\u201cIs life not a thousand times too short for us to bore ourselves?\u201d<\/em> Boredom can be fought with a threefold process. Firstly, it\u2019s important to understand what boredom is and what it causes. Secondly, one needs to have some excellent strategies one can apply as soon as boredom kicks in. Thirdly, the last step at fighting boredom consists of having a list of magnificent activities that help you to break out of boredom.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s jump right into this process.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a quick overview of the topics addressed:<\/strong><\/p>\n The science of boredom<\/a> First of all, it\u2019s important to get a good understanding about boredom. But what exactly is boredom and what is causing it? Let\u2019s have a look at the scientific standpoint of things:<\/p>\n Each and every one of us is plagued by boredom every once in a while. We all know what boredom feels like, but what\u2019s the scientific explanation behind boredom? Curious scientists have been exploring the subject for decades. However, there exists no real consensus among scientists about what boredom actually is. Yet, the internal processes that can cause the feeling of being bored are widely known among scientists. Responsible for boredom are (among other causes) low levels of a neurotransmitter, called dopamine. Dopamine is a chemical messenger of the human brain. It triggers responses in our brains whenever we experience a new and exciting situation.<\/p>\n Continuous repetition of a given activity, however, reduces the amount of dopamine that is released into the brain. Consequently, the level of dopamine in the brain starts to decrease. As a result, we start craving for a heightened sense of excitement, but struggle to provide it with our present activities. That\u2019s the stage where the feeling of boredom starts to unfold. We\u2019re no longer stimulated by the known activities and struggle to find new, exciting alternatives. In line with this thinking, John Eastwood and his colleagues define boredom<\/a> as experiencing the want for something, but not being able to engage in an activity that satisfies the need.<\/p>\n Even though there are clues that the ancient Greek philosophers pondered about the concept of boredom, it took quite a while until a word for boredom started to manifest. In fact, the word \u201cboredom\u201d wasn\u2019t introduced to the English language until the year 1766. It appears that there simply was no need for such a word. Therefore, (excessive) boredom seems to be a relatively new phenomenon. Even more so, the number of people suffering from boredom seems to have increased with the progress of technology.<\/p>\n If you think about it, the rapid progress of technology has introduced countless of exciting distractions that help us to alleviate feelings of boredom. All these electronic devices are designed to fix the problem of being bored. And for a certain while, these things keep us entertained. But after some time, they no longer stimulate our need for exciting experiences. We crave for something new, without realizing the underlying issue.<\/p>\n The root cause of boredom lies in our ingrained desire to \u2018do something\u2019.<\/strong><\/p>\n As we are living in the age of information, the vast majority of the population is used to being bombarded with information. Even worse, many of us have grown dependent on this type of entertainment. Without it, most people quickly feel uncomfortable.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve become so used to be constantly doing something, even if it\u2019s just watching TV, that the state of \u2018not having something to do\u2019 feels exceptionally strange. Not doing makes us feel guilty and vulnerable. After all, the concept of living is closely interwoven with doing to most of us. Therefore, inactivity seems to be the ultimate punishment and sin.<\/p>\n However, if we break it down, boredom is simply the desire to be entertained or to do something. It simply is the brain\u2019s craving for (more) sensory stimulation.<\/p>\n By developing an understanding why you\u2019re bored, you are one step closer to a solution. The following are further root causes of boredom:<\/p>\n By effectively addressing each and every one of these root causes, you\u2019ll see that boredom can quickly become a thing of your past.<\/p>\n Meditation is a true power tool you can use to fight off boredom.<\/p>\n Most people that are looking for effective strategies to combat boredom are desperately looking for new and exciting activities to engage in. Yet, providing new sensory stimuli will only work for a certain period of time. After this time has passed, they eventually become bored again. Combating boredom in this manner can be a true vicious circle. That\u2019s because none of these new activities can actively address the underlying issue of boredom.<\/p>\n Meditation, on the other hand, addresses the root issue of any kind of boredom. It is far more effective than desperately seeking for new activities to engage in. That\u2019s because meditation quickly increases your ability to be comfortable with \u2018not doing.\u2019<\/p>\n So instead of trying to fight off boredom, meditation helps you to increase your tolerance levels of not being engaged\/entertained. Plus, scientific research has shown that mindfulness as a meditative technique reduces boredom<\/a>.<\/p>\n This leads us to the next important point on how to beat boredom:<\/p>\n As mentioned earlier, in an ever more hectic world, the process of \u2018not doing\u2019 is considered to be the ultimate sin. Thus, people are plagued by boredom and the feeling of being unproductive that comes with it. But contrary to popular belief, it\u2019s not at all necessary to be continuously engaged in activities. And it certainly isn\u2019t necessary to be entertained by our technological gadgets all the time.<\/p>\n So instead of feeding terribly ashamed when being bored, try to make use of these phases. Enjoy having nothing on your mind. Enjoy that there\u2019s nothing you have to do. Use the time for rest and recharge your batteries. And eventually, you will notice that boredom starts to disappear.<\/p>\n The first two strategies have mainly addressed the issue of being more comfortable with the feeling of being bored. The following strategies will therefore mainly address ways to beat boredom.<\/p>\n Meditation and being comfortable with boredom is all fine. But there might be another cause of boredom that these strategies cannot address: a lack of direction. Boredom can easily be caused by not really knowing the direction of your life. In these situations, the boredom you experience is a direct result of drifting through life without clear aim and purpose. You\u2019re simply feeling bored because you\u2019re not at all sure in what direction your life should progress.<\/p>\n Not being able to get your inner compass straight might leave you feeling stuck<\/a> and paralyzed. It\u2019s time to change that! You can maneuver your life in the right direction by truly pondering about your aims, goals but also your mission and vision in life. The process of finding the right direction for your life consists greatly of self-reflection and the identification of your strengths and weaknesses. Even more so, this process helps you to gain a better understanding about the possible purposes of your life.<\/p>\n Boredom can be truly addictive. Just remember the last time you had to spend some time with an incredibly uncreative, dull and boring person. It was just a matter of time until you became bored, too. Continuously surrounding yourself with people who are engaging in mindless and boring activities will eventually pull you into their bubble as well. On the other hand, by connecting with interesting people, you\u2019ll always discover something new and exciting.<\/p>\n Boredom often starts to arise once we have attained a certain level of mastery in any given adventure. In these situations, the feeling of being bored is a natural consequence of not being challenged. So instead of being comfortable with what you\u2019ve accomplished, continuously strive to learn something new. Challenge yourself by plunging into new activities you’ve never done before. Get curious and explore the unknown. Learn a new skill or a new language. Read a book about a topic you\u2019ve never even heard before. Whatever you do, learn something new each day:<\/p>\n The intention behind all of this is to eliminate boredom by finding new avenues of mental stimulation.<\/p>\n Boredom can also be a sign that you need some new input, social input that is. There are quite a lot of boredom-beating activities you can do by yourself, but sooner or later we all enjoy the companionship of other people. Humans are social beings, so it\u2019s only natural that boredom can arise when we\u2019re isolating ourselves. Once this kind of boredness starts to kick in, socializing is the best strategy of overcoming it. Go out and meet new people. Call your friends and spend some time with them. And even if your friends are busy at the moment, you can always join an interesting club or engage in charitable work.<\/p>\n The boredom that arises out of procrastinating tasks and responsibilities can feel quite terrible. It\u2019s that kind of boredom that starts to kick in when you\u2019re not able to find a compelling distraction to take your mind off your duty. On the one hand, you want to give your very best to postpone your task. On the other hand, there\u2019s absolutely nothing that could take your attention away. The result is often that one simply starts daydreaming or engages in entirely useless activities.<\/p>\n There\u2019s an easy way around this issue, even though most don\u2019t like it: Do what needs to be done. Address the tasks you\u2019re responsible of and you will not only kill the habit of procrastination, but you will also kill boredom.<\/p>\n The state of being bored is an excellent opportunity for you to tick off all those things that are on your \u2018to do\u2019 list. I\u2019m convinced there are dozens of activities you have been meaning to do, but never found the right time. Well, now is an excellent moment.<\/p>\n Plus, your motivation to get these things done can be quite high during times of great boredom. Especially when you cannot seem to find anything else to do.<\/p>\n Usually, when people are confronted with boredom two things happen. First, they feel terrible. Second, they start over-thinking. They keep thinking about the problem. They\u2019re bored and instantly want to find a solution. Without end, they analyze the situation, but are unable to free themselves.<\/p>\n Sometimes it\u2019s just necessary to stop over-thinking. Stop asking yourself all kinds of questions. Don\u2019t try to force yourself into doing something. Don\u2019t try so hard to figure out how you can overcome boredness. It will only make things worse. And it will only burn you from the inside.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re bored, fine. Accept it and see it for what it is: a temporary phase. And perhaps, it isn\u2019t necessarily a bad thing per se.<\/p>\n Monotony can be another important factor contributing to boredom. As human beings, we have a great tendency to be creatures of habit. Routines give us a sense of security. And it\u2019s quite comfortable to keep following your routine over and over again. However, habit and routine can also be important sources of boredom. By doing the same activities again and again, boredom will slowly but surely start to emerge. For this reason, try to occasionally break your routines. Introduce new activities and simply try to do things differently.<\/p>\n By having less routines you open yourself up to more flexibility. Even more so, it can greatly reduce monotony and its accompanying boredom. Here are just a couple of ideas to spice up your routines:<\/p>\n As pointed out countless times in this article, \u2018not doing\u2019 resembles the ultimate sin to many people. Consequently, we\u2019re not allowing ourselves to feel bored. So whenever boredom starts to arise, we quickly try to get rid of it by doing random activities. Some watch TV for hours, while others aimlessly surf the Internet. Still, the uncomfortable feeling of not doing something productive and being terribly bored remains. That\u2019s because we\u2019re not actually allowing ourselves to feel the boredom. We try to get rid of it, instead of openly confronting the feeling.<\/p>\n By allowing yourself to feel bored from time to time, you\u2019ll get closer to the underlying issue. So instead of running from it, start digging into it. And by taking a much closer look at your boredness, you\u2019ll quickly discover the underlying reasons for it. In some cases, you might just be procrastinating. Sometimes you\u2019re simply lacking the right motivation. But in many other cases, the problem goes much deeper.<\/p>\n Perhaps you\u2019re trying to protect yourself from difficulties by disconnecting from the world.<\/p>\n Boredom could be considered the opposite of the flow state. Instead of engaging in activities that completely take our normal sense of time away, we start counting every second. Our focus is not directed on a specific activity, but solely on the misery we experience when bored.<\/p>\n Find pleasurable activities that allow you to re-enter the flow state. Everything that helps you to fully immerse yourself in an activity that absorbs your regular sense of self, time and space.<\/p>\n Just experiment with activities that allow you to put yourself in the flow state. These activities can range from gardening, drawing, writing, cooking, dancing, problem-solving, inventing to sports.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re already feeling bored, you could as well use the time for reflection and journaling. It\u2019s not even difficult. Just grab a piece of paper or open a document and start writing about whatever comes to mind. Reflect upon what happened to you during the day. Ponder about possible solutions to issues you are confronted with. Write about your dreams and your intentions to accomplish them. There\u2019s no right and wrong in journaling. Just do it and see where the flow takes you.<\/p>\n Boredom often results out of the pursuit of purposeless activities. Who hasn\u2019t spend hours watching TV, without being entertained? And I\u2019m sure, we all spend some time surfing the Internet without real purpose. The problem with these mindless activities is that they provide no true value. As a result, chances are high that these activities will even further increase our boredness. So whenever you have the choice, make sure to opt for the activity\/task that is providing a true value for you.<\/p>\n A huge number of people quickly become bored if they\u2019re not continuously challenged. They seek the adventure and need the competition. Therefore, if you’re continuously faced with boredom, you might be missing activities that actually challenge you. Those activities that truly meet your needs, instead of just reaping the low hanging fruits.<\/p>\n By keeping your hands busy, you will not only reduce boredom, but also shift your focus away from the technology-oriented aspect of life. We\u2019ve grown so used to use all our little technical gadgets, that we\u2019ve entirely forgotten the joy of making something. You don\u2019t even have to be a Master craftsman or a skilled artist. All it takes is the intention of turning an idea into reality. You could for instance paint a nice picture, knit a scarf or create a piece of art. Whatever comes to your mind is fine.<\/p>\n These are just a few activities that have been proven to effectively fight boredom. You can add your own ideas to this list to make it even more powerful.<\/p>\n “I\u2019m bored\u2019 is a useless thing to say. I mean, you live in a great, big, vast world that you\u2019ve seen none percent of. Even the inside of your own mind is endless; it goes on forever, inwardly, do you understand? The fact that you\u2019re alive is amazing, so you don\u2019t get to say \u2018I\u2019m bored.\u201d<\/em> I hope you enjoyed this article on the ways to beat boredom. What are your tricks to avoid feeling bored? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n Stay victorious!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Are you feeling bored? Don\u2019t know what to do with your time? Can\u2019t seem to find anything interesting to do? If so, you might be burning to do something, but nothing seems interesting or entertaining. Everyone knows this annoying state of being. We\u2019ve all been there. Boredom feels like being stuck between wanting to do<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5229,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[259],"tags":[1137],"class_list":{"0":"post-5226","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mind-power","8":"tag-boredom"},"yoast_head":"\n
\n Friedrich Nietzsche<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.planetofsuccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/How-to-beat-boredom.jpg\")
How to beat boredom<\/h2>\n
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\nThe root cause of boredom<\/a>
\nPart I: 16 effective strategies to overcome boredom<\/a>
\nPart II: 55 brilliant activities that kill boredom instantly<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/a>The science of boredom<\/h3>\n
<\/a>The root cause of boredom<\/h3>\n
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Part I<\/strong><\/h5>\n
<\/a>10 effective strategies to overcome boredom<\/h3>\n
1. Quiet reflection & meditation<\/h4>\n
2. Don\u2019t fight boredom, try to enjoy it<\/h4>\n
3. Find your life\u2019s direction<\/h4>\n
4. Surround yourself with energizing people<\/h4>\n
5. Actively seek to learn something new<\/h4>\n
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6. Socialize<\/h4>\n
7. Eliminate procrastination<\/h4>\n
8. Clear your \u2018to do\u2019 list<\/h4>\n
9. Stop over-thinking<\/h4>\n
10. Spice up your routines<\/h4>\n
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11. Allow yourself to feel bored<\/h4>\n
12. Get into the \u2018flow\u2019<\/h4>\n
13. Start a journal<\/h4>\n
14. Avoid mindless activities<\/h4>\n
15. Challenge yourself<\/h4>\n
16. Create something with your hands<\/h4>\n
Part II<\/h5>\n
<\/a>55 brilliant activities that kill boredom instantly<\/h3>\n
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\n Louis C.K.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n