I’m bored: spin for something to do

The ten-minute rule

Boredom is mostly the gap before starting. So the rule is simple: spin once, and do the result for ten minutes before you decide whether to keep going. If after ten minutes it is still dull, spin again. Most of the time, you will not need to.

Put your phone across the room once the wheel has spoken. Scrolling is what most boredom turns into, and it rarely helps.

How to do a few of these well

• Learn a card trick: start with a simple forced-card trick or a “key card” trick. Practice it ten times, then show someone.
• Learn to juggle: three balled-up socks. Throw one from hand to hand at eye height for five minutes before adding a second.
• Clear one drawer: empty it fully, wipe it, put back only what belongs. One drawer, not the whole room.
• Learn 5 new words: in a language you want to speak, or five unusual words in your own. Use each one in a sentence today.
• Draw your hand: set a phone timer for five minutes and draw it without looking down at the paper. It looks odd and teaches you to see.

Make it yours

Add the things you always say you will do “when you have time”. That is exactly what this wheel is for. Save it in My wheels and come back to it whenever an empty afternoon appears.