The excitement of the holidays is winding down, and we are back to our regular routine. It’s about now when we find that we aren’t as motivated by what’s ahead and might feel slightly down. For example, many things we do during the holidays have changed or stopped. In other words, we are feeling bored with what is ahead.
Boredom is an individual experience. What one person finds boring is fascinating to another, and vice versa. And it isn't merely a lack of things to do or the day's sameness. It could happen when something is too easy or too hard. Boredom can also occur when we feel what we are doing is meaningless.
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Most people describe boredom as a combination of frustration, mind wandering, sadness, loneliness, or distorted time perceptions. Most of all, it's characterized by a sometimes unbearable desire to disengage in an activity perceived to be the cause of boredom. Boredom spawns a wide range of behaviors. Some of these behaviors are positive, such as helping others, creativity, daydreaming, and catching up on a project, and some are negative and result in destructive behaviors, such as substance abuse.
Much like pain, boredom may not be pleasant. Still, it is essential to alert us that something is misaligned. To diagnose the cause of boredom requires us to consider two critical pieces of information:
whether we are successfully engaged in our current task (attentional component)
whether our current task, regardless of engagement, is meaningful (meaning component)
Finding temporary solutions may work for a while. Still, the underlying issue will continue unless we take the time to reflect on the underlying cause.
It can be expected that we will have moments of feeling bored or frustrated. The key to successfully navigating these feelings is reflecting on them without judgment and acknowledging that we're all doing our best. Here is a brief practice that might provide insight into your feelings.
TIPS TO NAVIGATE BOREDOM
Take a moment to reflect on the underlying situation or conditions that might cause these feelings of boredom. Consider the following to see if they are relevant to you.
Under-challenged? Add interest. If you need to be more challenged, add interest to tasks to make them more challenging. This might include setting a time challenge to the activity, adding music, doing them at a different time of day, or completing the task differently. You might even combine simple tasks with more complex tasks. For example, try using hand weights while running on the treadmill or walking outside. Or, when reading your emails, try listening to music or reflecting on how you can respond with empathy and kindness.
Too complex? Break it down. If you perceive the situation as overly challenging, try breaking the task into small steps or reducing external distractions such as turning off the music or putting away mobile phones. Taking breaks at predetermined intervals might also help as a reward for staying focused.
Lacking meaning? Discover new meaning. Finding meaning may require adjusting activities or goals to align with the perceived value of what we are doing. However, we often cannot change the task, so the best way to create meaning is to consider “how do your actions impact or benefit others?”. For example, consider how mundane daily tasks such as food preparation and cleaning benefit your family.
REFLECT/CONSIDER
As you reflect on ways you can be proactive in reducing your feelings of boredom, make a plan to make changes in your daily activities. It will add a bit more energy and positivity to your daily activities.