Boredom can slowly creep on us during this period of social distancing and self-isolation due to the Coronavirus pandemic. However, you can make the most of the current situation by overcoming boredom before it overcomes you.
Our minds crave stimulation and new experiences. It’s typical for many of us to experience boredom from doing the same thing or doing nothing at all. Boredom is feeling a disinterest in our surroundings or finding life unexciting.
As the adage goes, an idle mind is the devil’s playground. Boredom is associated with several negative behaviors such as drug and alcohol abuse, overeating, Coronavirus anxiety, addictions, and increased risks of making mistakes.
So, keeping your day occupied with activities can keep the feeling of boredom or restlessness at bay.
Scheduling
Planning helps you keep your day and week filled with activities. This way, there’s always a task to look forward to and feel great about accomplishing.
Take that course, read that book, but also remember to make time out to relax and entertain yourself. Sometimes, the pressure of being productive can take a toll on our mental state.
Keep Busy
Whether you’re working from home and have children to take care of during self-isolation, it’s essential to keep busy.
On the bright side, there are some benefits to working from home. You can save some extra dollars since you
- don’t have to make the commute to your office,
- can have lunch at home, and
- don’t need to dress up.
This doesn’t mean you should spend all day in your pajamas, as this can dampen your mood without you realizing it.
Take a shower and be sure to groom; create a quiet space in your home solely for work. Also, make sure you take short breaks to refresh yourself and stay motivated.
Be Intentional
Being bored can cause you to feel unmotivated. Be intentional with your work goals, diet, health, and family life. Focusing on your end goal for completing a project is an effective way to keep your mind occupied.
If you notice a significant gap in your schedule, fill it up with something that interests you. Also, it’s typical to feel restless or bored during a specific time every day. It’s a great idea to schedule something refreshing and exciting for that period.
Also, be intentional about doing something that makes you feel excited. It could be writing, singing, movies, researching, or simply keeping in touch with friends and family.
Avoid Procrastination
We’ve all been guilty of putting off specific tasks at some point in our lives. You should get such jobs done when the boredom creeps in. It’s a win-win situation since you’ll keep your mind busy and complete a task you’ve been dreading.
Scheduling Activities for Evenings
Since movement is restricted due to the Coronavirus pandemic and you’re pretty much homebound, now is the time to enjoy your indoor hobbies or develop new ones.
You can also play online games with friends and catch up through video calls or phone chats. Today, many video games allow you to play interactive games with other players.
In the late evenings, it’s particularly important to schedule activities allowing you to wind down and get ready for bed. The internet porn site Pornhub reports the peak time for traffic for all of the days of the week in the United States is between 10 pm and midnight.
Journaling
You don’t need to be a great writer to do this. Journaling will help distract your mind, forcing you to focus on what you are writing instead of how bored you are.
If you are struggling with how to begin, try writing anything that comes to your mind. Journaling helps you relieve stress, self-reflect, and record ideas. Again, another win-win activity.
Learn Something New
There’s no better time than when feeling bored to learn something new. Be adventurous and bold. If you’re interested in learning how to dance, for instance, look up some dance videos online and copy the moves.
Thankfully, you won’t have to worry about looking silly if no one is watching you.
Stay Active
Staying active takes care of you, mentally and physically. Maintaining social distancing doesn’t mean you have to spend all day and night on the sofa.
There are several ways you can stay active from the comfort of your home. More so, many people are still able to run or walk while maintaining social distancing.
If you have a yard, you can start gardening. This will keep you active, burn some calories, and relieve boredom. Spending time outside your home can be beneficial for your body and also create a sense of gratitude in you.
We have all found ourselves in an uncomfortable and challenging situation. The best we can do is to stay safe, have fun, and make the most of the situation.
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