How to Avoid a Boring Life

If you find you are frequently bored or concerned others may find you boring, it's time to change your routine. In addition to being generally pleasurable, learning new things and socializing improve your overall sense of well-being. Find opportunities to experience new things and people to add excitement to your life. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to add zest to life.

Method 1
Method 1 of 5:

Meeting New People

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    Volunteer for a cause. Occupy your time by doing something good for others. This will help you connect with other volunteers who share your interests. Volunteering for a cause can also help you find purpose and may even make you feel better about yourself.[1]
    • You can find local volunteering opportunities online.[2]
    • If you aren't able to volunteer at a specific location, consider moderating a forum dedicated to a cause important to you or contribute to an organizations website.
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    Join a local club. Clubs and social groups are popular in many communities. Find one dedicated to one of your interests to meet like minded people. You can usually find club information at community centers, churches, local coffee houses, or online[3]
    • Joining a book club is a really great way to provide social opportunities and also incorporate the joy of reading into your life.
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    Throw a party. Interacting with interesting people will intrigue you and likely result in feeling more interesting yourself. If you find it difficult to meet new people, host a party and ask your friends to bring guests. This will create the opportunity to extend your network, and your friends will be there to help you feel more comfortable.
    • You might consider hosting regular themed dinner parties or co-host with a friend to become comfortable in your role as host.[4]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 5:

Exploring New Places

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    Travel with friends and alone. Explore the world to find new cultures and sights to experience. Traveling isn't just a great way to occupy your time. Travelers report being healthier, happier, and more tolerant of others. Travel with friends, family or a travel group to increase social interaction while traveling. If others can't accompany you, consider traveling alone. Lone travelers may experience more reflective and relaxing trips.
    • Many people are interested in traveling, so creating some travel memories will provide you material to liven up boring conversation.
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    Visit local attractions. Become an expert on local attractions and tour friends and family around. This is more cost effective than traveling, but you'll still have the joy of discovering new places. Research local attractions online before visiting and invite a friend to explore them with you.
    • You might enjoy writing online reviews of all of the places you visit.
    • Even simple changes can make a big difference—try watching the sunset in a beautiful spot outdoors, for instance, or try a cafe you've never been to before.[5]
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    Walk, instead of driving. You might be surprised by all of the things you miss during your regular commute. Walking provides an opportunity to interact with your environment in a new way. You might also find the extra time outside helps to improve your mood and physical health.[6]
    • To keep things interesting on your walks, try taking photos of things you come across. This will force you to slow down and create time for reflection.
    • If you live too far away from work to walk, try taking a different route than normal, just to change things up.[7]
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    Hike to challenge yourself. If walking isn't exciting enough for you, hiking may be what you're looking for. Hiking will provide physical challenge, and an opportunity to explore new places. You can find local trail maps and information online.
    • If you are new to hiking, start with easy trails. It's best to overestimate hike difficult and underestimate your ability until you are seasoned.[8]
    • Hike with friends to create more opportunities to socialize and stay safe.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 5:

Trying New Things

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    Take a class. Become engrossed in a new hobby or develop a new skill. In addition to providing one more interesting thing for you to share with others, lifelong learners tend to be happier and healthier.[9] You can find local and low cost classes at community centers, community colleges, and online.
    • Examples of popular classes include, foreign languages, dance, and art.
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    Eat adventurously. Learn to cook something new. Preparing and eating new dishes can be exciting and adventurous eating may be related to healthier lifestyles. If you aren't much of a cook, commit to trying all of the restaurants in your local area.
    • Don't worry about not liking the food. If you don't like it, at least you've learned something new about yourself and have one more thing to talk about.
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    Be the audience volunteer. When learning something new, fully embrace the experience. When in classes or at shows, volunteer when teachers or performers ask. Directly interacting with the demonstrator will help you to stay present in the moment and fully embrace the new task.
    • If you are shy or have social anxiety, you may not be comfortable volunteering in front of others. You might try staying after class to ask questions or request individual assistance.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 5:

Expressing your Creativity

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    Start crafting. Crafting will allow you to create something interesting to share with others. This will both occupy your time and provide topics of conversation. You can find detailed instructions and video demonstrations for most crafts online. Crafting ideas span a wide range of complexity and include various degrees of skill.
    • In addition to capturing your interest and making you more interesting, crafting may also improve mood.[10]
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    Garden to create an interesting display to show others. Gardening is a healthy way to occupy your time and contributes to the maintenance of your home. In addition to creating opportunities to learn about new plants and techniques, you'll reap the health benefits of additional time outdoors.[11]
    • You can incorporate interesting food experiences by growing vegetables and/or fruit you haven't tried before.
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    Start a blog. Share all of your interesting experiences with others. You can create a blog to chronicle you adventures, share artistic creations, or express all of your interesting thoughts.
    • You can start blogs or websites for free online.[12]
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Method 5
Method 5 of 5:

Changing Boring Habits

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    Challenge negative self-talk. Self-talk is your inner dialogue. Negative self-talk works to dissuade you from trying new things by convincing you that you'll only fail. If you listen to this negative self-talk, you may find yourself struck in a rut, avoiding anything new and exciting. Challenge that type of thinking a choose to take on adventure despite your doubts.
    • When you notice you are engaging in negative self-talk, ask yourself "Is thinking this way helping me feel good or achieve my goals?"[13] If the answer is no, refocus you inner dialogue on the potential benefits of taking on something new.
    • Don't let fear hold you back from trying new things. For instance, if you really want to travel, but you feel nervous about it, you have to override that fear so you can follow your dream.[14]
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    Don't be afraid of being judged. Fear of being judged is powerful, but the reality is you will be judged anyway. Being judged as the person who tried to do something amazing and failed may be better than being judged as the person who never tried to do anything interesting.
    • Your personal image is a good place to start being more adventurous. Experiment with different styles. If some fall flat, don't work, you can quickly change it.
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    Take control of your situation. Boredom may result from feeling out of control of your environment.[15] Maybe you have to wait in a waiting room or line. Take control by being prepared by carrying puzzles or handheld games with you.
    • Rather than focusing on the environment, engross yourself in an activity you enjoy. Try downloading a few games on your smartphone or carrying a book with you wherever you go.
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Expert Q&A

  • Question
    How do I change things up?
    Rachel Clissold
    Rachel Clissold
    Certified Life Coach
    Rachel Clissold is a Life Coach and Consultant in Sydney, Australia. With over six years of coaching experience and over 17 years of corporate training, Rachel specializes in helping business leaders move through internal roadblocks, gain more freedom and clarity, and optimize their company’s efficiency and productivity. Rachel uses a wide range of techniques including coaching, intuitive guidance, neuro-linguistic programming, and holistic biohacking to help clients overcome fear, break through limitations, and bring their epic visions to life. Rachel is an acclaimed Reiki Master Practitioner, Qualified practitioner in NLP, EFT, Hypnosis & Past Life Regression. She has created events with up to 500 people around Australia, United Kingdom, Bali, and Costa Rica.
    Rachel Clissold
    Rachel Clissold
    Certified Life Coach
    Expert Answer
    If you live too far away from work to walk, try taking a different route than normal, just to change things up.
  • Question
    How do you live a meaningful life?
    Rachel Clissold
    Rachel Clissold
    Certified Life Coach
    Rachel Clissold is a Life Coach and Consultant in Sydney, Australia. With over six years of coaching experience and over 17 years of corporate training, Rachel specializes in helping business leaders move through internal roadblocks, gain more freedom and clarity, and optimize their company’s efficiency and productivity. Rachel uses a wide range of techniques including coaching, intuitive guidance, neuro-linguistic programming, and holistic biohacking to help clients overcome fear, break through limitations, and bring their epic visions to life. Rachel is an acclaimed Reiki Master Practitioner, Qualified practitioner in NLP, EFT, Hypnosis & Past Life Regression. She has created events with up to 500 people around Australia, United Kingdom, Bali, and Costa Rica.
    Rachel Clissold
    Rachel Clissold
    Certified Life Coach
    Expert Answer
    To live a meaningful life, find the balance between logic and imagination—don't let the outside world destroy your passion and your enthusiasm.
  • Question
    How can I have more fun without taking big risks?
    Rachel Clissold
    Rachel Clissold
    Certified Life Coach
    Rachel Clissold is a Life Coach and Consultant in Sydney, Australia. With over six years of coaching experience and over 17 years of corporate training, Rachel specializes in helping business leaders move through internal roadblocks, gain more freedom and clarity, and optimize their company’s efficiency and productivity. Rachel uses a wide range of techniques including coaching, intuitive guidance, neuro-linguistic programming, and holistic biohacking to help clients overcome fear, break through limitations, and bring their epic visions to life. Rachel is an acclaimed Reiki Master Practitioner, Qualified practitioner in NLP, EFT, Hypnosis & Past Life Regression. She has created events with up to 500 people around Australia, United Kingdom, Bali, and Costa Rica.
    Rachel Clissold
    Rachel Clissold
    Certified Life Coach
    Expert Answer
    Really embrace the simple things. It could be as simple as taking a 5-minute longer journey to work so you can go the scenic route, or going to a cafe you've never been to before.
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Warnings

  • Be careful when using alcohol. Excessive use may be dangerous and isn't likely to improve your situation.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
  • Make note of any food allergies before embarking on food adventures.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
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References

  1. ↑ http://www.helpguide.org/articles/work-career/volunteering-and-its-surprising-benefits.htm
  2. ↑ http://www.volunteermatch.org/
  3. ↑ http://www.meetup.com
  4. ↑ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jae-yi/9-tips-to-throw-dinner-pa_b_8135932.html
  5. ↑ Rachel Clissold. Certified Life Coach. Expert Interview. 26 August 2020.
  6. ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4204431/
  7. ↑ Rachel Clissold. Certified Life Coach. Expert Interview. 26 August 2020.
  8. ↑ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/18/how-taking-a-hike-can-mak_n_5584809.html
  9. ↑ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/10/learning-happiness_n_1415568.html
  1. ↑ http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/25/health/brain-crafting-benefits/
  2. ↑ http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/what_are_the_physical_and_mental_benefits_of_gardening
  3. ↑ https://wordpress.com
  4. ↑ http://us.reachout.com/facts/factsheet/challenging-negative-self-talk
  5. ↑ Rachel Clissold. Certified Life Coach. Expert Interview. 26 August 2020.
  6. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/ulterior-motives/201209/what-is-boredom
  7. ↑ Rachel Clissold. Certified Life Coach. Expert Interview. 26 August 2020.

About This Article

Rachel Clissold
Co-authored by:
Rachel Clissold
Certified Life Coach
This article was co-authored by Rachel Clissold. Rachel Clissold is a Life Coach and Consultant in Sydney, Australia. With over six years of coaching experience and over 17 years of corporate training, Rachel specializes in helping business leaders move through internal roadblocks, gain more freedom and clarity, and optimize their company’s efficiency and productivity. Rachel uses a wide range of techniques including coaching, intuitive guidance, neuro-linguistic programming, and holistic biohacking to help clients overcome fear, break through limitations, and bring their epic visions to life. Rachel is an acclaimed Reiki Master Practitioner, Qualified practitioner in NLP, EFT, Hypnosis & Past Life Regression. She has created events with up to 500 people around Australia, United Kingdom, Bali, and Costa Rica. This article has been viewed 142,680 times.
19 votes - 88%
Co-authors: 19
Updated: May 27, 2021
Views: 142,680
Categories: Managing Negative Feelings
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