Being bored isn’t really about having nothing to do. When you’re bored, you feel dull. When you’re bored, you don’t feel like doing much of anything and it’s hard to be motivated either internally or externally. Or you may fit into the category of people who chronically struggle with boredom in situations that aren’t stimulating enough for your unique needs. If so, you may be more prone to boredom than others, and may always struggle with it to some degree. Others of you tend to face it only situationally. Either way, a shift in perspective and in planning can help. Pick and choose from any of the following ideas that match your area of struggle, and commit to use them consistently in order to achieve best results.

Boring Tasks

• Perspective: Each time you push yourself through a boring task, you are increasing beneficial life skills you will need later. (patience, perseverance, trusting God when you don’t understand, confidence, etc.)
• Planning: Variety helps. Think of ways you can enhance your physical surroundings while pushing through.
• Planning: Reward yourself (within reason) when you’re done.

A Boring Job, Class, Etc.

• Perspective: It’s in your best interest to first accept the reality of your situation, and then determine how you can thrive where you are.
• Planning: Using past incidents of surviving a boring requirement, trace which patterns and ideas help you best and implement them daily.

Blah Feelings

• Perspective: Not feeling like doing something you know is good for you, such as daily Bible reading, is a forceful combination of sinful human nature plus Satan’s schemes against you.
• Planning: Make fact-based, prayer-protected decisions, such as a special Bible reading time, which lead to success and blessing for you, and actually reduce future episodes of boredom.

Lack Of Routine/Structure

• Perspective: Don’t let someone make you feel guilty for struggling to function well without routine/normalcy. Humans were made for order and continuity.
• Planning: Find a confidant who will sympathize with how hard this is and can be trusted to give you encouragement to stay the course in managing it well.
• Planning: Make your own daily schedule targeting personal growth and well-being, such as:
  • seeking to go deeper in your personal relationship with Jesus
  • setting exercise goals
  • trying new restorative activities
  • nurturing certain relationships
  • committing to spiritual disciplines
  • improving emotional stability
  • developing spiritual gifts
  • spending time becoming an expert in God’s Word
  • learning something new
  • tackling projects you’ve been avoiding
  • experiencing God’s revelation in Creation

Poor Sources Of Relief

• Perspective: Sometimes the reason you’re scrolling through social media, playing games on your phone, watching video after video, eating that snack, drinking that new drink etc. is because you’re bored.
• Planning: Don’t merely be entertained by others’ creative ideas you see online. Be inspired. Make some rules for yourself, such as “I won’t go online again until I serve someone the way I see others serving” or “I won’t go back on my computer again until I’ve incorporated one new and improved habit into my life.”
• Planning: Practice delaying instant gratification and see how well you can resist the temptation to soothe boredom with temporal pleasures, and go for something with more meaning.
• Planning: Ask God to show you how you can obey Him in your times of boredom.

Need For Stimulation

• Perspective: You can choose to be thankful for your lively brain that is highly active and/or longs for your circumstances to be busier.
• Planning: Create a balance between having enough routine to be responsible, with enough interest/variety/challenge to combat your tendency towards significant boredom.
• Planning: Pray for a humble attitude to remember this is where God has you right now for a good reason. (All your days were specially planned for you; even with the boring moments. Ps. 139:16)
• Planning: Pursue healthy and active relationships (starting with Jesus) to give your life more fulfillment overall. (How can you go to the next level of nurturing and enjoying the gift of special people in your life?)
• Planning: Make appointments with yourself to dream and concentrate on your life’s purpose so that you are reminded of what you’re working toward, even in the mundane. (Are you focusing on feeling bored by your life more than on how you can enthusiastically and lovingly serve the Lord and others with your gifts?)
• Planning: God is never idle or bored. Look for the ways He is moving and depend on Him to mix things up for you. (“See, I’m doing a new thing! Be utterly amazed.” Is. 43:19; Hab. 1:5).

“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven…He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, He has put eternity in their hearts.” (Eccl. 3:1, 11a)