My dad used to say that “depression is a sign of an idle mind.” Whenever he saw me depressed or moping around the house, he would put me to work in his garden. I guess that’s why I never really felt depressed in my childhood because I was always kept occupied. The idea of creating something with your idle time is not necessarily novel, but it does speak to the idea that actions solve most problems. In other words, if you create something, you can be proud of, you will usually be less depressed.
…If you can’t create something, help someone.
But you might say, well, I’m not a creative person. I don’t like the garden, I don’t enjoy cooking, well that doesn’t mean that you should be idle. Even if you don’t have a creative bone in your body, you can always go help someone, volunteer for something, help, clean up a neighborhood or an elderly person’s home..
If you’re feeling down, create something. If you can’t create something, help someone.
Here are 20 creative things you can do right now:
- Doodle Marathon – Set a timer for 10 minutes and just draw without lifting your pen. See what abstract art you can create.
- DIY Crafting – Make something out of recycled materials. Think bottle cap art or a tin can robot.
- Write a Short Story – Start with “It was a dark and stormy night…” and see where your imagination takes you.
- Photography Challenge – Go out with your camera or phone and take pictures only in black and white for a day.
- Create a Comic Strip – Use your life or a fictional scenario. Remember, stick figures are perfectly acceptable.
- Cooking Without a Recipe – Raid your fridge and make a dish from whatever’s there. Call it “Surprise Stew.”
- Garden Art – Design a small garden or even a mini indoor one with quirky plant holders.
- Invent a Board Game – Think up rules, pieces, and objectives. Bonus points if it’s absurd.
- Poetry Slam – Write a poem about your day, but every line must start with the next letter of the alphabet.
- Sculpt with Play-Doh – Or any clay if you’re feeling fancy. Aim for something surreal or whimsical.
- Make a Playlist – Theme it around an emotion or a story. Maybe “Songs to Listen to While Plotting World Domination.”
- Digital Art – Use an app or software to create something. Ever tried drawing with your non-dominant hand?
- Costume Design – Design a costume for a character that doesn’t exist. Sketch it or gather materials to make it.
- Upcycle Fashion – Turn an old shirt into something new, like a tote bag or a patchwork quilt.
- Build a Model – Whether it’s a spaceship from your favorite sci-fi or a medieval castle, get those tiny pieces out.
- Dance Choreography – Choreograph a dance to your favorite song. No one needs to see it but you.
- Create a Fake Ad Campaign – For a product that doesn’t exist. Think “Invisible Shoes” or “Memory Eraser Spray.”
- Puzzle Making – Design your own jigsaw puzzle. Print a picture, cut it up, and try to put it back together.
- Virtual Reality Art – If you have VR, create or explore art in a 3D space. If not, imagine what you’d do if you did.
- Write a Letter to Your Future Self – Predict what you’ll be doing in 10 years, and give yourself some advice. Seal it and forget about it until then.
Here are 20 ways to volunteer your time
- Adopt a Grandparent – Not literally, but visit a retirement home. Share your latest video game strategies or teach them how to TikTok. They’ll get a kick out of your “modern” ways.
- Library Assistant – Help organize books or read to the little ones. You’ll be the guardian of knowledge, minus the dusty tomes of yore.
- Eco-Warrior – Join a local environmental group. Plant trees, clean up parks, or protest against the evil overlords of pollution. Remember, every tree planted is one less oxygen mask needed in the future.
- Pet Pal – Volunteer at an animal shelter. You might not be able to take them all home, but you can give them a day where they’re not plotting world domination.
- Tech Tutor – For every senior who thinks the internet is a series of tubes, you can be the hero who explains why cat videos are essential for human happiness.
- Soup Kitchen Chef – Cook or serve at a soup kitchen. If you can make a PB&J sandwich without sticking your fingers in the peanut butter, you’re qualified.
- After-School Buddy – Help with homework or just be there to listen. You’ll be the cool older sibling every kid wishes they had, minus the annoying habits.
- Art for the Soul – Teach art classes or help in community art projects. Remember, your stick figures could be the next Picasso if you believe in them enough.
- Sports Coach – If you can juggle or kick a ball without sending it into orbit, you’re overqualified. Teach kids how to play, or at least, not to cry when they lose.
- Gardening Guru – Help in community gardens. You’ll learn about photosynthesis, which is like magic for plants, but without the wands.
- Book Drive Organizer – Collect books for schools or libraries in need. You’ll be the Robin Hood of literature, stealing from the rich… well, not really, but you get the idea.
- Music Mentor – If you play an instrument, share your skills. Remember, even if you’re not Mozart, you can still teach someone to not sound like a cat in a blender.
- Volunteer at a Hospital – Not for the faint-hearted, but if you can handle the sight of blood (or not), you can cheer up patients with your youthful enthusiasm or by not fainting at the sight of needles.
- Community Clean-Up Crew – Pick up trash in your neighborhood. You’ll be the unsung hero, making sure the local pigeons don’t mistake plastic for gourmet dining.
- Mentor for New Immigrants – Help them navigate the local culture, like explaining why Americans love their coffee in giant cups or why “football” involves hands.
- Crafts for a Cause – Make crafts to sell for charity. Your macaroni art might just fund a new playground or at least a very confused art collector.
- Dance Instructor – Teach dance moves. If you can moonwalk or do the floss, you’re set. If not, just make up moves and call it avant-garde.
- Volunteer Firefighter – If you’re old enough, this isn’t just volunteering; it’s like being in an action movie where you save cats from trees and maybe a human or two.
- Theater Tech – Help with local theater productions. You might not be on stage, but you’ll be the wizard behind the curtain, making sure the lights don’t go out during the dramatic scenes.
- Virtual Volunteering – In this digital age, you can volunteer online, helping with digital literacy, coding, or even moderating forums. Remember, the internet is a wild place; you’re like a digital park ranger.
Each of these activities not only helps others but also teaches you skills, empathy, and maybe even how to deal with the occasional existential crisis when you realize how much humans love to complicate their lives.
