You’ve worked your whole life getting ready to retire, but after only six months you’re starting to feel bored… Opps… Boredom is a tricky subject to navigate, it involves a deeper dive into ourselves and how we perceive the world around us. Depending on how skilled you are at captaining your own inner ship you can be either on course to solving these sticky feelings or getting closer to running aground on the rocks. Most of us are ‘addicted’ to being continuously stimulated by our work, by activities, friends and endless media, so noticing what’s going on at a subjective level is not considered a normal process for many. We prefer to stay busy instead.

There’s been some interesting scientific research lately by the York University in Ontario, Canada where some of the scientists have reasoned: “boredom is to be in a state of longing for activity but unaware of what it is that one desires” It appears that many of us strive to keep busy, attempting to outrun the effects of boredom and hoping to stay one step ahead of this frustrating and unpleasant feeling. Escape is our elusive goal that never arrives.

A reader wrote recently “how do I deal with the boredom of being retired and wanting to feel a sense of purpose?” The question really has more to do with how we engage in the world around us- boredom is not fixed to anything, it’s not who you are and if you look for it, it’s nowhere to be found. John Eastwood, the director of the Boredom Lab at York university believes that boredom is a ‘crisis of meaning’ and I suspect the Covid-19 lockdown has pushed those of us that are mentally impulsive or always seeking constant new experiences into crisis mode.

If you’re saying to yourself ‘this job is boring and/or I don’t have anything to do after I retire’ then you’re probably looking in the wrong place for a solution.

Signs of Boredom

• Can’t focus for more than brief periods.
• You just can’t seem to get excited about much anymore
• Staying motivated is a daily challenge
• No interest in finding new activities.
• Unable to find rest or to relax.
• Silence is fearful
• Excessive sleep patterns

So what is the antidote to boredom? Some would say that ‘curiosity’ is the magic sauce we need to apply. If the lack of stimulation is triggering our negative thoughts and low moods then learning how to become more interested in what we are experiencing becomes a healthy process to follow. Anything we give our full attention to will always appear more interesting. Attention and awareness seem to be the key to this aimless state we find ourselves wandering in. Even something as simple as our breathing becomes a wondrous experience when we approach it with curiosity. We find so much joy in watching children at play because their curiosity and attention to what they are doing is so mesmerizing.

Wanting to escape from boredom is the problem, for how can you escape yourself? Learning how to satisfy this state of longing that accompanies us throughout life could be the purpose or the very reasonwe are seeking. But any real transformation needs us to surrender some of our old habits and begin again, learning to replace the less productive habits and nurturing the positive actions that can move us once more, into being excited and energized by life’s possibilities. This could find you moving into places you never imagined even possible.

Internet browsing and various retirement forums will help you uncover a solution to being bored in retirement but many point you towards further distractions : e.g. volunteering, social groups, sports clubs etc… These are all positive ways to offset the issue but they only offer up a band-aid solution as the underlying pain goes far deeper than that.

When the pandemic ends, we’ll be left with its psychological aftermath. These unexpected outcomes could affect the future plans for many retirees, perhaps the frivolity is now fading and we must find ways to improve our lives in other directions. Having your attention on something other than yourself really helps keep the intellect stay sharp and that leads to making good choices. 

If your goal is to escape from the painful experiences of life then its possible the outcome will be more confusion and sorrow.  Working on alleviating and understanding our boredom is a deeper life purpose. The key to beating boredom is to become curious once again, being present with what you are experiencing, not trying to avoid or change the experience you’re in right now. Shifting your gaze to the open window you can silently observe God’s creation in all it’s perfection, nothing to change, nothing more to do , only to relax and be part of the magic of life.