I think feeling boredom is a fundamental part of the human experience.
It’s not always a bad thing either. In many ways, it’s a sign of what makes us special as a species.
We strive for more and we crave evolution. It’s this that helps us to grow and adapt.
The flip side is that when we don’t feel like we are progressing, we can quickly feel stuck.
That’s when boredom creeps in. When it does, it’s time to shake things up a little to promote expansion.
If you display these behaviors you’re probably quite bored in life.
1) You cause drama in your love life
This one goes out to all my Drama Kings and Queens out there.
Fess up:
Having a topsy-turvy love life may be chaotic, but at least it keeps this interesting, right?
Plenty of us self-sabotage or chase after toxic connections because we secretly crave the highs and lows that it brings.
Why?
We see stable and healthy love as “boring” because it doesn’t have the same peaks and troughs.
So you’re strangely drawn to the people who play games. You can’t help but gravitate toward the situationships where you don’t know where you stand.
It’s easy to mistake drama for passion.
Our love lives are a common place where we seek thrills and excitement. But if we had other more healthy sources of pleasure, maybe we wouldn’t.
2) You’re always chasing the next high
Whether it’s a vacation you’re planning, or that night wild night out with friends — you need something to look forward to.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with having a fun-packed social calendar.
When you work hard, playing hard too is a reasonable reward to seek.
But frequently longing for something more exciting can also be a sign of restlessness and dissatisfaction.
In your regular life, you feel like you are lacking in fulfillment or purpose. So you try to cram in as many pick-me-ups as you can to distract you.
3) You’re living for the weekend
Years ago I realized that this way totally me.
5 days of the week were spent keeping my head down and just trying to make it through. All so I could enjoy 2 days of “freedom” before starting the process all over again.
When it dawned on me it felt pretty depressing that most of my contentment was found in a few stolen moments.
If you’re living for the weekend too, then it’s a sign you need to inject more into your weekdays.
It could be more socializing with friends, more activities or learning opportunities, it may be a new and more challenging job.
But one thing is for sure, we shouldn’t have to spend 70% of our lives bored stiff.
4) You’re constantly glued to your social media or watching TV
I love to curl up on the sofa and watch my favorite shows. It can be a welcome mental switch-off from a busy day.
The same goes for having a quick flick through my phone to see what’s happening in everyone’s world.
But excessive screen time can be a big red flag.
When we frequently resort to mindlessly scrolling through social media or binge-watching TV it’s often a way to escape boredom.
Filling every spare moment with external stimuli may mean that you’re afraid to be alone with your thoughts.
We can also turn to other unhealthy habits, as we’ll see next.
5) You’re turning to food, alcohol, or drugs to self-soothe
When we’re feeling fed up or even lost in life, we do things to make us feel better.
A lot of the time, we’re not even aware of it. We pick up habits that help us to numb the pain and frustration.
But sadly, it doesn’t fix anything, it’s just a bandaid.
Some of the most common self-soothers tend to be things like comfort eating, drinking excessively, or taking drugs.
So many bad habits arise from emotions that we don’t know how to deal with. So we push them down and try to mask them instead.
If the first thing you do when you get home is grab a beer, ask yourself why.
If after a bad day, food is the only thing that seems to make you feel better, pay attention to that.
Could it be that you’re hiding from some feelings of discontentment?
Turning to vices like alcohol, smoking, or overeating as a way of escape can be a temporary distraction from underlying boredom.
6) You LOVE to shop
Recently I saw a meme that said:
“My wife didn’t order anything from Amazon yesterday so the delivery guy knocked on our door to see if we’re okay.”
Sound familiar?
This is one of those more sneaky signs of boredom that we don’t always realize.
Especially when the capitalist and consumerist societies that we live in encourage us to buy stuff to be happier.
Shopping gives you a little dopamine hit.
Sadly, it’s all too short-lived. So it’s not long before you’re clicking that ‘buy now’ button once again.
7) You’re always fantasizing about a better life
I think some amount of daydreaming is pretty normal. A little bit can be fun as well as being a sign of creativity.
But do it too much and it tells you something:
You’re not getting enough out of your real life.
Drifting off into elaborate fantasies or scenarios instead of engaging with reality is undeniable escapism.
The problem is that you’re using it as a way of avoiding the present moment and facing up to boredom.
Chances are, despite all these hopes and dreams, you do very little to try to make them happen.
8) You’ve lost all get-up and go
Somewhere along the line your get-up and go, got up and went!
Here’s the thing:
We all have days when we feel this way.
Some mornings I really can’t be bothered. I just want to pull the covers over my head and stay in bed.
But when most of your days feel this way, you’re lacking motivation. The humdrumness of daily routine leaves you feeling uninspired.
Maybe it feels like you don’t have a lot to get out of bed for.
Nothing seems to excite you anymore, even the things in life that you used to enjoy doing.
You’re missing enthusiasm or passion for most activities or hobbies.
You feel this backdrop of disinterest is always present, and it drains your energy for doing daily tasks.
You are most likely missing growth and opportunities in your life that can help to give you a sense of direction.
9) You’re becoming increasingly negative
We complain for all sorts of reasons. In small doses, it can even feel quite cathartic.
Having a little moan can let you get things off your chest and help you to move on.
But we should all pay attention to the frequency of our complaining.
It highlights that we’re becoming dissatisfied and so struggling to see the good in life.
Happy people are ultimately better at paying attention to what they already have, and boredom can get in the way of that.
Not only that, but grumbling is an insidious habit that perpetuates negativity.
The more you whine about things, the unhappier you become. It feeds into your dissatisfaction and creates even more of it.
You might have realized you’ve become increasingly irritable and prone to mood swings.
You’re easily annoyed or frustrated by minor inconveniences.
Experiencing sudden mood shifts, ranging from apathy to anger, can also be down to a lack of fulfillment.
10) You can’t seem to concentrate on anything
Boredom can often result in difficulty focusing or keeping your concentration.
When we don’t feel mentally stimulated, our attention can easily wander.
This understandably makes it challenging to stay engaged in tasks or conversations.
Frequently zoning out during important activities is a clear sign of a lack of focus.
You may find yourself feeling restless and fidgety, unable to sit still or pay attention to one thing for an extended period.
It may also mean that you have a habit of putting things off. Procrastination or unfinished projects are commonplace for you.
Rather than making a start, you’re finding excuses to delay important actions. But this only increases your feelings of stagnation.
Boredom is your signal to make changes
When we flip the script, boredom no longer needs to be our enemy it can become our ally.
Like all emotions, it’s a signal. When we heed its message, it will go away.
Boredom is letting you know:
- You’ve reached your current potential and need new ambitions to work toward
- You’re missing something significant that you need more of in life
- It’s time to step out of your comfort zone to bring more growth
When you feel those pangs of boredom, see it as an opportunity to:
- Explore new interests and hobbies
- Set goals and create a routine to support them
- Cultivate meaningful relationships to prevent loneliness
- Learn a new skill
- Volunteer or help others (we find a lot of our own personal fulfillment from giving back)
Boredom can be a sign we’re ready for more. But it’s also important to practice mindfulness and self-reflection.
We should take time to be present in the moment and reflect on our emotions and desires.
This can help you appreciate the small joys in life as well as discover areas where you may need to make shifts.
Sometimes it’s our attitude and approach that we need to change more than our circumstances.