There was a time in my life when I had a lot of free time in my hands. It wasn't because I had absolutely nothing to do but it was because I did not have a lot to do and it was okay at that time because there was nothing I could do about it.
After finishing up what was required of me, I would be left alone to face my racing mind and the mind never stops racing, does it?
It is always filled with thoughts, different thoughts, some are new and some are old and with time, it gets exhausting which then transformed into the ultimate feeling that accompanies idleness, BOREDOM.
With too much free time available to me, I became bored easily mostly due to monotony as I was doing the same thing every day and there was nothing new to stimulate my mind and wake me up. At first I believed that waiting for the right opportunity for me to do something different was the best countermeasure for boredom but it wasn't. Instead, all I did was sit and wait and daydream about when I'd finally do something fun.
It was a very boring phase for me.
I lived by that thought for a while until I stumbled upon an article that focused on self awareness and promoting self-care. In this article, several tips on how to improve oneself were given but the one that got to me was journaling.
I never understood the benefits of journaling or having a diary until after reading that article. The article opened my eyes and it made me understand that I wasn't doing myself any good by sitting and waiting for something fun and adventurous to come to me, instead, I can create a fun and adventurous experience for myself.
It was an eye opening moment for me and since then, I have not been the same.
HOW I COPE WITH BOREDOM:
Journaling:
Like I mentioned earlier, journaling was the way out of idleness for me. I remember vividly how I used to have a special notebook I bought with my pocket money that I used to write down my experiences for the day immediately after I got home from school. In that book, I would write down everything that happened to me and my thoughts on the events of the day and how I felt about it and so on.
I used to love doing that but the zeal got lost along the way as I matured and grew up.
After coming across that article, I adopted a habit of keeping a journal/diary. I enjoy writing down my experiences, thoughts, and feelings about everything that happens in my life. I noticed that when writing, I could go on for a very long time and I would even lose track of time which is a very effective way to pass the time.
Journaling has helped me learn to articulate my thoughts better and it has helped to improve my writing skills too.
Reading:
When I feel bored or tired of something, I prefer a change of activity and if it isn't me writing, then it'd definitely be reading.
I believe that the whole purpose of reading is to enjoy what you're reading. When I am bored and I desire to read, I do not specifically stick to one genre because the book I'll end up reading solely depends on my mood.
On some days, I desire fiction and on other days, I desire non fiction. It all depends on what I feel would be best to keep boredom at bay.
I read till I get tired and fall asleep when I have too much free time.
Movies:
Everyone who knows me knows that watching movies is one of the ways that I deal with boredom. It is not my first go to coping mechanism but it is definitely one of them. I watch movies relating to any genre depending on my mood mostly.
Movies help me relax and keep my mind free from it's own thoughts.
A Hobby:
Another way to battle boredom is to pick up a new hobby. I found something to do whenever I don't feel like reading or writing or even watching movies.
I learned to make things with my hands.
This is so helpful and therapeutic. Not only does it bring out the creative side in me but it is also a very effective way just like writing to keep boredom at bay.
When my hands are busy, my mind has no reason to be idle, instead it is forced to focus on the task at hand.
These are the things I do to pass the time when I get bored so as to keep creativity flowing and not stagnant.
Images are mine..
