Three ways to manage boredom (and enjoy its many benefits) ...Middle East

When was the last time you felt bored? You are not alone – one study in the US reported that, on average, adults spend 131 days per year being bored.

There are some emotions that we talk about a lot – sadness, anxiety and happiness, for example. But there are others who are treated like the poor relation and not given much attention. Being bored is one of those. And yet, on any given day, boredom can strike. That might be in a work meeting, it might be while doing the dishes, or it might be while watching a film.

square RELATIONSHIPS

The five signs a friendship is toxic - and what to do about it

None of us really likes being bored – we find it frustrating and uncomfortable. We have also been told that boredom means we have less focus and are less productive. But boredom may actually hold within it some benefits that can actually help us find some positive outcomes through experiencing it.

So, what is boredom?

You may have never thought about it, but it is useful to define. It’s an “unpleasant feeling of wanting to, but being unable to engage in an activity that is satisfying”.

Of course, like any feeling we experience, it is about balance and nuance, and if we are bored all the time or most of the time then that can lead us to feeling lower in mood and potentially becoming depressed or turning that feeling into unhelpful behaviours.

Scientific studies have shown that individuals who are more prone to being bored have more activity in the right frontal brain area as they become more and more bored.

It is this right frontal brain area that normally becomes active when we experience negative emotions.

In contrast, other people who were perhaps reacting more positively to being bored had an increase in the left frontal brain area.

So, can we shift our attitude to boredom and therefore experience less negative emotion associated with it?

Are there actual benefits of occasionally being bored? In short, yes. We are more creative because we allow our minds, which are usually being asked to focus on an outcome and be productive and task orientated, to be free and open to wander into new ideas and possibilities.

We can sometimes find the answer to a challenge we are facing when we are bored and can problem-solve in an easier fashion.

We can also become more curious about the world around us and use that time to be in the moment and notice small things, and this can make us more mindful.

Use the motivation 

We only know what we do want and which direction we want to go in when we experience something we don’t want.

The dissatisfaction of boredom can lead us to search for something new and something different, and to act to find it and make it a reality.

Humans like adventure and variety, and when our brains have nothing to do but repeat the same old thing, we are motivated and inspired to change things up.

A ‘mind break’

Our brains are constantly being stimulated with information, tasks and things to interpret, process and manage.

Is boredom such a bad thing if, just for a short period, every now and again, it gives our minds a break?

Perhaps the next time you feel bored, you could try and reframe it as a holiday for your mind, then it might not feel so unpleasant.

Our brains work hard for us every single day, perhaps they would like to engage with something slightly less demanding, just for a while.

Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Three ways to manage boredom (and enjoy its many benefits) )

Also on site :

• ‘Farcical’: Venezuelan opposition denounces arrest before weekend vote
• Cancer Nonprofit Stands Alongside DWTS' Hayley Erbert and Derek Hough in Time of Need
• Julión Álvarez Postpones Stadium Show in Texas After Not Being Able to Enter the U.S.