In 2020 we have all been getting more used to being at home and with less outside activities to do, have been forced to find things to do indoors.
There was the initial baking phenomenon – suddenly everyone seemed to be making their own bread. There were those who read a dozen books a week and binge watched every show on Netflix. Those who took the chance to start exercising daily.
Some took the chance to focus on their career plans; some rediscovered a niche hobby they never felt they had the time for; yet others started meditating to find themselves instead.
Clearly, there are things we can do. But why does boredom still hit?
Maybe those endless TV shows finally come to and end and nothing seems interesting afterwards. The new found hobby no longer is fun. Updating your career skills no longer feels inspiring.
It is easy to start feeling frustrated and annoyed when bored. There are so many things we could be doing. Feeling bored may feel like a waste of time.
You might try your hand at one activity or another, and yet want to drop it immediately; either it does not give you the immediate fun and gratification you were after – or it feels too difficult and annoying.
Either way it feels to be taking away from the time you could be using for something else.
Why do we get bored by things we normally enjoy? Why was I happily reading for hours yesterday, but today I am feeling bored by the same exact thing?
Feeling bored, or like you are wasting time, are similar sensations, even if they look to be different. When you are bored, you could always fill your time with the same stuff that you would be doing any other time. The stuff that might seem like a waste of time when you want to be productive. So, why don’t you?
Boredom is not a lack of enjoyable activities. Boredom is not doing those enjoyable activities. It happens when we lose enjoyment in things that could give a sense of fulfillment.
Boredom is not about having nothing to do. It is about being unsatisfied by the activities at hand.
So the cure to boredom?
Finding inspiration in something.
Immersion in the activity, as opposed to distancement from it.
People who get bored may start learning a new language. Start exercising. Learn to bake. Paint, draw, sing, dance. Basically the solution is about finding something – be it old or new – that excites you.
Boredom means you have been stuck in a rut and have started to forget what brings you meaning. It is a sign that your own habits might need a rejig.
Boredom is disconnection.
Finding connection in something eases that feeling.
When you find meaning even in the same activities that bore you, they may feel less boring.
To cure boredom, you don’t want distraction. Distraction is like eating candy to try and satisfy your hunger: it leads to a crash.
Try to find the equivalent of a wholesome meal instead.
Boredom means you have unused potential which you need to use. It is like when you feel restless when you are lacking exercise. You have energy to burn and need an outlet. Your body – or, specifically, your mind – is aching to move.
Try not to fight boredom. Embrace it. Out of boredom can come creativity. You can discover a new passion. It might be temporary. But it makes it no less worth your while.
Raw Rebellion 