Creative Ways to Bust Boredom

Bored? Try some activities that don’t involve staring at screens, urges Dina Toki-o.

It’s Sunday morning. You’re sitting on the sofa flicking through the television, channel after channel. Searching for a miracle, that one miracle that will kill your boredom. To and fro the kitchen you trudge, picking at bread, cereal, nuts, biscuits and just about anything else that’s merely edible. Overdosing on snacks all day, to avoid having to cook anything, because laziness has well and truly taken over.

Depression kicks in around midday. You’ve come to the realisation that your life is most probably the dullest of anyone who’s ever lived.

All this because that morning you decided you were ‘bored’.

And of course, ‘When boredom strikes…’ – all hell breaks loose! Well, not in my case. This time let’s try, ‘When boredom strikes, creativity takes over.’

This week, I’d like to share a couple of suggestions with you on how I like to defeat Sunday boredom.

Most of us can agree that one of the most common solutions to boredom is logging onto a social networking site and do what we call, I guess, ‘social networking’.

I’m sure you’re all well aware and experienced enough to know that this can be a dangerously time-wasting procedure. Yet we all find ourselves caught in the social media trap. Yes, it has been known to kill time very successfully. But after the hours you spend browsing through pointless profiles, you’re still pretty much as bored as when you began.

Here’s an idea: Next time you begin to feel that boredom boiling, tear down your curtains and transform them into a flowing skirt or a smart jacket for Autumn. Your curtains most likely needed changing anyway, plus it’ll give you an excuse to redecorate your room! Not only will you be left with a new piece of clothing to add to your fashion-savvy wardrobe, but you’ll also improve your sewing skills, beat your boredom and be filled with a great sense of achievement – whether or not your attempts were successful. You’ll be left with a much more positive attitude than you’d have after sitting in front of your laptop or the ‘box’ watching chat shows all day! Agreed?

If you can’t sew, however, and have no interest whatsoever in learning to do so, then why not try getting your ‘arty-farty’ on? Grab a piece of paper and a pencil and start doodling. Let your hands run freely and take over. Find out what they’re capable of. If you fancy it, you can always scan your results into a computer and have your work printed, using it for a wall decoration.

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Lost in concentration with no trace of what time it is!

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left right

Sometimes, what I love to do is paint on fabric. On an old shirt or T-shirt, I find it completely changes my look. Don’t let your old clothes go to waste. If you’ve already decided that you’ll never wear them again, make them wearable by revamping them! It’s just like going shopping but without the guilty feeling of spending too much money afterwards!

If you’re not a creative being, try motivating yourself as you wake up. Go for a jog around the block. I’ve yet to try this myself, but from what my sister has told me, it’s a great stress relief and it keeps her chirpy and cheerful during the day. (Well, most days!)

Okay, so perhaps you’re neither sporty nor creative. Now what? Find something you’ll enjoy, something that might interest you – even in the slightest! Don’t give up. There’s something out there for everyone, and all of us have something we’re good at. Find something that’s new to you, perhaps that you haven’t done before. Join a club, join a class and learn a new skill. Help out with your local community and get involved with local events. Become a volunteer. It will always give you a great sense of achievement and satisfaction knowing that you’ve helped someone.

Just the other week, I myself started to learn how to make prints and do screen printing. It’s something that allows me to get my creative juices flowing and it also allows me to excel in my field of work.

The important thing is to try. Spend your time improving yourself.

Read. Reading is great. There have been days I’ve spent five hours straight reading a book that I simply cannot put down! Try to plan your weekends ahead to make sure they don’t end up ‘boring’ or dull and, eventually, depressing. It’s always a good idea to keep busy with activities or hobbies that you enjoy, whether alone or with friends and family.

Anyway, I’m off to make some more prints. See you next week, and good luck keeping busy and avoiding boredom this weekend!