INTRODUCTION
A four year old friend I fondly call "Aroma"yawned, stretched himself and said:I am bored.I and those around turned to look in surprise at a little boy who was complaining about boredom.It may be surprising to note that boredom affects every human even children.Some tend to think that when one is rich,he can't be bored because he has everything that money can buy.According to Time associate editor Roger Rosenbatt: after the big house, the big garden and the big animals, the big parties and people.What do most of the world's big spenders announce?That they are bored.So it's clear that even the rich get bored too.I am not rich but I am not terribly poor,I often get bored too Let me share some tips that I use in overcoming boredom
GETTING ACTIVE:
Boredom usually sets in when one is not using his mind and body in any activity and so to make my day worthwhile,I engage in a new activity.It is easy to assume that one can sit and watch movies or spend time on the internet to relieve boredom but from personal experience will not make me engage my mind.It will narrow my imagination and make me dependent on on the actors so as to be entertained.The moment I turn off the television or stop surfing the net, the boredom returns.This is because I was not really interested in the movie,my mind wasn't involved and since the mind is the seat of motivation,it was not engaged.
To avoid this,I look around the my home for something I can do.It could be fixing a damaged item or cleaning the home.I can call a friend or ask my son to come join me if they are free to do so.They become my companion and I do not get bored trying to do the task alone.The excitement and satisfaction I get from our conversation while working makes my day more rewarding and it makes me become more creative
LISTENING TO MUSIC:
Sometimes, the friend I call to come join me may have other plans.So what do I do to beat boredom?I just look at my music collection, pick some old songs that I have not listened to for a while and play them.The emphasis will not be on just listening to or enjoying the the sound but on trying to master the lyrics.If I have the songs on my phone,I will connect a headset,get dressed, step out and take a walk round my neighborhood.The sights I see on the streets as I listen to the song takes my mind off any worries and Im engaged with what I see on the streets while on a walk.. Sometimes, the things I see on the road are related to the songs that I am listening to,so it's like listening to a story that is unfolding before my eyes.
READING:
There are so many areas of interest covered by books and there is no area of interest that has not been written about.Reading brightens my horizon and expands my scope of knowledge.The more I read a book of interest, the more knowledge I get.I do not just read books because I want to kill time or because I want to be busy.If my heart is not in what I read,then it will not be worthwhile.So to enjoy reading,I read with a goal in mind, doing this will help me will help me identify the goals the book will make me achieve.It could be to make me master the art of managing people, to be more successful at my job or trade or to develop certain personal traits.It could be an interesting novel that has a setting which describes a location I may not have been to This activates my imagination as I ponder on the description given and the intrigues of the story.
HELPING PEOPLE:
As humans,we are all different and not everyone enjoys reading all the time or fixing things that need repair in the house.So, instead of staying bored at home I visit friends and help them do their chores.I most times find out that the things I help them with are things I have done before it could be preparing a meal that I don't know how to cook.Doing this makes me learn new ways of doing things and getting to know some qualities they have that I did not know of before.There are tasks that won't be appealing to me if I did them alone for myself but will interest me when I do it for other people.The satisfaction I get comes because they never expected me to come to their aid,I become more of a doer and giver than a reciever and I experience the truth in the saying that: blessed or happy is the hand that gives than the one that takes.
GOING FOR A WALK OR EXERCISE:
Staying at home all dayor working behind a desk can be mentally and emotionally tasking and this drains me too leaving me with a feeling of being always exhausted.Taking a walk or engaging in physical exercise can be invigorating.I discover that I have more energy than I previously thought I had.So feeling bored means that I am not tapping into my energy reserve but the moment I do this through a walk around the neighborhood or engage in a light exercise,I prevent boredom from taking that energy away.At the end,my mood will improve,I will have some sleep and then wake up refreshed
FREE MYSELF FROM NEGATIVE THINKING
Dwelling on past mistakes and missed opportunities will spoil my mood and allow boredom to set in.I free my mind from negative thinking and I avoid spending time reflecting on past failures as this will make start worrying about what may happen tomorrow.So, I give my full attention and concentration on any of the things I mentioned above.The more I become absorbed in doing them,they become a hubby and I get satisfaction from what I do.
CONCLUSION:
Being bored is a normal thing but staying idle will only make things worse and this can lead to depression.We can all beat boredom, engage in activities that either appeal to you or others.If you don't know what to do speak to a friend.Just like me , don't allow boredom to sap or drown you and take the best of you.