How to Waste an Hour

Last Updated: March 18, 2023 References

Waiting for something to happen, but you still have a whole hour to waste? 60 minutes! That might seem like a long time, but this article will help you out with ways you can spend these 60 minutes.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Passively Waste an Hour

1
Watch TV or a movie. Watching something can be a great way to relax, decompress, and veg out. If you have Netflix,^{[1]
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Research source} or any other similar streaming service, there are plenty of quality shows and movies to help you fill that hour. Take a bit to browse through the thousands of titles online, which itself may take an hour! If you want some suggestions for shows or movies, check these out:
- Arrested Development: a quirky comedy about an incredibly dysfunctional family.
- Mad Men: a serious period piece about ad executives in the changing social scene of the 1960s.
- Toy Story: a classic Pixar movie about childhood toys come to life. Both of the sequels are excellent too.
- King of the Hill: an animated comedy about life in suburban Texas. It is surprisingly heart-warming and hilarious.
- If you want to be exact, watch the show 60 Minutes.
2
Browse social media. You can easily waste away an hour browsing various social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. This is a great way to catch up on what your friends are doing. Try not to spend much more than an hour browsing social media as it can lead to depression. Here are some good social media platforms (note that you will need an account for these):
- Facebook:^{[2]
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  Research source} the largest social media platform. View statuses, photos, interesting news articles, and anything else your friends have liked. You can also chat with your friends through Facebook's built-in messenger system.^{[3]
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- Instagram:^{[4]
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  Research source} view photos that people you follows share. These photos are usually more artsy. This is a great platform for following celebrities. The simple User Interface makes it easy to browse through tons of photos.^{[5]
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- Twitter:^{[6]
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  Research source} view shorts statuses from friends and interesting people. This is also a great platform for tracking up-to-date news.^{[7]
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3
Browse through forums. Forums are places where anybody can post about a topic. Some forums have specific topics like literature or philosophy, but others accept any posts. Chances are that if you can think of a topic, you can also find a forum related to that topic. This is also a great way to make online friends since you know you will both already share an interest. Check out some of these forums:
- Reddit.com: a large aggregator of different forums and interests. Most anything can be found in different sections of this website, called "subreddits." It is incredibly easy to waste an hour on this forum.^{[8]
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- Pinterest.com:^{[9]
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  Research source} general forum with excellent design. This site attracts people who like to talk about fashion, design, and art.^{[10]
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- 4chan.org: for the more adventurous. This is another general forum which attracts people very invested in internet culture. Beware that there are some dark areas of this website.^{[11]
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4
Browse YouTube.com. YouTube has endless amounts of information and new content is constantly being added to the site.^{[12]
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Research source} Poke around for a while to find some good channels and then subscribe to them.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Actively Waste an Hour

1
Cook/bake something. If you have the time, you could cook or bake something for someone.^{[13]
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Research source} And if you are going out, you could bring cookies that you have baked for someone on the way! You could also make a nice, fast meal for someone at home. Try looking some interesting recipes up at the at the internet, something that you maybe haven't tried before, and something that doesn't take more than an hour. Also, check of you have the ingredients at home. Check out these wikiHow articles for some ideas:
- Make cupcakes. This will cheer anyone up.
- Make an omelette. A great recipe to learn for breakfast.
- Make a tasty burrito. This is also a great thing to know if you are cooking for yourself frequently.
2
Play games online. There's a lot of fun games you can play online, and it's a fast, fun way to spend an hour. There's just about every type of game, including shooting, dancing, strategy, adventure and many more. Some good sites are:
3
Clean your house. Of course, this only applies if you are home. There's always somewhere you can clean up, do the dishes, or the laundry, or wash the floors or the bathroom. Make everything shine in one hour, and have fun with it!^{[14]
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Trustworthy Source
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services
Go to source}
- Try listening to good music while you clean your house. It can make the process much more exciting than cleaning in silence.
4
Practice your hobby. Do you like to play guitar, knit, draw or something similar? If you have a whole hour to spend, you could spend some time on a new project or at least plan one. Even if you do not have the materials handy, you can still plan a new project.^{[15]
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- Take advantage of any free time you have to practice your hobby. You will only improve if you put in the effort. If you have a busy life, a free hour likely does not come around too often.
- You can even try pursuing a new hobby like a new instrument or a programming language.
5
Read a book. While not as active as others, reading is a great way to stimulate your mind and imagination. There are so many good books to read that it can initially seem overwhelming. Try to commit to a book and you will likely gain something from it.^{[16]
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Research source} Try these suggestions to start:
- Dune by Frank Herbert. This novel takes you to another planet far into humanity's future. This book helped kickstart the sci-fi genre and continues to be an inspiration for modern sci-fi writers. Be aware that it is more about politics than action, though.
- Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. Set in the near future, this sci-fi book is an adventure through a world ravaged by overpopulation, water shortages, and crime. The majority of the population spends most of their time living in a virtual world. Great for any video game lovers.
6
Exercise. Go for a walk or a run. Go to the gym. Go for a swim. Bike or skate around your neighborhood. Just go out and be active! It is important to get your blood pumping and your body moving, so take advantage of the free hour you have in your day.^{[17]
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American Heart Association
Leading nonprofit that funds medical research and public education
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7
Write something. Writing is a great way to exercise your mind and to engage your creative side. It is also incredibly satisfying to transfer abstract thoughts into concrete ideas. You can write anything you want, including short stories, scripts, movie reviews, or song lyrics.^{[18]
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- Try to just let the ideas flow through you onto the paper when you first get started. You can edit later if you are serious about producing something powerful.
8
Listen to music. Sitting and listening to music can really help you relax and clear your mind.^{[19]
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Trustworthy Source
Johns Hopkins Medicine
Official resource database of the world-leading Johns Hopkins Hospital
Go to source} Try listening to something you enjoyed in the past for a nostalgia trip or find new bands on Spotify or Pandora. Knowing about bands can also help you find common ground with other people, which is always a good thing.

Community Q&A

Question

How can I waste an hour without electronic devices?

Community Answer

You can read, draw, or spend time on a hobby. Cleaning your room is also a good option, as you'll feel a sense of accomplishment when you're done.
Question

What do I do when I'm stuck in a house for four hours?

Sonamoni

Community Answer

Try building something creative. I once made a two-storied dollhouse in fifth grade with cereal boxes, sticks and clay. It took hours. Another thing you could do is homework or dance to some songs.
Question

My holidays are tomorrow, and this day is going really slow. What should I do?

Community Answer

Go on Netflix and watch some shows, or read/write something on Wattpad. Explore new music genres.