What to do when bored?…. Have you ever thought it’s important to be bored?
Well, we all experience boredom from time to time. Being bored can lead to feelings of restlessness and frustration, as well as a sense of relaxation and peace. Boredom has been shown to be linked to creativity, increased productivity, improved mental health, and even better decision-making. When we learn to embrace boredom and use it as a means of growth, we can reap the benefits.
But because we’re so used to escaping unpleasant feelings at the touch of a button, we no longer really remember what it feels like to be bored…
The benefits of being bored for mental health
Boredom is often thought of as a negative thing, but the truth is that being bored is important for our mental health.
First, boredom can be a sign that we need to take a break and give our brains a rest. Our lives are fast-paced and constantly stimulating, so it’s essential to take a break. Feeling bored may indicate that we should disconnect from technology and social media and engage in activities that allow us to de-stress and relax.
Second, boredom can lead to self-reflection and introspection. Without distractions, we have the opportunity to focus on our own thoughts and feelings, which can be a valuable tool for personal growth and development.
Finally, it is important to get bored to provide ourselves with an opportunity to engage in activities that require sustained attention and focus. Activities like reading, writing, drawing, or playing an instrument can be very rewarding. However, they often require a level of focus and commitment that is hard to find in our fast-paced lives. Boredom can provide the perfect opportunity to engage in these activities.
Read also: How to Stop Overrthinking According to Expert
Practical example of the benefits of being bored
When I was outside the shores of this country, we ran a tutoring centre for immigrant children, mostly of African descent. The centre was located in a residential flat. At some point, the centre began to grow, and there was a need to separate the children into classes. To achieve this, the room needed to be partitioned.
We contacted a carpenter in that country, and he gave us a quote of about $700. We accepted the quote, planning to pay and have the work done.
Weekends were typically work-free days, and on one particular weekend, I was studying on my laptop when a message came through that there would be a power outage in the community to allow engineers to carry out maintenance on the power plant. In no time, the electricity went off. My laptop battery was old and couldn’t hold a charge for long, so the laptop shut down after a few minutes, leaving me with nothing to do.
Eventually, I began to feel bored. After a while, a thought flashed through my mind: why not check YouTube and learn how to partition the room myself? I didn’t hesitate. I quickly grabbed my smartphone and opened the YouTube app. I watched several videos on how to partition a room using wood.
Having gained some knowledge, I suggested to my partner that we construct the partition ourselves, and she agreed. We went to the timber market, purchased the necessary materials, and, to cut a long story short, we successfully constructed the partition ourselves and saved about $700—all because I was bored
You too can turn your boring moments into a resourceful moment.
Read also: How to Overcome Procrastination
How to overcome the fear of being bored
It can be challenging to overcome the fear of boredom. We tend to feel that to avoid boredom, we must be constantly stimulated by something. We can reconnect with our thoughts and feelings by dedicating time to ourselves and being alone. As a result, we can gain clarity and focus on what matters most to us.
By making a conscious effort to be alone with our thoughts, we can learn to appreciate the quiet moments and become more aware of our surroundings. In this way, we are able to break through the mental blocks that are stopping us from reaching our goals. We can use this time for creative pursuits, such as journaling or exploring new ideas.
It’s important to be bored because boredom is a normal part of life. We need to recognize that it’s okay to have moments of boredom and that it doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with us or that our lives aren’t interesting.
How to use boredom to find inspiration and increase productivity
By embracing boredom, we can open ourselves up to new possibilities. We can challenge our thinking and develop creative solutions. It’s important to be bored because it can help us get out of our comfort zone and increase our productivity while allowing ourselves to reflect on our work.
When we are bored, we are forced to find something new and different to stimulate our imagination. Boredom is one of the most important components of the creative process. It encourages us to take risks and think outside the box, which can lead to innovative ideas that we might otherwise have overlooked. Furthermore, boredom helps us identify areas for improvement and uncover potential solutions that we might not have previously considered by stepping outside of our work.
We can open up new possibilities in our work when we use boredom as a source of inspiration and also to increase our productivity by giving ourselves time.
In conclusion, boredom is not something to be feared, on the contrary – it is something to be embraced. By learning why it is important to be bored and appreciating the benefits of boredom, we can find greater creativity, fulfillment, and resilience in our lives.
The feedback loop of instant gratification is a double-edged sword. It provides us with entertainment and escapism, but it makes it difficult for us to be patient and focus on the present moment. It’s important for us to be aware of how this loop is affecting our lives, and to find ways to disconnect and engage in activities that require sustained focus and attention.
The next time we’re bored, instead of reaching for your phone to while away time or trying to fill the void with distractions, let’s sit with the boredom and see where it takes us. We might be surprised by what we learn.
I would like to hear your opinion about this on the comment section
Read also: How to Stay Consistent with Your Goals
