What to do when you’re bored: 5 ways to gamify your brain
Boredom isn’t just an everyday drag, it’s a neurological signal. When your brain says, I’m bored, it’s signalling a mismatch between what it craves (novelty, challenge, meaning) and what it’s getting (doom scrolling, waiting in the school pickup line, boarding a plane, another Zoom meeting that could have been a poke in the eye).
What’s the worst thing that could happen? Don’t let fear trick you into a boring life
If you catch yourself asking that question – what’s the worst thing that could happen? – you’re doing exactly what the brain is designed to do: ‘suss the sitch’ to make sure you will survive. But in the modern context and by some irritating glitch of the brain, perhaps an obsession with avoiding discomfort, humans like to focus on the worst-case scenario much more than they ever should, leading to safe, comfortable BORING lives and a lot of worry about things that will never ever happen. Stuff that! When you have only one wild precious life to live, an appetite for risk is your gateway to greatness.
No creative flow? Have longer showers
Humans are unique mammals for our creativity and knack for storytelling. However, we also overthink and ruminate which is a significant weakness of the species, crippling for many. Overcome the story you tell yourself, allow for an environment that is juicy for ideas and you too can be truly creative.