While we're in lockdown because of the Coronavirus outbreak I've heard a lot of people mention being bored. Not working, or working at home, and being stuck indoors all the time is leaving people feeling bored and they don't know what to do with themselves. This is obviously not going to help with their mental health on top of the stress of the changed times we're living in at the moment. I'm not the kind of person that gets bored often and find it easy to occupy my mind with different things, so I figured I'd share the things I do to keep myself from getting bored and show you how to deal with boredom.
Why are you bored?
The first thing you need to do is recognise why you're bored. Sitting around doing nothing all day will get boring - no doubt - but perhaps there's another reason you're bored. Take some time to think about the things you're doing daily - are they repetitive? Do you see the same things every day? Are you engaging your brain or just sitting there passing time?
Being bored is a symptom, it's your brain's way of telling you to do something new or different.
How to deal with boredom
- Stop scrolling. Facebook is the bringer of boredom. I can confirm that spending hours on end scrolling Facebook will lead to boredom. PUT DOWN YOUR PHONE. Close Facebook, WhatsApp, or any other app where you spend a lot of time scrolling.
- Think about what you want. Do you want something to challenge you? Do you want to waste a little time? Do you want to engage your brain? Do you want to learn something new? There's so much to choose from but first you need to know which things will make you happiest. You have to decide what you want!
- Change your mindset. I hate using that word "mindset" but I do think it's true, if you think of something in a negative way you're going to end up feeling negative about it. I've said in previous posts I like to look for the silver lining, I like to see the bright side whenever I can and when boredom is the issue you have to convince yourself there IS a way to deal with the boredom, you just need to find it.
- Get outdoors. Sunlight is a magical thing. I always feel at my most lethargic and bored when I've spent the day in a dark room with no sunlight. On those days, and others too, I go outside for a walk. Your body needs sunlight to function properly and being sat inside all day won't do you any good. If you take just a 30 minute walk in sunlight you'll suddenly feel more energised and probably be able to think of something to do. Even on the darker days, when the sun is stuck behind thick clouds, being outside will help. It's the light and the fresh air that will help.
Things to do when you're bored
Clean the house
Okay, this isn't one I'd usually suggest doing, it's certainly not one of my favourite things to do, but if you're desperate it's a start. The thing that cleaning your house does is gives you something to occupy yourself while you think of other things you could be doing. Whenever I clean my house I always end up feeling better, not only because the house is clean but also because my mind feels less cluttered too. Give it a try - I'd love to hear if it helps you too.
Go for a walk
I know I mentioned this above but going for a walk is another good thing to do when you're bored. Take the kids with you and go on a nature hunt, make up a list of things the kids have to find and look for them on your walk. If you live in the city make the list full of things you'd find in the city, if you're in the country maybe list animals or bugs? Walking is a good form of exercise because it doesn't take too much effort and isn't fast paced. Walk outdoors, look up from your phone, and see the world.
Study the world around you
Putting your phone away is a huge step towards stopping being bored. I find whenever I spend a significant amount of time scrolling on my phone I'm more bored, so I scroll more, so I get more bored. You see the cycle. It doesn't help. Instead put your phone down and really look at the world around you. Stand out in your garden and look at the flowers or trees, study the bark, the leaves, and maybe even teach your kids about the kinds of trees you have in your garden. Watch the birds that fly in and out of the trees, try to name the birds. Stand in your garden at night and study the sky, learn about constellations and planets. There's a world of amazing things out there - take a look!
Learn something new
As adults this is a tough one to start, it's like going back to school and not all of us did so well in school. It can be a daunting prospect to start a new project, particularly if you're completely new to it. But there's also a bright side (remember what I said about bright sides?), you could be inspired! You could learn new things that make your head want to explode but that inspire you to keep going, to learn more, and broaden your horizons. Just as children marvel when they learn something new you could find a passion for a new project and discover your life's meaning! Go on, give it a go.
Watch movies / TV
Dealing with boredom is easy when you have movies and TV to watch. It's not something I generally suggest to get rid of boredom but choosing a favourite movie or TV series can keep you occupied for a while. The Hubby and I like to watch all kinds of things and at the moment we're working through Grey's Anatomy, it's our way of chilling out at the end of the day. Sit down, grab a drink, and watch your favourite show - you can kill a couple of hours easily when you do that!
Hobbies
Old or new hobbies are a great way to stop you feeling bored. I used to enjoy doing cross-stitch and during lockdown I have started again. I have lots of sets to keep me going and can always buy more if I need to (I won't need to!), and it's a hobby that I learned years ago so I already know what I'm doing. It could be drawing, writing, cross-stitch, or something completely different but as long as it's something you enjoy then go for it.
Here's one I made earlier!
Play games
Since I married a video games developer I know a fair amount about video games. There are so many out there to suit all kinds of preferences. There are story based games where you're challenged to take a character through their story and fight for things along the way. There are shooting games where the target is to win the entire game. There are puzzle games where you have to solve puzzles in order to move on. There is something for everyone. A lot of people would say video games are bad for you but I disagree, as with anything they are only bad for you if you indulge too much. If you spend 8 hours or more every day playing video games I'd say that's too much, but an hour or so is fun and can help deal with the boredom. I even play video games! I recently finished playing Zelda on my switch and I'm currently working my way through Lego Incredibles (I love the Lego games!). It's an escape and a lot of fun once you get the hang of it.
Working out why you're bored is your first step, but once you've done that there's plenty of things to choose from and I've listed just a few.
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