What is boredom?
A lot of people mistake boredom for laziness. But they’re two very different things. Laziness implies some kind of enjoyment or pleasure in a lack of activity. When we think of laziness, we tend to think of laying back, slothing around, lounging and general lethargic carelessness. Boredom, on the other hand, has a certain care factor. We don’t like being bored. We enjoy being lazy, because it’s something we want to do or feel, but not bored. When we’re bored, we’re restless. We’re unhappy. We’re agitated about being unoccupied, disinterested and unmotivated. When you consider these words, it helps to clarify the difference.
Why do we feel bored?
A lot of people find themselves feeling bored because disconnecting from life has become their way of dealing with situations that make them unhappy or angry. Many people don’t like to face their true feelings or emotions or more still prefer not to notice when they’re in a difficult situation. You may be in a job that is making you frustrated, your marriage may be stressful or unhappy, your kids might be frustrating the heck out of you, or your landlord might be making things difficult. Whatever the cause, a lot of people deal with these situations and emotions by unplugging.
When you unplug, you focus your attention elsewhere. On something other than what’s making you unhappy, angry or stressed. And the problem with unplugging is that it works – for a little while at least. When you read a magazine, or scroll through instagram or watch a funny show on TV, it helps you to think about something other than what’s annoying you or upsetting you.
But slowly and surely, reality (or what you “should be focusing on”) worms its way back into your consciousness. The situation or emotion keeps tapping on your psyche, willing you to focus on it. Making you frustrated, restless and bubbling that “bored” feeling to the surface.
How do you deal with boredom?
Well, firstly, you need to recognise that boredom is what you’re feeling. Be mindful of your feelings. Just like Dr. Happy taught you way back in Super Achiever, mindfulness is the first step to understanding, acceptance and moving past these feelings. So be aware that boredom has crept in. Then you need to figure out what it is that’s at the heart of this feeling. Research shows that one of the biggest foils for boredom is focused attention. Boredom arises when we have trouble focusing, but when we pay attention – boredom subsides.
Therefore, what you need to ask yourself is: What is the emotion, situation or “thing you should be focusing on” that’s behind this restless, frustrated, bored feeling? Write it down! Free associate or journal a little about your feelings and thoughts, and you’re likely to find repetitive patterns and recurring themes of frustration, irritation or unhappiness. This will help you to pinpoint what the cause is. Once you’ve pinpointed the cause, it’s time to face up to your feelings. Consider:
- What is the root cause of these feelings?
- Why do I consistently shy away from feeling them?
- What part of this situation/emotion/thing is making me feel annoyed/restless/irritated/unhappy?
- Are there other ways of dealing with it or thinking about it that might help?
- Is there anything I can do to rectify the situation?
- If so, how do I feel about what I might need to do to change things?
Defeating diet boredom
When it comes to the program, there are a couple of ways to defeat diet boredom. And they’re similar to how you’d defeat boredom in every day life. By acknowledging that it exists, trying to find the underlying cause and then addressing it. We like to keep things interesting by following these top tips:
Change it up
There’s no cure for boredom like change. Why not try a new method like OMAD or 22:2, or perhaps change the hours you fast or the days you fast. If you’re normally a 16:8er, then try 5:2 or if you normally fast Mondays and Thursdays, try a back-to-back or a Tuesday and Friday instead. Basically, get out of your current routine and shake things up!
Challenge yourself
Anything that’s a challenge for your brain is bound to alleviate symptoms of boredom. Really give your brain and your body something to think about by trying a new fitness routine, a different food or something you’d never thought you’d be able to do. Basically, do something hard! Remember, in the beginning you thought this was hard too!
Try something new
New, fresh experiences are one of the best ways to alleviate boredom and take us out of the everyday. Routine breeds boredom, so try something exciting or different. Take up cycling, yoga or learn how to run. Try a recipe you’ve never made before: chilli con carne or chicken madras. Take up a new hobby: knitting, pottery, photography. Anything that’s going to take you out of your comfort zone is good.
Partner up
Socialising is a great way to alleviate boredom. You can’t be bored if you’re around exciting, interesting, fun-loving people who challenge you and are in a similar situation. In fact, research shows that social connection is crucial to successful health changes and will help you feel supported too. So, grab a buddy, try a longer fast together, do a weight loss challenge or try a sprint – where you go hard for a week, then relax. Basically, you’ll encourage and challenge each other, which will keep things interesting and make sure you never get bored again.
Give it a rest
Last but not least, change up your routine by just giving it a rest! Eat normally for a while, go on holidays and indulge. A good old fashioned break from weekly fasting will not only alleviate boredom, but it will also give your metabolism a rest (which is important for weight maintenance.) Dr Krista Varady recommends taking a break from fasting once every six months. It’ll ensure that your routine remains fresh and interesting, and it’ll give you a much-needed chance to feast to your heart’s content, unencumbered by worrying about your weight.
And that’s how to defeat the boredom demon, MasterFasters. What are your favourite ways to keep things interesting? Let us know in the members’ Facebook group.