What do you do when you’re bored? Do you look at your phone, open a social media app, scroll for a while, close it, then immediately open it again?
Even though you know that nothing new happened in the second it took to exit and reopen the app, you still prefer doing something you know is pointless to being alone with your thoughts.
If you choose to dull your mind when boredom strikes rather than taking your time to figure out what you actually want to do, you’re robbing yourself of the opportunity to do something that’s actually fun or meaningful.
Why is life so boring? Because you’re disengaged instead of doing things that excite you. Things like passively consuming content or doing things you don’t really have a desire to do, instead of engaging in something meaningful, is a waste of your precious time.
Instead of avoiding boredom at any cost, use it to inspire you to find something to engage in.
Why Is Life So Boring?
First things first, before you tackle the question of why is life so boring, you should rule out depression. Loss of interest in things and activities you enjoy is one of its most common symptoms.
You can find more information at the National Institute of Mental Health website. If you suspect that this is what you’re struggling with, please contact your health care provider who will refer you to a psychiatrist.
If you’re depressed, you should pay special attention to self-care. And if you’re not depressed, how come you think of life as boring?
30 Things Boredom Tells You About Your Life
Life is inherently complicated and fascinating, so what reason is there for your inability to find something that excites and captivates you? Boredom is a sign.
Being bored tells you that you’re not doing anything useful or meaningful at the moment. If this feeling persists for a long time, you start to feel that life is boring, when in fact, you’re spending it without looking for meaning.
Who would have thought that something as common as boredom can be so telling? This is what the feeling of boredom can tell you about your life.
1. You don’t take initiative
One of the reasons your life is boring is because you don’t see past the familiar and avoid doing new things. You don’t push yourself at work, you’re never the one who suggests (and goes through with) a friend gathering and you don’t make the first move when needed.
2. You don’t involve other people in your life
Some people prefer doing things on their own, but if it becomes the standard, you’re at a risk of becoming isolated. You’re living your life on your own, co-existing rather than living with other people. Even when you’re doing things with someone, you don’t really share the experience – you’re just doing things next to each other.
3. You can’t be bothered to make plans
Maybe you sit around and it occurs to you that you could go out tonight, and you know just the friend you’d like to see. But you don’t send a text inviting them out because the whole thing is too much effort. You can’t be bothered to make plans, get ready, get together, spend time with others – you’d rather stay home and not do anything.
4. You don’t connect to people
Because of our busy lives, a person’s social circle is often limited to the people they live with and people they see at work, so they become a part of the environment as opposed to someone to share your life with.
Social interaction you share with people is superficial, so your relationships never deepen and in time you become lonely.
5. You’re not keeping in touch with people
People who have a lot of friends aren’t popular ‘just because’. The reason they have people in their lives is their effort to maintain their relationships. If you never think of contacting people just to keep in touch, your relationships will decay.
Don’t just wait for someone to think of you, be the one to send that text asking someone how they are.
6. You’re looking for excuses not to do things
It’s easier to just not do things and you’re choosing the easy option. You justify it to yourself and others with meaningless excuses, without stopping to think how you’re robbing yourself of experiences and feelings because it seems like too much effort at the moment.
7. You don’t go out
Sure, fun things happen at home too, but being in the same environment all the time is monotonous and uninspiring. If you leave your house only when you have to, rut sets in and you can have a hard time changing your habits. Next time you’re browsing Netflix for something to waste time on, put on your shoes and go for a walk instead.
8. You don’t seek out fun
Unless you reach for excitement, it won’t come on its own. Sitting around waiting for something to happen is the biggest fun-killer there is. Figure out what would energize you, and go for it. It’s as simple as that.
You want to laugh? Call a friend who shares your sense of humor and get together, go see the funniest movie currently at the theaters, or do the thing that’s always hilarious when you do it.
9. You don’t take action
In other words, you never do anything. This is one of the biggest culprits behind boredom. The more passive you are, the more boring your life will become. You must think of yourself as the main character of your life, the one who moves the plot along with their actions.
10. You do things in a routine way
Routine isn’t just doing the same things day in, day out, it’s also doing things in the same way. Even your favorite thing to do would lose its charm if you do it in the same way every time. Add some variety in your daily activities. Change your route to work, get strawberry instead of chocolate ice-cream, listen to a podcast instead of watching a TV-show.
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11. You’re never creative
You don’t have to be artistic to be creative, just make something. Cook something you’ve never tried before, try on clothing combinations you wouldn’t normally wear, take a picture of what you see every time you leave your front door. There are hundreds of ways to be creative if you open yourself up to it.
12. You’re always in the same place
If you’re stagnating physically, mentally and emotionally, your every day becomes the same and your life loses its luster. Expand your area of movement beyond work and home. Travel. Change your hair. Learn a new language. Choose having a meaningful conversation over playing video games.
Do things that make your days different from each other and that make you a different person than you were yesterday.
13. You never try anything new
It’s fine to have favorites, but you need variety to grow. Learning new skills, meeting new people and going to new places is the antidote to boredom. If your life is a boring slug through everyday obligations, change it by changing the things you do.
Start with something small you can do today: visit a coffee shop you’ve never been to, order something you’ve never had before and strike up a conversation with a stranger.
14. You’re doing the same things over and over
In addition to not doing anything new, you’re doing the same things too much. Not only are your days routine, but your habits have replaced enjoyment. Because of your obligations and lack of time, you do things that are quick and easy. If you start doing the same things less, it will make your life less boring.
15. You’re not doing the things you want
This is one of the main causes of boredom. If you do things just because you’re used to them, because they’re expected of you, because you’ve convinced yourself that this is how it goes, you can’t lead a meaningful life. Boredom tells you this: you’re bored because you don’t do things you actually want to do.
16. You’re not saying ‘no’ to things
In addition to not doing what you want, you’re also not refusing to do things you don’t want. Taking up responsibilities you can do without and accepting things that bring nothing into your life is holding you back. You don’t have energy and time to do the things you want because you’re stuck doing things you don’t want to do.
17. You’re not following your passion
Instead of creating your reality, you react to whatever happens. Life without passion must be boring, because if you’re not living with a purpose, you don’t care. You must be the one to direct your life, because no one else knows you better than you know yourself and how to live your best life.
18. You’re doing unimportant things
The saying goes that only boring people are bored, but the real problem is that you’re wasting time on not doing what matters. Live life by doing things that contribute to your well-being and that move you forward and you’ll realize that it’s not boring.
19. You waste time on mindless activities
Endless scrolling on your phone without even taking in what you’re looking at, mind-numbing binging of TV shows that you don’t even enjoy, consuming whatever’s offered to you – these activities are stealing your time and destroying your drive.
When you’re bored, choose self-improvement over killing time.
20. You’re stuck in your comfort zone
If you never step out of your comfort zone, stagnation is inevitable. A life which doesn’t change can’t be an exciting life. Comfort means choosing the path of least resistance. Yes, it’s easy, but it’s so boring. Start changing today by doing something you’ve been putting off.
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21. You don’t challenge yourself
If you want to make life less boring, do something you don’t think you can do or something you keep telling yourself isn’t for you. Do something that’s hard. If you’re not sure what that is, take up a new hobby that involves something you’re insecure about.
Take a dance class, write a story, start training for a marathon – all that matters is to do something that will push you.
22. You don’t take opportunities
Not taking risks doesn’t imply wisdom, it shows fear. If you stop yourself from taking opportunities when they come along, how will you move a step further and create your own? You must embrace the fear that comes with the unknown if you want a more interesting life.
The good news is, moving your life forward becomes easier after the first time you try it. You get used to being challenged and start seeking it out.
23. You’re not enjoying the little things
You can look at life as the daily grind with little free time, or you can find enjoyment in every step of the way. An optimistic approach can make your daily life much more interesting. Make your own life easier by injecting something fun into whatever you do.
Don’t suffer because you have to clean your bathroom. Play upbeat music that makes you happy, sing and dance along while you do it and change your view of the experience.
24. You don’t appreciate what you have
If you find gratitude in your life, you’ll like it much more. Become aware of what makes your life good and count your blessings.
For example, even boredom can be something to be grateful for. Have you ever heard of the saying, “May you have an interesting life,“ which is a curse disguised as a blessing? The catch is that a boring life is a peaceful life, and an interesting one is full of trouble.
You might look at your boredom as something to be grateful for, but even better, you might count it as a blessing because it inspires you to want more.
25. You don’t find excitement in everyday life
Some people naturally feel the excitement in every moment, but if you don’t, it’s something you can learn. As long as you’re doing things – alone or in a group of people, at home or somewhere else, because you have to or because you’ve chosen to do them – you can find something about each moment that can be interesting.
26. You’re not in touch with your inner child
Children can find fun in everything and enjoy life even if they’re just standing around. The reason they can do this is because they make the most of every moment and the most of life as they live it. When they run around, they run as fast as they can. When they play, they give it their all. When they eat, they don’t care if they get messy.
As we grow up, we become burdened with things we have to do. Young people are busy with school and adults are under pressure at work, and we forget how to let ourselves go. Awaken your inner child and start enjoying the life you’re living.
27. You’re not taking care of yourself
You deserve better than to live a boring life. If you feel like this, it’s a sign that you’re not giving yourself what you deserve. You’re hurting yourself by wasting your time and doing unimportant things. Make choices that contribute to your mental, physical and emotional well-being. When you feel bored, stop and figure out what you need, then do it.
28. You’re not making an effort
Make an effort and take risks. Take that road trip you’ve always wanted to take. Finally start going to the gym. Ask your crush on a date. If your life is boring, it’s a sign that you’re not doing enough. Boredom tells you that you lack fulfillment because you’re not doing what matters enough to make an effort.
29. You’re not making the most out of a situation
No matter what you do, give it your all. This is how you live with passion and get everything you can from every moment. Boredom is a sign that you’re doing things half-way. Don’t rob yourself from success and excitement by being superficial. In every situation, ask yourself, how can this be more than it is, and do it.
30. You wait for things to happen
Being passive and reactive won’t get you anywhere. Life won’t knock at your door – you must get out there and make it happen. The longer you wait, the more bored you will get, until you start to ask the question, “Why is life so boring?”
You must take responsibility for your own life.
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How to find meaning and direction?
Embrace boredom, because it’s telling you to get up and do things. You probably already have your answer on how to find meaning after going over the reasons why life is so boring for you, but the following tips should make it clearer.
1. Stop fighting boredom
You’re bored for a reason: it’s a warning sign that you’re missing something. Whenever you choose to ignore it by looking for any mindless distraction instead of actually figuring out what it is, you’re wasting an opportunity for personal growth.
When you’re bored, you feel like you want to do something and find meaning in it. Trying to kill boredom with distractions and mindless time-wasters just makes you unfulfilled. Stop trying to forget you’re bored – instead, do something that you actually enjoy and that makes you feel fulfilled.
2. Just do stuff
The way to grow as a person is to continually experience new things. As you grow and change, the life you live changes and you embrace the world around you as it becomes different too. If you’re stuck in one place, no matter how beautiful or interesting it is, you’ll become bored with it.
There’s no big philosophy here – the answer is to just do things. When someone asks you to hang out, say yes. Tomorrow when you come home from work, choose active rest over watching TV. Look up what’s going on in your city and take part. Make every day count.
3. Make your own choices
You’re in control of your life. Once you understand this, your outlook will change and with it the way you live. There’s always a choice, you only have to look at things in terms of what they contribute to your life.
You’re not limited by what the world is offering you, only by what you let yourself take. Don’t let social pressure leave you with regrets. A meaningful life is a life of passion, so choose to do things that bring you a sense of joy, accomplishment and fulfillment.
4. Take a break from routine
Engage in life and become active instead of trudging along the beaten path. When your days are all the same, you start feeling trapped and without direction. Routine in itself isn’t a bad thing, but if your entire life is predictable, boredom inevitably sets in.
Create a routine that works towards your goals. Do what makes you thrive, and not just to pass the time. Do things that are useful or meaningful: things that give you joy, things that push you forward and things that help you improve.
5. Be mindful
Appreciate the moment you’re living in. Stop looking for stimuli to entertain you when you’re bored. Instead, ask yourself, “What do I really want to do right now?” and do that. Finding this answer might be tricky, so it’s much easier to look for distractions.
Perhaps the answer to the question doesn’t align with what’s around you and that’s okay. This should be your motivation to change things and make what you desire possible. Boredom exists to help you find direction to what you want to do. Instead of wasting time, use it to start living a meaningful life.
Wrapping Up
Why is life so boring? Feeling like this is often a sign that you’re living your life by taking the easiest road. Being an adult with lots of responsibilities is tiring. You work hard, come home tired, watch Netflix until bedtime, then repeat everything.
When your days are all the same, they melt into one. If you’re not making an effort to figure out what it is you truly want, boring moments turn into a boring life. To escape feeling like this, embrace boredom and use it to figure out what is meaningful for you.