I think this popular saying that an idle mind is the devil's workshop is indeed true. Imagine having nothing to do or think about, especially for someone like me who likes being active; that's boredom knocking, and I tell you that sometimes my mind takes me to focus primarily on negative thoughts whenever I am idle.
Idleness is very tricky and can lead someone to something that ordinarily you wouldn't find yourself doing, and so the best way to keep it off is getting busy with something relevant. However, as much as I am a busy being, sometimes I still find myself in a boredom state, and finding the right coping mechanism is what makes the difference rather than dwelling in idleness/boredom.
I think the last time I experienced serious boredom was when I got married newly and was pregnant with my first child. I was new in the city of Lagos, no friend, no job, just me and my husband at home, and once he goes to work in the morning to return in the evening, I will be all alone at home. To say that I experienced boredom is an understatement. I wish I could borrow another word to explain what I felt. Those days, it was as if the day was extended to 30 hours instead of the 24 hours in a day. I got tired of watching the whole movies that interested me; I got tired of pressing my phone because then, my phone and I had nothing important to do except for communication, unlike now that I am begging for extra hours in my day to meet up with my daily goals with my online activities. Due to the level of boredom I felt those days, I was forced to move around and make a friend by force; unfortunately, I made a bad one that nearly got my home shattered. That's a story for another day.
From what I have said above, you will agree with me that boredom is more severe when we have no serious thing we are engaged in, and it becomes important that we get busy and stay away from idleness.
Boredom can be a challenge for anyone, but personally, there are practical coping mechanisms I observe once I feel that way. One of them is changing my environment to another place with activities that will engage my mind positively.
Good enough, some of these fun centers are just a stone's throw from my home, and I don't hesitate to take a walk and have a renewed mindset.
Another way I cope with boredom is connecting with my besties either physically or through phone conversations. These are sure ways to get me out of boredom. Just yesterday afternoon, my friend Flora called me on the phone and expressed how bored she has been throughout the day and how she is tired of repeating the same activities over and over. We began talking about many things, including what had occupied her mind negatively, and before the end of our conversation, she confessed being relieved of those negative thoughts. Boredom is real and can be challenging, but we must find ways to cope.
I wouldn't say that I am this type of person that loves reading books always, but when it comes to matters about women and their home, I create time to read.
Thus, when I am feeling bored or idle, I do not hesitate to read some of these books under my custody. It has a way of shifting my mind away from something irrelevant or idleness.
It's also a time to look around my home and see what needs to be tidied up. What needs to be rearranged, and before I know it, I am occupied with activities that keep me away from boredom. It's quite different from the time I want to observe rest. Bordom is real, and I do not like it to happen to me more often due to its negative effect on my mental health.
Overall, these few coping mechanisms have proven to be a lifesaver whenever I feel bored or idle.
This is my response to the #hivelearners community contest on the topic titled, An Idle Mind.
Images are mine
