Embracing Boredom
Do you like being bored? Do you find it useful? For me (this is Carey) the answers are "not at all" but "yes."
The times in my life when I've been bored have often been a signal to me that I need to create some change and that I'm not pushing myself to take on new challenges.
Part of aging better is finding new activities (physical, social, and mental) that stretch our capacities - and sometimes the motivation to do so comes from boredom.
I'll admit, sometimes ! have to be bored for a while before I'll make the phone call, tackle the workout, or start a new house project!
Boredom can also be useful for forcing us to figure out what we really want to do with our time. With kids grown and life settled, there's more space to do things we want to do, rather than always what we have to do to keep it all working.
It takes some intentionality to take time to reflect and then either change how we are doing things or to actively choose to do something fun or rewarding. Sometimes the solution is finding ways to make routines more interesting - like listening to a podcast or book on tape while cooking, cleaning, or doing yard work. And sometimes it means returning to a tried and true activity like taking a walk with a friend or reading.
The most powerful boredom buster is taking on something really new - a new hobby (Ceramics? Painting? Gardening?), a new friendship, taking a class about something we have always wanted to learn, and so on.
Lately I've been asking myself "what would bring joy or even just satisfaction right now?" during those “bleh” hours between eating dinner and going to bed. Just sitting and watching TV is fun for a bit, but my body gets stiff and I get bored by it, I'll admit.
So what to do? Sometimes I'll make lists of all the things I could do (which helps me focus on abundance!) and see what sparks a bit of joy in me. Playing with my cats is often a start!
Action Steps:
Notice when you are feeling bored. Is there a particular time or day of the week?
Create a “to do when bored” list - easier to do when you are not bored, and then its a resource when you are feeling “bleh”.
Make sure the list has physical activities like walking or stretching, mental activities like doing a puzzle or reading a book, and social activities like calling a family member or friend.
Next time you are bored, check your list, see what moves you, and try out a new activity from you list!