We’re at an incredible time in history where we’re able to be above airborne clouds and thousands of feet up in the air- and yet feel miserably bored. Maybe you’re flying for vacation, or you’re making a cross-country move to some of the great houses you can click here to see. You’re in a plane for hours at a time with very little chance to get up and move around, and although flying is exciting, this can get old fast.
Whether you’re an anxious flyer or you’re sick of watching the same scenery slip away beneath the plane, it’s fair to want something to keep your mind busy. This is also a great time to get some things done that you don’t normally have time for, so you don’t want to waste an opportunity. When you have a plan for how you’ll spend your next flight, you’d be surprised at how quickly it can go. By bringing something to keep you busy during your flight, you also have something with you to do while you’re waiting in the airport.
No matter what you’re doing during your flight, packing items like a neck rest and noise-canceling headphones can make it much more enjoyable. Instead of popping sleeping pills – here are five ways to stay entertained on your flight.
1. Make A Flight Goal
You can get a lot done during a plane right, even a short one. Set a goal for yourself that you have to complete within the period it takes to get to your destination. Be reasonable with yourself, don’t expect to write a novel in two hours, but have fun with it, as well! You can make goals like finishing homework assignments if you’re a student or finishing your resume! Think about something you could achieve in two to eight hours, and then try to make sure you complete it. Don’t be hard on yourself if you fail, though! Flights can be distracting, so you might find it hard to concentrate on the tasks you gave yourself. Even if you end up napping through your flight instead, getting some rest could be the best thing for you if you have plans for soon after you land.
2. Create Something
Let yourself be creative! Whatever feels fun for you, and isn’t disruptive for the other passengers, is a great idea. This might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you’re getting ready for a plane trip, but there are a few great ways you can do a creative activity during your flight. Some enjoy adult coloring books, while others like to knit or solve puzzles like Rubik’s Cubes.
Have fun being creative and making something. If you’re not sure what to do, bring some scrap paper and a pen and try to fill a whole page with doodles of everything you see or if you want something more fun, list down all your prank ideas on that piece of paper as suggested by Ownage Pranks. Don’t be afraid to dive into details, even if the art isn’t coming out well. It can be therapeutic and make time fly when you’re focused on small parts of a drawing.
3. Read A Book You’ve Avoided
Life can make it difficult to set aside some time to read all the books on your list. There are so many things that can distract you at home that you won’t have to deal with on your flight. We all have a couple of books on our shelves that we have avoided reading throughout the years. Because of this, and how easy they are to pack, books are many people’s go-to plane activity. Grab a book you haven’t read yet, and try to make a dent in it during your flight. You might even be able to finish your entire book during the trip. For longer flights, you may have to consider bringing more than one book just in case, especially if you want to read coming and going. There are usually stores selling books in the airport, so you can likely find some popular books there if you forget to pack your own.
4. Play A Game
Today, many people turn to their phones for entertainment, which includes when you want to play a game. This option doesn’t mean downloading a bunch of apps to play while you’re on your way to your destination. Bring a game like a Rubix cube, a Nintendo Switch, or something else besides your phone to keep you focused. You can also look for puzzle books that you can easily pack for the road, like crossword books, that can keep you busy for hours and don’t require any charging. When we have our phones in our hands, we’re more likely to try to get online, and that can leave us stressed out and bored as we flip between apps. Try to avoid your phone when possible to help give your mind a break from the rest of the world for a little while.
5. Write Postcards
Many of us buy postcards on trips intending to send them out to our loved ones to let them know we’re thinking of them. However, these often end up getting forgotten about or they could be annoying to deal with on your trip. Who has time to write postcards while you’re currently on vacation? For shorter trips, this might not be something you can get to during the trip itself. Buy postcards while you’re there, and fill them out on your way home. This plan could mean that you don’t mail them until you’re back in the city, but the ideal course would be that you drop them off during one of your connections in another city. No one expects to receive a postcard within a certain amount of days of someone’s trip, so don’t worry if you don’t send it from your trip destination.
Things to include in postcards are memories you made, something you think that person would have enjoyed, and if you’d want to go back. You don’t have to write ten paragraphs on the back of a tiny card, but don’t just sign your name and call it a day!
