Boredom: A gateway to creativity and self-discovery

In life, we often experience moments of boredom, especially when the task is not in our interest. It can be frustrating or irritating at times when a person finds it difficult to focus on a task and it’s necessary for him or her to take part in the task or be present in the activities. This situation often happens when a person has to attend a meeting, attend social gatherings where friends are not present, or prepare for an exam but finds it difficult to concentrate. In such situations, if a person changes his or her techniques or methods, it becomes easier for them to complete the task.

What is boredom?

Boredom is a state of feeling that a person can experience when:

1. The task is very difficult, and the person is unable to understand it.
2. A person is feeling energetic, but they do not know how to guide their energy or what to do.
3. When a task is related to anything that is not in the area of interest of that person
4. When the gain or outcome is not clear after completing the task
5. Low level of mental stimulation
6. Confused instructions
7. Lack of choice or control over daily activities
8. Repetition of the activity for too much time
9. Inadequate rest
10. Poor performance over time

This state of feeling leads to dissatisfaction, being uninterested, feeling fatigued, jittery, irritated, sadness, or temporary hopelessness. It is a desired state that any individual wants to experience. According to the American Psychological Association, boredom is a state of weariness resulting from a lack of engagement with stimuli in the environment.

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How to overcome boredom in life

1) Changing perspective:

In people’s day-to-day lives, they become so busy that they do not want to take any extra effort or try anything new to make the task interesting. When they are feeling bored because they are repeatedly doing the same task, it’s really important for them to see the task from a new perspective. Every time they are doing the same task, they can try to set new goals to change their perspective, such as:

• In how much time they can complete the task,
• The quality of the task is better than before or not.
• How they will teach the same task to any other person,
• If they do the task with full effort, what will be the benefit?
• Break the task into smaller units and appreciate yourself with every completion.
• Combine the repetitive and do it in one go.
• Try to find any internal motive to complete this task.

2) Utilize Time:

It happens that someone has to be passive in action while working towards their goal, such as while traveling, waiting in line, or having nothing to do once work is over but can’t go home. In these situations, the person can utilize the time, such as while the person is in the metro train, they can read, write, listen to their favourite music, talk to their close one on call, or play games. They can do their other work on the way to the office or home, such as making a list of items they have to buy from the market, making a list of tasks they have to complete, and seeing office paper while they are sitting freely. By doing such things, they can enjoy the time or reduce the amount of work. In whatever way they find it helpful, they can make use of their time.

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3) Finding passion:

passion regulates unsettled emotions, or emotions that are not fully regulated and disturb the person’s peace of mind. So the best thing is to find passion and get energized for the entire day or sometime of your day. It’s really important for individuals to have something in their day-to-day routine that they look up to. Now the question is: How do you find passion? It can be done through a simple question: When you feel time fly’s while you are engaged in activity and you want to do it more, Such as outdoor games, helping people who are in need, or working with any NGO or organization for any good cause. Doing anything that adds meaning and engagement in life.

4) Trying something new:

When people learn something new, they get a chance to explore the world from a different perspective. This new task has enhanced the level of mental engagement and provides a way to guide or direct energy for any energetic person. This new task can be learning a new language, any classes for dance, music, or instrument learning, learning any new technology, or any art form such as painting, sketching, or coloring. These activities help the person use their time in the right direction, and they feel more worthy and happy. For kids, it’s really important that during each summer vacation they learn anything new or join any class for the games they enjoy. This will help them to learn better skills as well as stay engaged in life when their friends are not around.

5) Getting enough sleep:

In today’s generation, people are worried about their looks, weight, and finances, but never about their sleep pattern. The use of phones, social media, and talking to friends until late at night makes they feel drowsy during the day. Also, they find it difficult to concentrate when tasks are highly demanding in nature. When people have enough rest, they even want to try something new to enhance their performance at work or at home. So it’s really important that people get good sleep and follow good sleep hygiene to be more active during the day.

6) Build good relationships with co-workers:

Remember the days of school? We all wanted to go to school not because we wanted to study but because we had good friends, and those conversations with friends add meaning and happiness to our lives. The objective was to study, but friends made this learning entertaining and pleasurable. Similarly, as adults, we all know that we have to earn money, but if people have a good bond with co-workers, they will enjoy the school hours and have a healthy personal and office work balance. As in the office, they can discuss their office troubles, challenges, or problems and then go home with a free mind.

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7) Cut distractions:

People are surrounded by no distractions, and when distribution is present, it becomes very difficult to focus on the task that is important to the person. In such situations, tasks appear as a sense of boredom, and the person tries to invest time in distraction. So the best thing is to avoid distraction by cutting it off. By making the notification of the phone off, they can keep their mobile in a silent mood and work in a room where television noise is less or where they have a minimal visual stimulus. With this, they will be able to get engaged in the activities and feel more satisfied.