As soon as summer hits, kids start complaining about being bored. They’re not the only ones — even we adults face boredom, whether we’re yawning our way through a tedious task or stuck in line at some bureaucratic office. Here, how to use that “I’m bored” feeling to improve your life, plus creative boredom-busters.
When my kids assail me with the ubiquitous “Ima I’m bored!” complaint during summer break I usually gaze at them in baffled bewilderment. Aside from a house overflowing with toys and a yard bursting with bikes and riding toys there is an entire world out there to explore. How could they possibly be bored?
Personally I’m far too curious (aside from just plain busy) to ever worry about being bored. If I had to swap places with my children I’d head outdoors and happily stare at a trail of ants for hours or spend the afternoon gazing up at the treetops dreaming up a poem. But it seems that I’m the odd woman out — like my kids most individuals face boredom at some point in their lives.
One Word Two Meanings
When people say they’re bored what exactly do they mean? According to Webster’s Dictionary there are two types of boredom: “uninterested because of frequent exposure or indulgence” and “tired with life.”
The first is plain old simple boredom — the kind we feel when we have to sit through a really dull after-dinner speech or do the same brainless task for hours on end. The feeling comes and goes depending on the person and what they’re doing.
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