20 Things to Do Instead of Texting Your Ex

Sometimes that urge to text your ex becomes so strong that it feels like no human being could ever withstand the pressure. But think about it – you two broke up for a reason. And whatever that reason may be, texting him out of the blue isn’t going to change it. The best thing you can do when the text craving hits is distract yourself, because there are so many other more productive things you could be doing than trying to turn back the clock.

  1. Bake something. Baking can be finicky. Meaning it will require your full attention, and there won’t be any room for your phone on the kitchen counter. Just try not to eat all the cookie dough before you bake it.
  2. Call your mom. Whether you mom is the type who can talk you off the texting ledge or not, there’s no doubt she’ll have plenty of family gossip to fill you in on that’ll kill an hour or two. She’ll probably remind you how loved you are, too, which can never hurt.
  3. Write a letter. All those things you want to text him? Write it down. You will feel better if you get it all out. And if you want to ripping it up when you’re done, go for it. Whatever you do, don’t send it.
  4. Go to a movie. You can’t be one of those people who texts in a movie theater, so grab a friend and go see something that will have you laughing until your sides hurt. While you’re there, you might as well grab a large popcorn with extra butter, too. Greasy fingers aren’t good for texting.
  5. Read a book. You know you have a few on your to-read list, so curl up on the couch and get a couple chapters in. Nicholas Sparks epic love stories are off limits. You and your ex are not the great grandchildren of a couple from the 50’s who were ripped apart by war. Accept it.
  6. Find a new show to watch. Netflix is this generation’s great time killer. The entire series of Friends is waiting for you. Or try something intense like House of Cards. You’ll be too busy trying to figure out Frank’s evil plan to pick up your phone.
  7. Go for a walk. Exercise is a great way to distract yourself, and burn anxious energy after a break up. Explore your neighborhood and enjoy the weather. Just don’t bring your phone along.
  8. Organize for finances. It’s never too late to finally get that budget worked out. Just think about all the extra money you’re going to have now that you don’t have to buy his entire extended family birthday presents?
  9. Teach yourself HTML. Learning a new skill is a great way to stop yourself from wallowing too much. You’re going to have a bunch of extra time on your hands now that you’re single, so might as well use it productively.
  10. Google new hairstyles. Maybe you’ve always wanted to try bangs. Or you’ve been contemplating going red a la Emma Stone for awhile. Now is the perfect time to try something new.
  11. Grab lunch with a friend. Admit it. You probably neglected your friends a little bit during the big break up blow out. But now that you’re past the hard part, use some of your free time to reconnect with your girls.
  12. Go shopping. Nothing heals like a little retail therapy. Make sure you stick to that new budget you just made though.
  13. Knit a scarf. Not only will you be dedicating time to a neglected hobby, but it’s pretty hard to text someone when both your hands are tied up in a pair of knitting needles.
  14. Paint your room. You’ve had that swatch of burgundy that you picked out for the accent wall behind your bed sitting on your dresser for months now. Spring is the perfect time to finally get around to painting. A new set of sheets couldn’t hurt either.
  15. Try a new makeup technique. Depressed because you’re home alone on a Friday night? What better time to watch Youtube makeup tutorials and perfect your purple winged eye liner technique? Or you could finally figure out what that whole contouring thing is all about.
  16. Go to a restaurant he hated. That sushi place you never went to anymore because he hated seafood? Now you can go there whenever you want. Spicy tuna roll here you come!
  17. Paint your nails. Give yourself a full mani-pedi. You can’t text while you’re painting or when your nails are wet, so your phone will be off limits for long enough to get through the worst of your ex-texting urge.
  18. Spring cleaning. Spend an afternoon going through all your old clothes and junk you never use anymore. It’s the perfect chance to get rid of any of his clothes that were stuffed in the back of your drawer. And you need to get rid of them.
  19. Do karaoke. Face it, Taylor Swift has some great break up songs, and they sound really good after you’ve had a couple drinks. Get some friends together and go somewhere you can sing your hearts out.
  20. Delete all his contact information. If you keep getting the urge, it’s only a matter of time before you drink too much wine and give in to it. So take away the option by deleting all his contact information. Let’s just hope you don’t have it memorized.
By day, Courtney is a digital marketing copywriter living in Toronto, Canada. By night, she's a freelance lifestyle writer who, in addition to Bolde.com, contributes regularly to AmongMen.ca, IN Magazine, and SheBlogs Canada. Want to chat about relationships, Stephen King or your favorite true crime podcast/documentary/book? She's on Twitter @courtooo.
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