Fighting the Boredom
Thus far (at the time of writing), quarantine has lasted one-hundred days. Tomorrow it will be one-hundred-one, and so on. Each day does not have the same experience, but they blend together. Without the freedom of mobility, it is difficult to distinguish one set of events from yesterday’s happenings. As we are opening the economy, outings can mark days. Time organizes our lives, and it can even be a measure for understanding monotony. In order to create an outlet, people have become more creative. People have many ways to navigate a new environment, and to find, or create, meaning in unprecedented circumstances.
In this regard, boredom as a lack of meaning does not exactly correlate with everyone’s experience of the lockdown. If boredom is taken as a monotonous action, then boredom could be a measure of or routine existences. Without structure, it can be difficult to prioritize tasks. An excess or organization can subtract meaning from actions by the basis of this monotony. Repetitive actions could also create a sense of harmony. That is not to diminish the value of social interaction. Social distancing has affected our ability to interact as we normally would. While the change is an adjustment, it could be viewed as a shift that provides us with more opportunities to address boredom. Although stressfully planning around the new restrictions might induce anxiety to replace the boredom. In my experience, I grew more and more anxious as my plans became uncertain. The anxiety of each new update becomes a negative feeling in the place of boredom.
There have been books written about boredom, and there is a lot of literature about the psychology and philosophy of boredom. We have many ways to express our individuality, and to pursue our desires. Even so, we can feel bored. Boredom has been defined as a lack of meaning, and a lack of meaningful work. It can be linked to the tedium of work, and to an overload of experiences and stimulations. It has also been connected to an absence of validity and authenticity in one’s work and livelihood. If I am a subject that experiences boredom, then the feeling of boredom can stem from different causes. I can also vouch that the source of boredom can vary. One day, I can be disgruntled by homework, and feel an absence of meaning from it. On another day, I can feel disenchanted and bored without anything to do.
This means that boredom is affected by my situation. I cannot claim to never feel bored again, but there are ways to conceptualize it so that it is not a crippling emotion or experience. At the same time, there is some irony in fighting boredom, because it changes as we transition to different stages in our life. As such, boredom does have a temporal and social aspect. It shifts as we live from a day to day basis, and changes as we reach varying social hallmarks. Boredom is different for a student than a working person, even if there are acute similarities.
Breaking patterns can be a source of anxiety, and the means to allevieate some boredom in your life. Here are some ideas about becoming less bored in your life:
1. Find a creative outlet. This can be anything, so long as it brings you satisfaction.
2. Take breaks when you work, as pausing your routine will increase productivity and create variability in your scheduele.
3. Be aware of what you are doing, whether it be typing or soaking in the bath. Some awareness might allow you to be more alert to subtle changes and sensory details, so you might be less likely to be bored if you are processing this information from your everyday life. (Understandably, this could also be exhausting, or even boring, if you are not in need of a jolt)
4. Rest. You might not be bored, just tired or overworked. I find that these two unwelcome emotions can overlap.
5. Be spontaneous. Do the unexpected. Choose a different route, or take a risk that you can afford to. Do something without a plan, or if you often function without it in your scheduele , make self-care a priority.
These tips might or might not be applicable. A few could be helpful or counter to what an individual needs.The essence of boredom might not be a lack of meaning, but in the way we view our work. Boredom is a feeling that can be stacked upon others, so it is important to address where emotions overlap and independantly affect you. If you think about boredom too much, then you might conclude that it is a larger issue than it truly is in your experience. Perchance, boredom is a stand-in for another problem entirely. Whatever the individual case, boredom is not unique to people. Cats can be bored with a toy, so we share boredom with our feline, and other animal, companions. Boredom is not distinct, and it is not new. It can be a collective emotion, especially given our pandemic environment, and it is also an individual experience as an emotion.
As of the current pandemic, many of us a fixed in one space, and are isolated to varying extents. I wonder if the current environment has arisen a different type of boredom, or merely exascerbates its effects on us? The answer can vary for different people, because there might not be a definitive experience of boredom for everyone. For me, being bored causes me to re-evaluate the human experience as a series of temporal lapses. If anything, boredom could be viewed as intervals, or the lack of meaningful pauses within our spacial localities.
