We get Bored of everything we start with!
I’m always getting bored…. I also think we all get bored…
I’m bored of reading medium articles, I am bored of working at the same place, on the same product. I am bored of watching movies, I am bored of working out, I am bored of talking to the same set of people, I am bored of the book I am reading, I am bored of hearing about spiritualism, am bored of monotony.
I am already thinking I am going to get bored of everything exciting to me at this point like growing onions and writing medium articles. This is LIFE, I can’t fight with it as it will replace everything that excites me now with boredom. That is the cosmic dance. Everything that is created has to die.
But then how do we live with boredom? How do people accomplish things if they are bored while doing it?
If you observe it closely, the people who accomplish things or are perceived as self-motivated know that boredom is part of the process. They know innately that they can’t avoid boredom but at the same time, they do not become the victim of it. They simply ignore it and understand that it will pass with time.
People who glorify boredom try to escape from it by changing what they are doing with a new activity only to find themselves in the same boredom situation with a different context. They keep distracting themselves by watching TV, listening to music, etc. to escape from boredom instead of going on. They are looking for intense dopamine effects and wish the honeymoon period never wears off. They keep admiring people who they think are self-motivated and never get bored. The truth is that each one of us gets bored in one form or the other. Some go on and pondering about it seeking answers whereas others simply know the reality of it.
Only robots cannot get bored.
It is human to feel bored, it is part of the human condition. Humans have a mind, they have the power to achieve something, we can think of a solution, and we can build it. We can organize a good cause or make the world a better place. If you believe in it, you will be ready to go to any lengths to make it happen. You will fight boredom, you will fight pain, and you will experience joy and defeat in the process. A perfect example is raising your child.
Pick any of your joyous moments or any of your achievements. If you closely introspect, you will realize that to feel this joyous moment, there have been hours and hours of boring moments along with interesting moments to accomplish this achievement. That is the AHA moment. All those hours and hours of being bored have suddenly become worth it.
How do we work around boredom?
As James Danckert and John Eastwood contend in their book “The Psychology of Boredom”, Boredom isn’t bad for us. It’s just that we do a bad job of heeding its guidance. When we’re bored, our minds are telling us that whatever we are doing isn’t working―we’re failing to satisfy our basic psychological need to be engaged and effective. To this signal, many of us respond poorly. We become prone to accidents, risky activities, loneliness, and ennui, and we waste ever more time on technological distractions. But Danckert and Eastwood argue that we can let boredom have the opposite effect, motivating the change we need. The latest research suggests that an adaptive approach to boredom will help us avoid its troubling effects and, through its reminder to become aware and involved, might lead us to live fuller lives. The authors offer some real solutions to boredom. Agency, Meaning, purpose, curiosity, and flow are among the solutions.
At times boredom is a “call to action”.
Meaning & Purpose
They find meaning in what they do and do it with their full heart most of the time. They too get bored at times, but they accept it and make sure they innovate around the task to keep themselves going, or they have to find meaning in doing it. Once they become self-aware and find meaning to it, those smaller bouts of boredom don’t bother them as they know they are doing it for the right cause.
My mom cooks all the time with vigour. She has been cooking since I met her before I was born (I am 43 now). She hardly complained about cooking. I do remember her mentioning it on a particular day that she was feeling too lazy to cook. But her purpose for cooking was much bigger than those 1 percent of the days when she felt bored. She knew she had to feed her family. When her family sits at the dining table and enjoys the meal, she feels the purpose is solved and that keeps her going the next day.
Creativity
When one gets bored, there are 3 options:
- One keep going, nevertheless.
- One distracts himself/herself with cheap dopamine like video games, social media, etc.
- Just does nothing.
When one does nothing, this creates a space where they allow neurons to take action and create different pathways instead of following the same old pathways when boredom hits. In a way an opportunity is created that can help them unlock your creativity. This space is so beautiful where one does nothing tangible, where one simply observes, experiences mindfulness, and spends with nature. It might feel edgy at times, but with regular practice, one will start liking this space where one simply DOES NOTHING. With the practice of doing nothing, eventually, one will see ideas popping up out of nowhere and they get answers to what they were stuck with or find something completely different that you have never thought of before.
Newton discovered gravity while he was doing nothing and simply watching. Do you think he would have discovered gravity if he had kept himself utterly busy or distracted?
Engage in Mundane
A lady asked Vietnamese Zen Master, Thich Nhat Hanh, why he wastes his time in the garden- cleaning, planting, weeding. Couldn’t anybody do that rote job while he used his precious time to maybe write or speak more? After all, sharing his wisdom through more books or sermons could impact so many! Thich Nhat Hanh’s answer is priceless. He says the very reason he can write those books or share his thoughts is because of his time spent gardening. Everything he is known for, be it his wisdom, creativity, or compassion, all stems from his quiet time, spent in the garden.
I think the above said it all. When one engages in mundane, one finds ways to become self-aware of their tendencies, likes, and dislikes. Those can fuel growth for other aspects on a larger scale.
Stop Saying ‘I am Bored’.
We increase the power of something over us when we keep re-iterating it. If we simply accept it as part of life, it loses its intensity. At times just letting it pass is the best way to lower its hold on YOU.
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