One of the patron saints of my Happier at Home project, Samuel Johnson, wrote, “It is by studying little things that we attain the great art of having as little misery and as much happiness as possible.”
One “little thing” that can be a source of unhappiness is boredom. Waiting in traffic. Waiting for the subway. Doing the dishes. Waiting in a doctor’s office. Listening to your thirteen year old talk through her different clothing options for the day.
1. Put the word “meditation” after the activity that’s boring you. (This is my invention.) If you’re impatient while waiting for the bus, tell yourself you’re doing “bus waiting meditation.” If you’re standing in a slow line at the drugstore, you’re doing “waiting in line meditation.” Just saying these words makes me feel very spiritual and high-minded and wise.
2. Dig in. As they say, if you can’t get out of it, get into it. Diane Arbus wrote, “The Chinese have a theory that you pass through boredom into fascination, and I think it’s true.” If something is boring for two minutes, do it for four minutes. If it’s still boring, do it for eight minutes, then sixteen, and so on. Eventually, you discover that it’s not boring at all. If part of my research isn’t interesting to me—like the Dardanelles campaign for Forty Ways to Look at Winston Churchill—I read a whole book about it, and then it becomes absorbing. The same principle holds when doing boring or irritating tasks, like laundry.
3. Take the perspective of a journalist or scientist. Really study what’s around you. What are people wearing, what do the interiors of buildings look like, what noises do you hear, what do the ads show? If you bring your analytical powers to bear, you can make almost anything interesting. Paradoxically, I found that understanding the theory of why waiting in line makes me crazy made me much more tolerant of waiting in line.
4. Find an area of refuge. Have a mental escape route planned. Think about something delightful or uplifting (not your to-do list!). Review photos of your kids on your phone (studies show that looking at photos of loved ones provides a big mood boost). Listen to an audiobook.
5. Look for a way to feel grateful. It’s a lot better to be bored while waiting in a doctor’s office than to be in agony of suspense about your test results. It’s more fun to sit around the breakfast table talking about clothes than to be away from home on a business trip. Maybe the other line at the drugstore is moving even more slowly. Etc.
6. Consider: “Am I the boring one?” La Rochefoucauld observed, “We always get bored with those whom we bore.” I remind myself of this when I’m having a boring conversation with someone!
7. And of course, always bring a book (in physical or virtual form).
What strategies do you use to combat boredom?
This post originally appeared on www.positivelypositive.com. Gretchen Rubin is the author of the #1 New York Times Bestseller The Happiness Project—an account of the year she spent test-driving the wisdom of the ages, current scientific studies, and lessons from popular culture about how to be happier—and the recently released Happier at Home. You can follow Gretchen on Facebook and Twitter.
wonderful blog. I listen to music when im bored. jack Johnson, Trevor hall. look them up! =)
I think it was Albert Einstein who talked about never being bored. (I may not have quote exactly right, but it's close...) "Whenever I am in a situation that I find boring I simply retreat into a small corner of my mind and there I am very content." Boredom is proof of a lack of imagination. My favorite out: doodling...
1 reply: Innerchange | Post Your Reply
Put the word “meditation” after the activity that’s boring you. What a brilliant one (yes, it's your invention).
Thank you.
Does anyone have ideas for elementary students? I teach elementary gifted students. As much as we are able, teachers will offer more challenging material, but sometimes students have to sit through material they already know and/or feel is not important. Boredom is a regular discussion topic in my classroom. I am going to take this article and have the students determine how they can adapt some of these ideas to be classroom friendly. Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
1 reply: Jim | Post Your Reply
We all need to learn to be "still" in the moment. It is in this stillness that we can really see ourselves and the world.
Honestly, I never get bored. I always have a book with me to read in the doctor's or dentist's office, and my goals and dreams keep me busy, too. As I'm sitting and contemplating, I take notes because new ideas always come up to make my goals even better. When I'm sitting in traffic, I see it as an opportunity to look around and observe the view. I love those moments - it's a breather for me.
I love the idea of creating a meditation while standing in line, though. Great idea Gretchen!
I am never bored. I always have a book to read or I'll strike up conversation with someone or at home I have plenty to do that's fun/interesting (reading, connecting with good friends via email/calls), doing my art, organizing something that needs tackling, playing with my dog, making my home environment more enjoyable, getting rid of unwanted/used stuff, etc. Napping is a good one too!
On Apr 24, 2013 Anjana wrote:
Good ideas! However, I usually do not feel bored. While waiting, I feel that I cannot do anything more about the task I m waiting for. Then I start enjoying the moment: get lost in my dreams and plan for interesting things.
1 reply: Jarrod | Post Your Reply