“A mental condition in which we prefer to postpone self-reflection is boredom; it is escapism. Because we are aware that we can do more, we feel bored. Being a detachment from what we have to offer the world and vice versa, boredom is the ache of untapped potential”, says Dr (Prof) R K Suri, Clinical Psychologist & Life Coach.

Although many of us may not aspire to live boring lives, the truth is that experiencing brief periods of boredom may have a number of positive health effects.

That's true, giving in to boredom more frequently will boost your creativity, productivity, and capacity for managing stress. On the other hand, if you push yourself to be productive and focused all the time, you can really be damaging your capacity to be composed and happy in the long run.

When it comes to boredom, psychologists contend that there is a healthy balance: neither too much nor too little is desirable. Let's examine what causes boredom, what issues and benefits it might bring about, as well as the best ways to deal with it when it does.

Why Do We Get Bored?

The definition of boredom is the condition of being bored, which entails a lack of passion or interest.

Boredom can be viewed as a lack of significance. When you aren't doing anything active or are doing anything but don't care about it, it happens.

There are three distinct types of boredom, according to scientists who have researched them:

• Commonplace monotony, such as standing in line,
• Fundamental malaise, a sense of dissatisfaction with life in general, unfathomable deficit,
• The sense that something is lacking, is usually something we are familiar with.

In other words, what is referred to as "basic boredom" (or boring) seems to be easier to control and even advantageous, as it can make us more aware of the world around us and encourage us to look for fascinating jobs. A person's mental health may suffer from "existential boredom," which is described as a feeling of emptiness and isolation.

Symptoms/Causes

What effects does boredom have on people?

In the end, it depends on the person because some people prefer leisure and boring times more than others.

Sometimes, boredom might result in the following actions and signs:

• Feelings of agitation and worry
• Fatigue
• Mood-driven eating
• Mental haze
• Sadness or disappointment, or more specifically, the perception that something is missing or that a valuable opportunity is being missed (aka FOMO)
• Depression symptoms — According to specialists, depression and boredom may be related. Bored people may consider that they lack important relationships, a purpose, passion, imagination, or initiative in their lives.
• Higher risk of substance misuse (researchers found that teens who frequently report being bored maybe 50% more likely to start using alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs than their friends who don't report being bored).
• Higher likelihood of engaging in risky behaviors including reckless driving, dropping out of school, finding employment, or playing carelessly

What makes people bored?

What are the root causes of our feelings of boredom? According to experts, the primary causes of boredom are a lack of meaning (our lack of interest in what we are doing) and a breakdown in attention (our inability to concentrate on a task or activity).

Boredom strikes when we are engaged in an activity that doesn't feel interesting or seems pointless.

There are numerous occasions during our life when we could experience boredom, including:

• When performing boring tasks around the house.
• Whilst going to work by car.
• If the exercise isn't enjoyable or satisfying, we won't enjoy exercising.
• When conversing with those who we deem uninteresting.
• When engaging in boring reading, listening, or seeing.

People with certain personality qualities, such as poor self-control, anxiety symptoms, impulsivity, depression, and substance abuse, are more likely to experience boredom. Some personality disorders, such as borderline personality disorder, can make people anxious when they experience boredom.

Due to their lack of energy, people who experience exhaustion from medical conditions or inadequate sleep may also find themselves in dull situations more frequently. Since this region of the frontal lobe controls sensations of reward, even those who have experienced specific brain abnormalities or head trauma that have an effect on the orbitofrontal cortex are more prone to boredom.

It's interesting to note that boredom tends to be lowest in people's 50s and highest while they are teenagers, according to a study. Midlife is when most people have the most commitments, including employment, family, school, volunteering, hobbies, etc., so it makes it natural that there would be fewer dull moments.

Elderly adults are more likely to experience boredom since they tend to be more retired, socialize less, have less energy, and may have more cognitive impairment.

Possibilities of Boredom

The good news is this: Even while being bored doesn't feel particularly thrilling if you embrace the feeling, it may end up benefiting your life. Boredom is a catalyst for transformation and an opportunity for contemplation.

Potential advantages of boredom include:

1. Increasing your awareness of your interests and dislikes.

2. Use your creativity and imagination, partly because you're more inclined to daydream when you're bored. Children can benefit most from being bored because it fosters independence and self-entertainment.

3. Enhancing communication and conflict resolution abilities by giving you the chance to reflect on previous disagreements or errors.

4. Urging you to reconsider your objectives and change to a more meaningful pursuit. (For instance, you might decide to pursue a different career if you're usually extremely bored at work.)

5. Encouraging you to seek out novel encounters that may broaden your outlook.

6. Cutting back on procrastination, may provide you the motivation you need to start a project or finish a task if you have free time. Nevertheless, some people utilize procrastination and boredom as a way to avoid having to deal with unpleasant thoughts.

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Contributed By- Dr. (Prof) R.K Suri, Clinical Psychologist & Life Coach & Ms. Varshini Nayyar, Psychologist