in bed doing nothing)

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago

Just what I'm doing right now. Not much else to do.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Listen to music. It’s something you can enjoy without using your eyes, so you can rest them especially if you work in front of a screen all day.

[–] Bdtrngl 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Gaming, 3d printing, wood working, and whatever project my wife has cooked up for me that week.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago (2 children)

And you do all that in a train?

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago

Airline travel tactics, which for me is basically catching up on shows or watching movies. I’m used to starting and stopping a movie 10 times throughout the day and still enjoying it. Gotta have the downloaded though, that’s key.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Basically just anything I can while waiting for time to pass. I can't get deeper into something, because there's not enough time. Usually that ends up being walking back and forth and thinking, having a fake conversation in my head.

like when sitting in the train

I don't consider that idle time, but a fun activity. I often take a train or bus nowhere. That means, as far as I can go and back. Or try to make my commute as long as possible. For example, I found nice connections allowing me to extend my commute from school from just 18km to 133km, and it's only €0.90 more expensive.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago

I listen to music and have imaginary concerts sometimes. Now if I could only have a good voice and be multilingual...

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago

Depends on how much idle time there is.
For short periods I spend my time just staring in the distance and letting my thoughts wander.
Commuting is spend either reading or here online. Maybe a Youtube video once in a while for diversity.
For lunch breaks and other spare moments I have a small sketchbook where I like to draw whatever comes to mind.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Lemmy, podcasts, music, YouTube, games.

Backbone is a great controller for gaming.

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