10 ways to overcome Boredom

The threat to success is not failure but boredom

The day I quit my full-time job, my time came to a standstill. Little did I know that now I had plenty of time but nothing to manage.

I was pretty sure that I do not want to make my life purposeless.

So, here I found few ways to overcome boredom and making life more purposeful.

Come out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself

I have spent 9 years in the IT industry and was able to switch four companies. Surely, one of the main reasons was monetary benefits but whenever I felt comfortable and job became mundane, I felt the need to move out and challenge myself to learn something new.

Indeed, changing jobs is not a feasible solution every-time boredom hits you but make sure to discover something interesting and brand-new.

Declutter your space and see the magic of tidying up

This seems to be a trivial deal but believe me, it can make wonders to your life. Organizing your space whether it’s a workspace or your home is a therapy. Setting up your shelves, arranging your wardrobe, discarding the redundant stuff, and making your surroundings spick and span helps to avoid boredom and reduces anxiety.

Imagine yourself living in a space that only contains things that spark joy. — Marie Kondo

Reading

Everyone understands the power of reading. But, many times we feel exhausted and burnt-out. I remember starting the book ‘Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance’ and left it unread out of boredom and it’s difficulty level. This has brought me into consensus with myself that the time I’ll find reading an abstruse book, I’d drop that one and start afresh; there is a book for every mood. And, I apply this concept to not only reading but all the tasks I do.

Choose tasks that balance the difficulty and interest level.

Also, those, who find reading a whole book a herculean task can start reading magazines, journals or anything that match their interests and mood.

Pursue your hobby

Research shows that few percentage of people pursue their passion as their profession. And when you are not the lucky one to get your passion as your profession, make sure to pursue your hobby whenever time permits. Be it painting, cooking, classical music, or photography; It’s never late to seek your forgotten art.

Write letters to your family and call them from time to time

One of my cousins recently started a series on her blogging site — ‘Writing letters to my family.’

I found it so interesting that I wrote an open letter to my spouse on his birthday. Writing about your loved ones not only makes them feel special but it emotionally satisfies you. Deep-diving into the nostalgic memories hones your emotional intelligence and gives you a sense of closeness towards your loved ones.

Make sure to call and tell your parents, ‘How much you love them’. This is the least thing we could do to make them feel special.

Workout or just take a walk

The COVID-19 quarantine has made us all realize how privileged we are to freely move around the world. Sitting at home and continuously staring at the screen makes us feel lethargic and claustrophobic.

A quick workout, stretching or even a brisk walk outside will relax your mind and give an ability to pick up your procrastinated tasks.

Take an online course and upgrade your skill

You’ll be amazed to find out the plethora of online learning platforms available at your fingertips.

Learning online and upgrading yourself has become a prerequisite to grow in your professional career.

I believe this is the time to carve your way and learn some niche skills like food photography, being an illustrator, MLM (multi-level marketing), public speaking or musical instruments.

Silence and Solitude

I truly feel everyone needs some lonely time to introspect. Take that time out from your hectic schedule and realize the power of solitude. Contemplate your life goals, reset them if required, and try to be at peace with yourself.

I have found that adding a piece of binaural music or any music of your choice will streamline your messy thoughts.

I listen to Indian classical Sitar music while writing and it helps me in channelizing my haphazard thoughts and takes me ‘into the zone’.

Keep a tab on your Finances

Wherever finances are involved, boredom vanishes automatically.

When you feel bored, keep a tab on your finances and expenses. Make sure to track your expenses in any online app or a diary to avoid over-expenditure.

Start investing your cookie jar reserves if you feel and have sufficient knowledge to pursue it.

If you are not into an investment, make sure to know the latest money-saving techniques to keep your finances in a healthy position.

Join a nearby Book-club, Finance club or dig meetups to find your interest

I joined a book and finance club in my neighborhood and trust me it not only makes good utilization of my time but have helped me in my reading, networking and financial skills. I learned that there is a lot to learn from people.

Last thoughts

All the people who have read the book ‘Atomic Habits by James Clear’ will surely be able to recollect the Goldilocks rule which states, ‘humans experience peak motivation when working on tasks that are right on the edge of their current abilities’.

Stick with Goldilocks rule and do the tasks that you feel are manageable, measure your progress and repeat the process. The greatest threat to success is not failure but boredom. — James Clear

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