Bored of Being Bored?

We all know what it's like to be bored. Whether we're at home or at work the days just drag. We flit between one thing and another trying to find something that interests us enough to pass the time. We lose all motivation - even for the things we do enjoy. At the end of the day we slump in front of the TV and hope that tomorrow will be better. And things can feel a bit .. well .. pointless. It's one of those things we probably put up with a lot of the time and accept as just part of life. I mean, we can't have fun all the time - can we?

But did you know that boredom is also bad for your health? In fact, it's been shown that those who "complain of “high levels” of boredom in their lives are at double the risk of dying from from heart disease or a stroke" than others. That's pretty scary! 

There are several reasons for this, including the things we use to try and make life more interesting (such as comfort eating, alcohol or thrill seeking) and the fact that the body responds to boredom in the same way that it does to stress. Boredom raises the level of Cortisol (the stress hormone) in the body just as happens when we are under pressure, leading to typical stress related conditions such as heart problems.

Considering how it affects our motivation and interest in life it's not a surprise to know that it's also linked to low self-esteem and to depression.

As individuals it also impacts our professional or academic performance. For employers it may be seen in employees sickness and absenteeism. And as a society it has implications for our communities as it can be linked to offending and anti-social behaviour. In short, boredom is a huge problem.

So the question is - what do we need to do to be less bored?

I believe the first stage is to acknowledge that we feel that way - particularly if that feeling has been hanging around for a while. It sounds simple, but we can't do anything about a problem until we acknowledge that it exists. Then we need to take an honest look at what is really happening in that moment. What is it that you're doing (or not doing?) that makes you feel bored? What do you turn to when you feel that way? Does that solve the problem or create another? What about those times when you are far from bored and life is fun and interesting. What is different then? What are you doing then or maybe just doing differently? Just asking these questions will help you start to address the problem. It's hard to be bored and curious at the same time.

It can be a good idea to make some notes in a journal to keep track of where, when and how often boredom starts to raise it's ugly head. It'll also help you to start thinking about any changes you might want to make.

And that's where I can help. We rarely like change, even when it's a change for the better, so having someone on your side to support you as you step outside your comfort zone (your rut?) can make a big difference. We can explore what's going on together and find a way forward that works for you. Not only could it help you live a happier life but a healthier one too.

So if you're bored of being bored, get in touch and let's make life more interesting.