How Boredom Can Screw With Your Life and Happiness
By Jacob Inman, for Revive Your Life
Bored at work? It could be adding to your stress levels.
Do you ever feel like you follow the exact same routine each and every day? Does your life feel like a broken record that continually skips but never really moves along? Remember the movie Groundhog Day? Bill Murray’s character, Phil, finds that he is stuck in a repeat of the previous day which he of course finds very distressing.
I know for me, it often seems like each day is the same. I wake up, eat breakfast, get ready for work, fight traffic, work, eat lunch, work more, drive home, play with the kids, eat dinner, squeeze in a workout, put the kids to bed, and go to bed. What about tomorrow? It’s the same routine, just a different day.
Believe it or not, this monotonous pattern of life can be very stressful. Most people consider monotony and boredom unpleasant, but few realize that these conditions are potent sources of stress that often go unrecognized. While stress is usually associated with over-stimulation of the senses, the body and brain also react negatively to under-stimulation.
Consider an extreme example of boredom - a prisoner who is forced into solitary confinement. The prisoner has no form of stimulation; no one to speak to, nothing to look at other than bare concrete walls, no sounds, and nothing to do to pass the time. Complete and consistent sensory deprivation is torturous.
Obviously, a daily routine does not create such an extreme level of monotony and sensory deprivation, but it stands to reason that feeling trapped in life’s rut can lead to increased levels of stress. Our busy schedules often force us to plan out every last detail of the day in order to guarantee that we fit it all in. Each day becomes a scheduled routine full of “must-do” tasks that provide little in the way of stimulating satisfaction, but rather leave us burnt-out and exhausted. Certain times of the year can have a compounding effect on monotony, namely the long winter months where we feel confined to our homes.
So what do we do to get out of this rut that we’re in?
First of all, it’s important to recognize the fact that boredom with your daily life could be contributing to stress and dissatisfaction. This realization will allow you to focus on incorporating positive changes into your day and will trigger a shift in your overall perception of life and an improvement in your mood. Second, realize that you don’t need to upend your entire life to get out of this rut you’re in. This isn’t about creating an unmanageable schedule full of meaningless stay-busy tasks, but instead, making better use of the time that you have.
Here are some suggestions on how to break the cycle of stress that results from boredom and monotony in your daily routine:
Leave Work Early
Every so often, make a pact with your significant other to cut a workday short and go somewhere fun. Spend the afternoon with the kids at the zoo or park, or, just spend the afternoon at the local pub with friends. This one is a great for a mid-week break to help you make it through to the weekend.
Get Up and Go
If not already part of your normal routine, get out of bed one-half hour early and engage in a vigorous aerobic workout. A brisk walk or heart-pounding run should be enough to get the blood flowing and create a great start to the day. The increased energy that you’ll gain will be more than enough to offset the 30 minutes of sleep that you’ve lost.
Take a Weekend Trip
Whether it be a drive across town or a flight across the country, a change in scenery does wonders for your attitude and mood when you find yourself in a rut. Visit friends or family, or just pack a bag and go somewhere you’ve always wanted to go. Try that new restaurant you’ve heard so much about.
Grab a Bite
Instead of the chaos that you endure during your usual at-home dinner preparation, take the family or your significant other to a nice sit-down restaurant. Keep the conversation light and fun. Get dessert.
Don’t be afraid to shake up your schedule once in awhile. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the feeling you get after escaping the binds of boredom. Life won’t seem so dull and monotonous anymore, and you’ll be taking positive steps toward managing unrecognized stress in your life.
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I love this post. so much truth in all that you say. I used to be in this rut when I worked in an office and my husband was gone training with the military and it was just me and the kids…same thing every single day…UGH. I think even my kids were bored. So we made a few of the changes you suggested and time went by fast, we had more fun and created memories and I’m all about creating memories. Still today, I strive to add a few new things to our lives to keep things interesting. I’m known for throwing a curve ball every now and then. It’s good to be spontaneous! Thanks for sharing this message.
This WAS the story of my life. Not anymore though with your tips!
@ Spindiva - Awesome! It really only takes small changes to relieve the monotony. As you’ve said, the changes create valuable memories that can last a lifetime. Thanks for sharing!
@ Nazim - Great to hear it..get out of that rut!
Thanks for sharing,
Jake
Good post. I know my son is even getting bored with his routine at 9 months old. This post makes me realize that I am not alone.
Just getting out of the house to sit in a shopping cart for my kid is fun ….and shockingly it makes my boring day fun to know he is having fun…even though I took him to Best Buy.
Thanks!
Boredom is my enemy most of the time. I have employed ways to alter my routine and it proves effective. I have done what you have stated above but two of my favorites are to read good books and to express myself in writing.
I have been feeling extremely stuck in a rut lately. I feel like there is way too much to do in a day, and not enough time to do it! There are certain things that I can’t change though such as work schedule, class schedule, ect. I have realized that I have put a lot of emphasis on working out and yoga. I claim this is my “personal time” but I have been feeling like it has just become a part of my hectic schedule and become exhausted. Should I cut down on my working out time in order to lay on the couch though?? Neither seems like it is the best option.