Introduction
Boredom is often seen as an unpleasant state of mind, something to be avoided at all costs. I remember when I was a kid, every time I announced that I was bored my grandmother would remind me of all the chores that could be done. Eventually, I learned to keep quiet about my boredom. However, as I lived through more experiences, I learned that boredom can also be a powerful tool for personal growth and development. Fast forward to my time in the military. I can’t tell you how many hours I’ve spent being bored waiting for the cool stuff to happen, but I learned to fill my time appropriately. From reading more training manuals to become better at my job to working through college courses and learning more about various skills in the business world. I embraced this boredom to fuel my hunger for self-improvement. I accomplished goals and gained new skills in marketing, project management, and other fields. By embracing boredom and using it as a catalyst for change, we can constantly improve ourselves through self-reflection, skill building, and fueling our creatives processes.
Self-reflection and Assessment
One way to use boredom to your advantage is to set aside specific times for reflection and self-assessment. This can be during your morning brew, some hot yoga, or the neighborhood jog. During these periods, allow yourself to become so bored that you’ve shut out your surroundings and don’t give in to the urge to act on something. Let the boredom settle in. Once it does, you’ll start to experience moments of clarity and thoughtfulness. Embrace it and use that boredom as an opportunity to critically evaluate your life and identify areas for improvement. Where are your wins? What do your losses look like and what can you learn from them? Reflect on your goals, values, and priorities in life. Think about the things that you have been avoiding, and why you have been avoiding them. This can help you identify the things that you need to work on, and the changes that you need to make in your life. Once you’ve honed in on something that can be improved, take action. Don’t forget to document any ideas that come to you during this time of clarity and focus. Those thoughts will escape just as quickly as they arrived!
Challenge Yourself
Another way to use boredom to constantly improve is to take on new challenges and learn new skills. When we’re bored, we’re often looking for something to do, and taking on a new project or learning a new skill can be a great way to fill that void. By continually pushing ourselves out of our comfort zones, we can continue to grow and develop as individuals. This can be something as simple as trying a new dinner recipe, taking up a new hobby like guitar, or learning a new language. I personally like to grab some guitar tablature I purchased from Sheet Happens Publishing and learn new songs from some of my favorite bands. If you’re looking to go the language route, the Duolingo app is a great place to start due to its ease of use and it’s free! The key is to challenge yourself and keep learning every day. Use that boredom to your advantage!
Fuel the Creative Process
Finally, it’s important to remember that boredom is a natural part of the creative process. When we’re stuck in a creative rut or struggling to come up with new ideas, embracing boredom can be a powerful way to break through that mental block and find new inspiration. This can involve doing something completely different from what you usually do, like taking a walk in nature, listening to a new genre of music, or even just staring out the window. It’s good to just step away and shift gears for a minute. It’s more beneficial than to keep grinding away when you’ve hit a creative block. By allowing your mind to wander and explore, you can tap into your creativity and come up with new ideas that you may not have thought of before. I’ll say this a million times more: KEEP A NOTEBOOK. Document, document, document.
Conclusion
While boredom may seem like a negative emotion, it can actually be a powerful tool for personal growth and development. By embracing boredom and using it to our advantage, we can constantly improve ourselves, build skills, and refuel our creative processes. So the next time you find yourself feeling bored, embrace it and use it as an opportunity to learn, grow, and become a better version of yourself.
P.S. Don’t forget a notebook.