Photo courtesy of iStock | Online Editor Trever McKenzie gives advice for the boring moments of your life.
For the past several weeks, I’ve been extremely bored. I’ve done nothing truly productive or entertaining for the past three weekends. I’ve frequently taken hour-long naps, I’ve played games on my computer extensively and I’ve completed my homework gradually. By all accounts, I was suffering from true boredom, but I wasn’t unhappy.
I’ve come to realize that boredom is the sign of a peaceful life. I found myself wishing for something dramatic to occur so I could comment on it or react to it. Yet, when something inevitably did happen, I found myself longing for the peace that came before the situation. I was actually missing my boredom!
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I’ve found that boredom tends to be a sign of peaceful, unchallenging times, and right now, that’s exactly what I needed. The world is constantly hammering away at my willpower, so boredom has now become a welcome gift into my life. Calm moments might not be the most exciting parts of my life, but they’re the parts I find myself most enamored with.
Maybe it’s the stress of college finally breaking my psyche, but I’ve found that I crave being away from activity and action. Maybe I’m not experiencing all the amazing experiences life has to offer, but I’m happy. That should count for something.
When I’m busy, I feel like I’m running at full power 110 percent of the time. Sometimes it’s nice to not have to put forth constant effort. That kind of commitment to anything, especially some of the large projects I face, can be overwhelming and draining. Operating at 50 percent now and then really helps me regain my energy and relax.
I don’t intend to live in this state of peacefulness forever (eventually I must go back to 110 percent), but I cherish it while I’m in it. When else will I get pure calm and relaxation other than when I’m completely bored? We live in a loud and hectic society, so take advantage of the quiet, still moments that the world offers us. These moments can take place anywhere, even right in the middle of the city or on campus. I’ve found so many times and places where campus dies down and tranquility sets in, and those moments are truly blissful.
These moments are a great way to refresh and recharge before jumping back into the fray. These days, taking care of yourself is so vitally important to make sure that you’re able to operate at full capacity when you absolutely need to. Boring moments are the perfect way to achieve this necessary self-care. There is no shame in taking time for yourself, and there is no shame in enjoying the tranquility that boredom is able to offer. The next time you feel bored, just remember that this moment will disappear just as fast as it arrived.
Trever McKenzie is a junior theatre and communications double major. He is the Online Editor for the Newswire from Higginsport, Ohio.