50 Things to Do Instead of Watching Porn

So you’re bored. Porn seems like a good way to fill time, right?

Wrong.

When you find yourself with nothing to do, it’s easy to turn to porn. Unfortunately, this only leads to false satisfaction and can further addiction.  To curb boredom before you’re even feeling it, I want to give you 50 (yep, 5-0) things to do instead of watching porn!

Writing, Learning, and Creativity

1. Journal: Put your emotions and feelings on paper, write poetry, or tell a story. In the future, you’ll be able to look back and read about what you were going through and how far you have come since then!

2. Write to a friend or relative: Everyone likes to receive happy mail, so grab a piece of paper or a blank card and write a quick note to someone far away. It will make their day!

3. Learn how to use Excel: The Internet and library offer endless training courses on how to use Excel, along with many tips and tricks to become the master of spreadsheets.

4. Take a “fun” college course: Personal finance, photography, graphic design—the list goes on and on of college courses that can actually make learning fun. Check with your local community college; they just might have an upcoming course that interests you.

5. Photo challenge: The photo folder on my phone makes it quite evident that taking pictures is a major part of my life. Nowadays, you don’t even need a professional camera to take great photos (portrait mode, anyone). So, grab whatever camera you prefer, and challenge yourself to take pictures of the outdoors, your family, food creations, etc.

6. Drawing: In the heat of temptation, drawing is a great distraction. Create a set of 10 minute prompts on index cards, shuffle the deck, and pick a prompt to draw from. Whenever you’re feeling tempted to watch porn, pull out this deck of cards and pick a new prompt.

7. Start a blog: There are plenty of free blogging platforms that give you templates to start writing your own blog! The beauty of blogging is that you can write about whatever you want: fiction, journaling, opinions—the opportunities are endless.

8. Learn a new language: This is going to take time, but it’s a great use of time and can be completely free! DuoLingo is a free, language-learning platform for kids and adults, with lessons tailored to your learning experiences and time restraints.

In the Kitchen

9. Try a new recipe: You don’t have to be a chef to follow a recipe. Pull out that old cookbook from the cabinet and pick a dessert that looks appealing to you. The results from this activity are the best part!

10. Make tacos: I thought the tacos from the food truck down the road were delicious…until I made my own. Did you know that there are countless combinations of taco toppings? Grab some tortillas and make some yourself!

11. Organize your pantry: That expired can of peaches from 5 years ago? Trash it. Just-expired ranch dressing? You decide on that one. Regardless, there are few greater satisfactions than walking into your kitchen to a perfectly organized pantry.

12. Meal plan: Sit down and plan out your meals for the upcoming week. In our home, we do this on Sunday evenings. It makes us excited to eat and gives everyone the opportunity to make their favorite meal. It also saves money when grocery shopping. There are a lot of fun templates online to motivate you to get started!

13. Make kombucha: This delicious fermented drink is usually overpriced at the store, but it’s super easy to make at home! You only need a few ingredients to create a healthy beverage that contains natural caffeine and loads of natural probiotics.

14. Whip up some sourdough bread: Making your own sourdough has been a growing fad for the past several years—for good reason! Baking your own bread is cheaper and healthier than many store-bought options. If you’re not up for the challenge of sourdough, there are plenty of yeast-based alternatives that are just as good.

15. Learn how to properly cook a steak: I’ll admit, I still haven’t figured this out, but after many attempts, my husband has. I’ll give you a hint to get started: cast iron skillet and butter. And of course, a good steak.

Games and Physical Activity

16. Play (or learn) Sudoku: This game is a hidden gem in the world of puzzles! Sudoku books can be found at most stores for affordable prices, or you can download free, printable puzzles online.

17. Yoga: Benefits of this activity include increased flexibility, cardio health, weight reduction, and improved energy!

18. Roller-blading: Not just for kids…and a great workout!

19. Join a gym: If it works with your budget, purchasing a gym membership is a great way to get out of the house (especially if you’re feeling tempted by porn), stay active, and use equipment that you wouldn’t normally have at home.

20. Wash your car: On a hot summer day, washing your car will cool you off and save you money! This is a great activity to include your spouse or kids in, too.

21. Disc golf: Many local parks offer free disc golf courses; all you need are discs (frisbees work), some sunscreen, and at least one teammate.

22. Fishing: Most state parks with a source of water offer areas to fish (just be sure that you have a fishing license, if your state requires one).

23. Boxing: This might be my favorite stress reliever. If you’re having a bad day or feeling a lot of pent-up stress due to temptation, boxing is a game-changer. You can find gloves/mitts at your local sporting store or online. A quick 10-minute cardio session and you’ll be feeling so much better.

24. Start (and actually finish) a puzzle: There is no better time than now to grab that 1,000-piece puzzle from the back of your closet and start putting it together. Then, whenever you’re feeling tempted to look at porn, you can instead walk over to your puzzle table and set a goal to find 10 more puzzle pieces that fit.

Related: Trigger Alert! What’s Yours?

With Your Significant Other

25. Plan a date night: Dates don’t always have to mean dinner and a movie! Hike to a local picnic spot, hammock in the woods and read together, or camp in your backyard. If it’s winter, you’re going to have to be extra creative!

26. Volunteer together: There are usually endless ways to volunteer in your community. You can find ideas on your city’s website, or think of your own. There are even Facebook groups dedicated to volunteer opportunities near you.

27. Invite another couple over: Appetizers, dessert, games—have some friends over and enjoy time in group conversation and activity.

28. Clean and organize: I know—this doesn’t seem “fun” at first glance, but I have found that doing boring tasks with my spouse makes them more enjoyable. And, you’ll probably be able to get rid of more if you’re working together to clean. You could even plan a garage sale with your significant other!

29. Read a book together: If you have a Kindle, scroll through Amazon together and look for a downloadable book to read. Or, head to the library together and pick one out! A friend once gave me the idea of giving each other a massage while reading aloud.

30. Start a new TV series: These series usually have episodes ranging from 30 minutes to an hour—the perfect amount of time to get your mind off porn and focused on something else.

31. Video game date: When the kids go to bed, my husband I like to grab a couple of Wii remotes and play Mario Kart together. It brings out our competitive side, and it’s a fun way for us to spend time together.

32. Work out together: I am SO much more motivated to exercise if my spouse is by my side. We like to play tennis together, go for bike rides, and speed walk around the block. I tend to think less about the actual exercise when I’m busy talking to my spouse!

With Your Kids

33. Have a Play-Doh sculpting contest: Growing up, one of our favorite “family nights” was Play-doh night. Each person received a container of Play-doh and had 5 minutes to create something out of it. We had a blast creating food sculptures, animals, and anything that came into our imagination.

34. Bonfire and s’mores: Even if it’s chilly outside, a bonfire is a great way to warm up and enjoy roasted marshmallows stuffed between graham crackers and chocolate. Take it a step further and try camping in your backyard!

35. Bike ride: My family lives 4 miles from a local ice cream shop, and so we used to all hop on our bikes and take the back roads into town for a sweet treat. The round trip took at least two hours, and everyone was motivated by the prospect of ice cream halfway through.

36. Build a blanket fort: Porn is no good, but blanket forts? They’re awesome. In our house, we like to use the couch and dining table chairs as the “frame” to our fort, and then we pile blankets and sleeping bags on top.

37. Do a science experiment: Homemade lava lamp? Exploding volcano? I’m not a kid, and even I’d like to try these out. See other great science experiments here.

38. Family cooking competition: When I was a kid, this was a weekly event in our house. My parents would pick 2-3 random ingredients, and we would have to create an appetizer or dessert using those ingredients, in a set amount of time. It usually resulted in a less-than-appetizing creation, but we had a blast making food for the judges (our parents)! And hey, we did come up with a few meals that actually tasted delicious.

Home Projects

39. Rearrange your furniture: Not only will you find your home feeling refreshed and clean, but this is a great way to optimize your home layout so that it is less feasible for you to sneak away and watch porn. Find a new, open, and safe space to house your technology.

40. Re-decorate: Walls can always use a fresh coat of paint (have you tried the chalkboard paint trend yet?), and those picture frames on the wall probably need to be updated. If your space makes you feel unmotivated, brighten it up with new colors and decor!

41. Refurbish something: You can do a lot with spray paint, a sanding sponge, and some newspaper. I once found an old nightstand at a garage sale, and after a trip to the craft store and an hour of my time, the nightstand was a different color and looked brand new.

42. Plant an herb garden: Even if you don’t have an actual space for a garden, clay pots, a bag of dirt, and a few seeds will work just fine! You could even turn this into an art activity and paint the pots (if you have kids, include them in this!).

43. Decorate your patio: String lights, flowers, and pillows—patio essentials and easy to DIY! For those of you with just a front porch like me, you can still do this! This is a great way to get creative and spend time outside, away from porn.

Related: 3 Ways a New Hobby Can Improve Your Quality of Life

Spiritual

44. Read your Bible: Scripture is filled with words of encouragement and stories from those who defeated temptation. Bible Gateway offers quite a few free Bible reading plans, which will help you track your reading progress. A great goal is to read through the entire Bible in one year.

45. Pray: During times of temptation, prayer can be a huge part of choosing to say “no” to porn. Instead of watching porn, make a list of people in your life who need prayer, or just spend some time thanking God for all that he has given you. Unlike most activities, prayer can happen anytime, anywhere!

46. Join a small group or study: Many churches have weekly small groups or Bible studies. This can be a great way to get out of the house, fellowship with other believers, and glean wisdom from those who are also seeking after holiness.

47. Volunteer at your church: At my church, there are so many ways to serve: greeter, Sunday School teacher, usher, maintenance and cleaning, etc. If you’re looking for a fulfilling way to spend your time, instead of being tempted by porn, contact your church and ask about any serving needs they might have.

48. Start a new devotional: Devotionals are fantastic ways to start and end your day, but they can also be a great tool for those “in the moment” times when you’re feeling tempted. Click here for some great online devotional resources that are specific to temptation.

49. Listen to a sermon or podcast: Personally, I love podcasts because I can listen to them while I’m driving, cooking, cleaning, etc. Desiring God has a great repository of free sermons and podcasts, and you can find thousands more on streaming apps. 

If All Else Fails…

50. Call someone: Accountability is a huge part of overcoming addiction. One of the best ways to fight against moments of temptation is to call a friend, family member, or Ally! Even if you aren’t talking to them about your struggles with porn, just communicating with another human being can help redirect your attention to a positive and less tempting space.

Whew, you made it! If you’re unsure which one of these 50 ideas to start with, use this random number generator to decide. If you’re married and/or have kids, ask them to pick a number between 1 and 50! Then, refer back to this blog post with the number that you picked, and start with that activity!

Saying no to porn can be difficult… But, having other things to do in place of porn will make your decision that much easier.