Do you sometimes feel bored? Many of us feel this way during some times in our lives. Boredom is defined as an emotional state of being disinterested. It is a situation in which we feel this uncomfortable resistance to doing nothing. It can actually be a very painful process we go through when we have nothing better to do with ourselves. This horrible feeling often makes us feel stressed out, anxious, and frustrated. 
Giving into these feelings of boredom, however, is something we need to find ways to prevent. Incredibly valuable time is wasted throughout our day if we allow ourselves to behave in this unproductive way. There are numerous things we can do, many things on which we can focus, and countless new opportunities for self-expression that are available for us to keep us happy, busy, and emotionally fulfilled.
In order to find the best resolution for our individual and unique boredom, it is essential to determine the cause or causes for our feelings of boredom. Two types of boredom exist. First, we may be bored because we find the task or activity we are doing to be very boring. We are lacking the mental stimulation or the creativity to complete the task successfully. Secondly, we may feel bored because we believe we absolutely have nothing productive to perform with our time. In this situation, we lack the motivation and desire to find a purposeful or real use for our time and energy. Because of both of these, we waste time and surrender to unproductive habits-of-mind. 
Real and valid reasons for these feelings of boredom, of course, also exist. First, many of us tend to indulge in procrastination. We put off things we do not want to do. Secondly, we are often stuck in a monotonous, repetitive cycle of routine tasks and activities. Thus, we find our lives the same everyday with nothing new or exciting to inspire us. Next, we may lack energy, direction, and/or focus in our lives. We have no real dreams or goals. As stated earlier, we may have lost the mental stimulation to keep our minds interested and engaged. We do not feel as if we are being challenged enough in our lives. Another problem could be with our inability to make decisions. We are afraid or unable to make the necessary decisions to make our lives more enjoyable and productive. Finally, it may be simply a temporary problem of the nonexistence of imagination. Our minds become unable to think of creative ways to eliminate our state of boredom. Whatever the reason(s), boredom is a real and potentially serious problem. 
We must remember that boredom is a state-of-mind, and consequently, it is all in our heads. Therefore, it is something we can control and even eliminate if we have the genuine desire to make the needed changes. My next blog “Strategies for Eliminating Boredom” will appear on my website on August 6, 2013 and will teach helpful, specific techniques.
Randi D. Ward
August 2, 2013
