The Power of Boredom by Mark A. Hawkins

Author:Mark A. Hawkins
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mark A. Hawkins
Published: 2016-11-10T18:16:05+00:00

Chapter 5

Tuning in to Boredom

“It is through boredom that we are truly equipped to reach satisfaction, openness to the world, and a sense of thauma (awe).”

Christian Gillian

Boredom is a powerful space in time that allows the nature of existence to emerge. It is the presence of nothingness and emptiness that surfaces at times. When boredom arrives, we should not let it slip away, or distract ourselves from it. Instead, we can learn how to harness its power.

The Difference between Distraction and Necessity

Throughout the day, it can be hard to tell the difference between something you actually need to do, and something that is just a distraction from boredom. If you have just eaten dinner, yet feel the urge to eat something else because you are home alone on a Saturday night, you are eating to fill the boredom. If you spend two hours on the internet “looking something up” during your spare time, you are likely distracting yourself.

The problem is that there is always something we could be doing. That’s why today’s world is often called the age of distraction. If you have two spare hours you might as well get some cleaning done right? Or get a head start on that project at work? Isn’t that the efficient, productive thing to do?

The first step towards differentiating distraction from necessity is recognizing when you are prone to boredom. For most of us, these times are in the evenings or on the weekends. I am most prone to distracting myself from boredom in the couple of hours before I go to bed. This awareness alone is half the battle in creating your spaces of boredom.

A second step could be to write down the ways that you usually fill the spaces of boredom during these times. If you find yourself doing one of these activities, the awareness can help you to stop and ask yourself, “Is this necessary, or am I just avoiding boredom?”

In addition, we must resist the urge to get ahead on any task. Ironically, we convince ourselves that we are being productive and efficient to save ourselves time down the road, yet as soon as there is extra time again, we fill it with other tasks. This extra time never seems to come. This brings to light the fact that “getting ahead” is essentially an excuse we use when we are really avoiding the spaces of boredom.

It can be really difficult to tell if something is a necessity. This is because it is personal. I like to ask myself what the consequences are of not doing something. Sometimes, this can help us to discern the importance of the task at hand. Also, if you find yourself feeling that everything is necessary, then that may be a warning sign. This feeling is usually accompanied by a feeling of being rushed or anxious when there actually isn’t any immediate reason to rush.

We must also be aware of restlessness and the incessant search for something to do. There were times when I have wandered around the house in a futile attempt to find something that will spark my attention.

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