Why Do We Get Bored?

ALL OF US FEEL BORED! 

We all know that feeling when time slows down, nothing is interesting anymore and there is this feeling of yearning (God knows for what!). Remember that class in school where you almost slept off because the topic wasn’t interesting or remember that workshop where you found yourself yawning because it didn’t make sense to you or remember that movie where you dozed off. When you are bored, things appear to be never-ending!



Boredom is defined as “having nothing to do.” It is generally seen as an unpleasant state characterized by feelings of dissatisfaction, fatigue, and restlessness. It often leads to anger, restlessness, sadness, worry, and loneliness. Well, it is rightly said that boredom is the root cause of all evil!

Boredom is universal; everyone experiences it. Research shows that 30 percent to 90 percent of adults experience boredom on an everyday basis. Almost 91 percent of youth experience boredom (there is a lot of scope for research on Boredom). Men often experience more boredom than women.
  
We often find ourselves asking, “Why am I bored?” or “Why is this work boring?” or we often keep saying, “Life is boring” or “I am bored” or "I was born bored" (I say this often). We will answer these questions for you in the best possible way!

Monotony

Boredom often results from monotony in the mind. Boredom is caused by multiple repetitions of tasks and a lack of interest in the details of the tasks. Tasks that require continuous attention are often boring. Imagine doing the same tasks such as maintaining records at work, or cooking the same stuff every day. Too much of the same thing is boring! People get bored at the airport because there is a lack of interest in activities taking place at the airport.

Need for Novelty

Another reason for boredom is an individual’s need for novelty. People who seek new things or require a range of things often are at high risk of boredom. They have an impulsive mindset and look for new experiences in their lives. After a point, they find tasks at hand under stimulating and get bored. These individuals look for new challenges, activities, or tasks now and then to deal with boredom. This is the reason why extroverts tend to be more prone to boredom and they need constant stimulation to deal with it. 

Under stimulation

Boredom is a signal that we are under-stimulated. The task at hand is not engaging and challenging. Boredom is a sign for us to identify interesting activities, challenging tasks, and new experiences. 

Most of us find it difficult to enjoy our own company. We can’t stay alone or spend time without working or engaging in some kind of task. To avoid boredom, people switch from one task to another. We end up doing tasks that aren’t fun or not useful for us just to avoid being bored. Being busy has now become an escape mechanism. 

Inability to focus on task at hand

Imagine you are waiting at the airport. The shops are boring; you are no mood to eat. Magazines and book stores are boring. There is news on the television but you are not able to focus. Apart from all of this, there is stress waiting for your flight. Your mind is constantly jumping from one thing to another. All of this leads to you not being able to focus your attention on anything and end up feeling bored. 

In research conducted by Boredom Labs, York University (2012), it was found that boredom occurs when people find it difficult to focus their attention. People get bored when they are unable to pay attention to an internal stimulus (such as thoughts or feelings) or external stimulus (such as news on TV) required for participating in satisfying activity. Often, we end up blaming the environment for being bored (ever caught yourself saying, “This task is boring”). 

There are a variety of things which lead to boredom. There is more to boredom than these reasons. If you feel we missed out on something, do let us know.

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