20+ Creative Lists To Write In A Journal When You’re Bored Or Anxious & Sick Of Watching TV!
Last Updated on 01/01/2024 by Nicky
Lists To Write In Your Journal When You’re Bored
Boredom and anxiety can go hand in hand (source).
The less you occupy your mind with positive activities the more time you have to fret over things that you can’t change.
So instead of sitting around being anxious about stuff you can’t do anything about, why not let your journal come to the rescue?
Your journal can be a great place for you to jot down your daily thoughts, goals, and dreams.
Once you start writing in your journal, it will be overflowing with ideas, plans, life details, interests, and random thoughts that you no longer have to tote around in your brain. You can create lists for practically anything!
So in today’s post, I’m going to share with you 20+ creative list ideas that you can put in your journal whenever you’re feeling bored or anxious!
Some of these are fun lists to make and some are a little more serious…just pick and choose which ones work best for your life! Let’s get those creative juices flowing my friend!
Oh yeah, and this post contains affiliate links to great products that will help you in your health journey. I will get a commission if you decide to buy from these links but I’m only recommending products that I feel confident about.
Creative Things To Write In A Journal When You’re Anxious Or Bored
1. Things You Are Thankful For
For many of us, a list of things we are grateful for might be endless.
That’s why gratitude lists are so common in journals. It’s one of the most meaningful journal prompts I can think of!
It’s helpful to write down everything that you’re thankful for especially when you’re experiencing anxiety.
It will take your mind off of what you are anxious about and help you focus on what’s good in your life.
So next time you are feeling depressed, read over this list and remind yourself just how blessed your life is.
You can even do a theme like “Things I’m Grateful For This Week/Month/Year” just to keep the ideas fresh.
Want to read this post later? Save it to one of your Pinterest boards!
2. Create A Brain Dump Of Your To-Dos
This idea has got to be one of my favorite things to journal about when bored. I hate trying to keep track of everything in my head.
So your journal is the perfect place for you to write down upcoming tasks, events, or anything you need to remember. Be sure to write whatever it is that you don’t want to have to hold onto in your head.
The lists could be done on a weekly, daily, or even monthly basis and you can mark off the tasks as you finish them.
What I mean by this is that you can segment the lists by time.
Another way to segment your to-do list is by type, like this list on Etsy does. It is segmented by general to-do, business to-dos, career to-dos, etc.
This way you can keep your list nicely organized.
Things you can also include on your to-do list would be chores and organization and decluttering goals.
At the end of the week, reflect and congratulate yourself for the things you accomplished.
3. Create Short Term Goals
Another idea is to write down your short-term goals.
Short-term goals could mean your goals for the week or goals for the rest of the year.
In my opinion, any goals you set for less than a year are short-term.
Stop dreaming about doing something and actually put plans to paper and making steps toward making that dream a reality.
And the goal can be anything.
Don’t limit yourself.
If you’re a mother of a toddler, you may want to work on potty training him or her.
If you have extra weight you want to lose, then you can set weight loss or exercise goals like I talk about in this post.
As you achieve your goals, check them off as done which will motivate you to keep going even further!
Related: 15 Motivational Fitness Goals Quotes To Get You Off The Couch & Get Fit
4. And Long-Term Goals
So now we are talking about goals that are 1 to 10 years away from being accomplished.
These are goals that take a while to complete.
What are some things you want to achieve in the next 2 years?
The next five years?
Or even 10 years?
Think about it and make a list of your long-term goals.
You can even use this list as a jumping-off point for future journaling tasks, such as how you plan to achieve each and track your progress.
In fact, you might want to create your long-term goals first so that you can reverse-engineer your short-term goals.
What does that mean, I hear you ask?
This is what I mean…
Once you know what you want to accomplish in 10 years, you can work backward to see what smaller goals you will have to achieve in order to complete the big goals.
Let me give you an example.
Let’s say your goal is to overcome social anxiety in the next 2 years.
Okay, great goal but how do you do it?
It won’t happen overnight and without some planning and executing of that plan.
You might decide, okay, I need help from a professional in order to help me overcome my fears.
So you decide to do online therapy (I recommend online-therapy.com because it’s one I’ve used).
So your goal would be: go through the 8 week social anxiety program on the online-therapy.com platform.
Then another goal once you’ve completed that could be: go to 1 event per month where I don’t know anyone and strike up 1 conversation.
Hopefully, you see where I’m going with this. You set smaller goals in order to accomplish the bigger goal.
5. Congratulate Yourself On The Goals You Have Achieved
To keep yourself motivated, it’s important to track your progress when it comes to goals.
Don’t just make lists about what to achieve.
Every time you crush your goals, celebrate! You did it and now you know you can do it!
Write down how you feel about your accomplishments and anything you learned in the process.
6. Favorite Movies/Music/TV Shows/Books
Okay so the other lists were a little taxing on the brain so let’s do a fun list.
Creating these lists are often easy, and it counts as journaling time.
Make a list of your favorite books, movies, and tv shows! And if you want you can jot down why you love a certain movie or what inspires you about a certain book.
Is it the characters?
The setting?
There are no rules with this.
7. Movies/Shows You Want to Watch
And if there are tv shows and movies you want to watch but haven’t, write those down too!
Ask for recommendations if you can’t think of anything.
Above all, be creative and don’t overthink it!
8. Places to Visit & Travel
There are few things I love more than traveling!
And if you love traveling too then you can create a list of all the places you would love to go one day.
I fear my own list would be neverending but your list may be more reasonable than mine 🙂
I can’t help it…there are just so many amazing places to go and fascinating things to see.
Dream about the adventure you could have there while you’re at it.
You might get so caught up that you start planning the trips for real!
There are lists upon lists within this one category alone.
You can create your packing list for when you do go on these awesome trips (might as well get prepared right?).
Of course, you must know what you’re going to do when you get there so might as well make that list to ;).
And eventually, when you’ve gone, don’t forget to write down your favorite memories!
So I just have one question…when are we leaving!?
9. Places You Have Traveled
Reminiscing about a trip you already took is sometimes almost just as fun as planning a new one.
I have two travel goals on my bucket list. I want to travel to all 50 states and visit all 7 continents.
I’ve been to 35 states at last count and just two continents (sad face lol).
You could totally draft a list of all the places you’ve gone whether they be cities, states, or countries.
Again, it’s up to you!
To make the lists even more interesting, rank them from favorite to least favorite location and vice versa.
I have fun recounting how much I did NOT enjoy being in Vegas in August.
If I made a favorite travel countdown list, this one would be near the bottom 🙂
10. Hobbies to Try
I understand, life gets in the way.
But I know there are some hobbies you’d like to try but you keep putting it off saying “well someday I’ll do it”
When you create a list of these hobbies they are a lot more likely to get done, just saying.
As you do each one, make a new journal entry about your first time and how much you liked or didn’t like it.
11. Books You Want To Read
Do you like to read? I bet reading is another thing that you really want to do but just put on the back burner due to the stresses of everyday life.
I would encourage though, if reading is enjoyable to you, make a list of books you want to read and make it happen.
There are studies that show that reading helps reduce stress and anxiety.(source).
Shoot, sounds good to me!
Want to read this post later? Click here to save it to one of your Pinterest boards!
12. Motivational or Inspirational Quotes
Looking for some beautiful words to put in your journal to inspire you?
Then create a list of quotes that motivate you and make you aspire for something greater.
These quotes can serve as a reminder of what you can be especially when anxiety starts to take hold of you again.
Sometimes just a short quote is all we need to lift our spirits and pull us out of a downward spiral.
13. Family Traditions
Every family has something special that they do that is unique to them.
This could include your immediate or extended family.
Do you take a road trip every year?
Do you have family reunions every 5 years? Do you and your partner/kids have things you enjoy doing often?
Think it over and write them down so you never forget.
Then share those traditions with generations to come.
14. Habits to Track
Habit trackers are the bomb.
It’s a positive way to make sure you build healthy routines in all aspects of your life.
I even have a healthy habit tracker that I created in Trello.
Habit trackers are more commonly found in planners, but you can also use your journal or bullet journal to track literally everything (i talk more about bullet journals in this post).
Your master list of habits ensures you reinforce the creation of healthy and positive habits.
15. What Makes You Happy
When you start to feel down and depressed, having a list of all the things that make you happy will come in handy.
It can be as small as a bowl of ice cream, a movie or song, or your favorite hoodie from your favorite team.
It doesn’t matter what the thing is, just write them down without judgment, even if some of the items on the list make you sad.
The important thing is that this list will help you when you are feeling sad.
You can look at it and see what ignites joy so you can brighten your mood.
16. What Makes You Sad
On the converse, knowing what makes you sad is equally as important.
Why?
Because you might want to avoid these things especially if you have chronic sadness and depression.
For me, entertainment can really affect me.
Back in the day, I would watch movies that had dark themes and subject matter.
In addition, I was also really depressed during this time.
I didn’t make a connection between the two for a long time.
Now, were the movies I watched the only reason for my depression?
No, of course not.
But did they do anything to help relieve me of my depression?
Nope, not a thing.
So I stopped watching those kinds of movies on a regular basis.
Anything that you watch feeds your soul.
And you can either feed it junk food or healthy nutritious food.
The choice is yours.
17. Rainy Day Activities
For my outdoorsy people, you might want to make a list of things you can do when the weather is bad.
This helpful list lets you have lots of different things to do on standby.
It’s rare that we can’t find something to do, but a list of rainy day activities can come in handy when you do find yourself bored.
Plus it’s a great way to cure that “I’m bored” whine from your partner or children.
You’ll already have a list waiting for them!
18. Your Daily Routine
Most of us have a routine, even if we don’t realize it.
Spend a little time making a list of all your daily habits and tasks.
This is a great way to see where you are spending your time because you might find a lot of time wasters on there.
You can use this list to scale back or eliminate tasks that just aren’t worth your time.
19. Self-Care Ideas
Self-care might sound selfish but there is nothing wrong with taking care of yourself since you more than likely take care of so many others.
It’s simply coming up with a list of ways you can destress and pamper yourself.
Refer to it often when you need some relaxation time.
Ideas might be getting your favorite coffee or taking a bubble bath.
Again, don’t complicate it.
20. Grocery Lists
Don’t forget to include practical lists like your grocery list. All the lists don’t have to be creative.
Make the lists just as a way to get all of this information off of your mind so you don’t have to remember everything.
The kind of grocery list you would keep in your journal would be a master grocery list of everything you buy.
Then you can check it periodically to see what you need to replenish in your pantry.
Related: 66 Delicious Items To Add To Your Trader Joe’s Shopping List (Plus Free Healthy Grocery List)
21. Prayer Requests
It can be so hard to remember all of the prayer requests that I have for other people and for myself.
So I don’t even try.
Just write them down.
Then when God answers your prayers, you can write down the outcome.
22. Favorite Bible Verses
Make a list of go-to Bible verses that you can reference for a variety of situations.
Are you feeling anxious?
Have a list of verses that talk about overcoming anxiety at the ready.
Need some encouragement from women in the Bible?
Write down the chapters where brave women like the Proverbs 31 woman, Esther, and Deborah do their things.
The possibilities on this are endless!
23. Things you’re worried about
Yes, I want you to write down everything that you are worried about.
Write it down and then (try to) let it go.
Will it be hard?
Yes.
It might be impossible but at least give it a shot and see what happens.
24. List Writing Prompts From Hard Times
Of course, another journal idea you can keep are journal writing prompts. You can create journal prompts about literally anything.
Are you dealing with stress at work? Create prompts like: I feel anger at work when… or “I’m most stressed at work when” etc.
This is a good way to combat stress and anxiety especially when life overwhelms you.
You can jot down prompts about financial struggles, health struggles, etc…you can get a list of prompts from this blog post here: Beginner Journaling Prompts
25. Freestyle Creative Writing:
I don’t know what happened but when I was younger, I used to write poems, shorts stories, and creative essays. I had so many writing ideas and I had no fear in letting my mind wander into new territory.
Oh, how I miss those days. But if you are like me and have let creativity fall by the wayside, we can get it back! Write a short story about a girl’s first kiss or date. Look at an object and write a poem about it, describing what it looks like.
I wrote a poem about a desk while I was at work and I must say it felt amazing going back to my roots! Dig a notebook out of your closet and give creative writing a whirl!
Check Out These Beautiful Journals & Bullet Journals From Amazon!
I love to crack open a new journal and I thought these were super cute.
Get one of these and turn it exclusively into a list journal.
It can be a journal that you use to write down and organize all of your journaling lists.
What Lists Are You Going To Write In Your Journal?
Whew, that was a long list of well…lists. I hope this list of journal ideas has sparked tons of inspiration for you!
I dare you to be bored or anxious again when you have so many things you need to write down :).
And once you start, think about this…
You now have a book that is chronicling a good bit of your life.
What a precious thing that is!
How To Access Free Mental Health Journals!
We all know how important it is to set aside time for relaxation & self-care. Our mental health depends on it! So if you’re looking for a relaxing escape from the anxieties & stresses of the crazy world we live in then enter your email to access our Renew Your Mind Mental Health Journaling Bundle!
What’s Included In The Renew Your Mind Mental Health Journaling Bundle:
- The Creative Rest Christian Coloring Book: These 5 beautiful coloring pages are accompanied by words of faith and inspiration designed to help you focus on the positive, relax your mind, and dwell on positive Christian affirmations.
- Joy Comes In The Mourning Grief Journal: If you’ve lost a loved one, then journaling is a tool you can use to begin to heal from your loss in a positive and healthy way
- The Stress-Less Anti-Anxiety Journal: This journal has a Count Your Blessings, Quiet Time With God, & Today I’m Feeling… pages as well as a Self-Care To-Do List & A Mini Day & Week Planner.
Just click here to download the Renew Your Mind Journaling Bundle!
If 20 Creative Things To Write About In A Journal When You’re Bored Or Anxious has helped you, please share it on social media!
More HAYC Posts About Mental & Emotional Health
How To Read The Bible To Overcome Anxiety
5 Life-Changing Quotes From Jesus To Overcome Anxiety
5 Genius Ways Proverbs 31 Teaches Christian Women To Be Healthy
Medical Disclaimer: While Healthy As You Can strives to provide the most accurate information, anything you read on this site is purely for informational or entertainment purposes and should NOT be considered medical advice or as a replacement for a doctor’s care, diagnosis, appointment, advice, etc. I am not a medical professional at all. Any information, tips, or ideas that you try as a result of reading this blog is tried at your, the reader’s, own risk.
Mental Health Disclaimer: While I care deeply about your mental health, please know that I am NOT a licensed medical professional, therapist, counselor, social worker, or mental health professional. Any advice here is not to be taken as medical advice or a diagnosis. IF you need to talk to a licensed mental health professional you can use online-therapy.com (affiliate link) or call a mental health hotline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
