I’m Bored

On a spectrum, being bored sits at one end, while being overwhelmed sits at the other. Boredom is the state of being weary and restless through lack of interest. It is the condition of paralyzing blankness and emptiness. Being bored is not a decision you make, it’s something you discover as you act in the world.

If you compare it to the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, she finds things to be too much, too little or ‘just right.’ When you’re engaged, stimulated and captivated by a task, it is neither boring nor overwhelming, it is just right.

You’re subconscious is anchored in what it understands. When something is truly captivating, you’re mind is being pushed into new territory while still having enough context to understand where it needs to go. You’re stimulated from advancing just enough without loosing track of how to solve the problem.

Conversely, when you’re bored, the same can be said in the opposite direction. You’re brain is unstimulated because it is not advancing and already knows where it is going. Similar to that of watching a movie you’ve already scene multiple times. All the excitement is gone when you already know how the ending goes.

When we are bored, we experience an unfulfilled desire to be engaged with the world. Unlike apathy, which stems from true disinterest, boredom is rooted in the urge for meaningful activity or engagement that finds no satisfying avenues of expression.

Take boredom as a call to action! Whatever you are doing when you’re bored isn’t working, so go do something else! Boredom serves as an important warning sign – motivating you to escape its clutches by seeking reengagement. What is it about the current circumstances that is not satisfying?

-Busy Brain