We live in a fast-paced era that ironically has made boredom even more pervasive. The idle mind can only take so much binge-watching and social media scrolling before it eventually balls up into a relentless monotony. Quick fixes to boredom don’t get into the root of why we get in that state in the first place, so here are some ways to get rid of the bug with more lasting effects.
• Try getting into something measurable
Psychologists have noted that, among a variety of reasons, a major cause of boredom stems from unfulfillment and feelings of not attaining certain things. Instead of beating yourself up and resorting to blank distractions, try doing something that positively reinforces you.
Engaging in activities where you can measure progress could help you keep tabs on how you’re improving or coming along. This not only provides you with an interesting way to pass the time, but satisfies the innate craving to see levels of completion.
There are tons of things you can do like learn a new sport, try arts and crafts, or even build something. You can get into baseball and buy a radar gun to start measuring how fast you can pitch and track how much faster you can get. You can even start learning a different language and mark conversational goals to see how well you can speak. Come up with activities that feel fun at the moment and create motivation that lasts.
• Start practicing mindfulness
Boredom can actually be the mind’s reaction to stress. It can cause you to lack focus when trying to accomplish tasks and can lead to more anxious feelings like cabin fever and frustration. A great way to subvert this mindset is by practicing mindfulness.
Mindfulness is a therapeutic practice that involves making oneself completely “in the moment.” It calls for the mind to be fully aware of everything that is happening, but from a non-judgmental perspective. This takes away our tendency to project feelings of anxiousness on situations.
It can help a person not feel too fixated on “wasting time” and focus more on simply being, appreciating the workings of the body, mind, and surroundings.
• Switch up your routine
Monotony can be one of the biggest causes of overwhelming boredom. The best way to combat this is by introducing change. By cutting off the repetition in our life, we can spark new experiences and feel more engaged.
Even though risks and adventures have their own attraction, they are not the only ways to remove the repetitiveness of life. Making little changes here and there without completely blowing out your comfort zone can already provide a satisfactory shift in how you feel. Try something new, change your plans, or even just adjust the way you do things with a method you may not have thought of using before.
Life can be exciting, or at the very least, worth getting into a little bit more. With some worthwhile adjustments, being bored can be a thing of the past.