Any Tips on Dealing with Being Bored

[KnightlyADHD]

Hey Guys, I just wanted to reach out and see if any of you had any helpful tips around overcoming boredom. It seems that I do really well for a couple weeks and then I wake up one day and my brain is like "well, we aren't going to do anything today." I have days were I flat out know that I'm not going to get anything done and it can be really annoying (as all of you know). I've also heard that this is really common for people with ADHD, so from one ADHDer to another, what have you done to help overcome these common challenges?

[Quincie]

Maybe this is your new normal for a while. How long does this flat period go for? 1 day - treat it like a rest day. If you only need 1 rest day of not doing much & the other 2 weeks are productive, is that so bad? We all need to rest at times & pushing yourself continuously will become more & more effort over time

[KnightlyADHD in reply to Quincie]

Thanks for your response. Yeah, I'm bored for a day and then it goes away by following day. I've never thought of using my "bored days" as rest days. I feel like I need to be productive and if I'm not being productive then I'm wasting my time. In the past, I've been accused of being lazy and "not being a goal oriented person". I've have since come to see that this is simply part of having ADHD and I do need to take a rest day when I'm able to do so. Thanks.

[Quincie in reply to KnightlyADHD]

Yep sounds like you pushing yourself constantly is a response to "prove you're not lazy" to all those past criticisms. Enjoy your rest day knowing you will back at it the following day.

[KnightlyADHD in reply to Quincie]

Yep, it's not like I'm physically pushing myself to get things done, it's more of an interior drive, or me just telling myself I should be doing something. I would say it's just me struggling with ADHD paralysis more then anything else, and we can all relate to that. There are days when the ADHD wins and those can be tough, but the following day is usually a bounce back day.

[Quincie in reply to KnightlyADHD]

What you're doing sounds good to me. Plus you have this "new normal" pattern so if it changes you will be aware of it. Best of luck.

[RizzKalifa]

I love exercise, so I will workout if bored and mix it up. TV and Film is also a special interest that I can easily get lost in when working out. I can lose hours this way!

[KnightlyADHD]

I've gotten into working out too. That was one of my resolutions for 2024. I've been walking around more and lifting weights. That's helped a lot.

[NotAChevy]

please share your findings, as I'm dealing with that right now- and its really bad..

[BLC89]

Hello KnightlyADHD,Your title asked about boredom and I got all excited to tell you the same thing I told my kids, being bored is a life skill worth mastering. (They hated that answer. )

But your question is quite different. Having days when your brain is tapping out before breakfast isn't bored it sounds more like exhausted. Do you feel your are well rested? Or are these days after an intense few days or week?

If it feels cyclical and somewhat predictable I say work it into your schedule. Either your brain or body or both need a minimal day and that's OK. Embrace that you have those types of days and plan for them. Have a list of podcasts to work thru or funny movies that pick up your spirits.

If you feel like you "shouldn't" have these days that's when you will really feel crappy because you are arguing with reality, you do have these types of days. Thinking you shouldn't just makes you feel bad it doesn't actually create any action. Give them a name, my daughter would say "I'm feeling little today" like a little kid, and we would have a low key, snuggley day with creature comforts and yummy snacks - you gotta have good snacks 😋- so for your next minimal day, see if letting it be ok makes it any easier. Plan some things that make you feel good or you don't usually have time for or "guilty pleasures" and see if you can have a neutral day, don't even aim at a good day, go for neutral. If your brain is on strike you might as well make the best of it. You can't force that one back to work it has to come when it wants to.

Take what works and leave the rest but hopefully this helps.

Let us know what works for you when you find it.

BLC89

Full disclosure: I am an ADHD Parent Coach. I have been married to ADHD for nearly 30 years and raised two kids who have ADHD.

[KnightlyADHD]

oh yeah, it's not "being bored per say, it's more ADHD paralysis... It doesn't happen that often but when it does it seems like I'm just confirming people's assumptions about me, that I'm lazy. I know this isn't true btw, it's just a negative thought that I deal with from time to time and I just have to accept the fact that that's how I'm wired. I heard that getting your body moving is quite helpful.

Whenever I feel this way I try to get up and take a nice walk or make myself a hot cup of tea.

Snuggle days with your kids sounds cute by the way, that made me happy!

Thank you so much for your input, the next time I have a paralysis day, I'll let you know how it goes.

[KnightlyADHD]

Update: I usually have a routine of going on walks and lifting weights when I get bored but since it's gotten so cold where I live I haven't been able to do walks outside as often as I would have liked to. I have made it a habit to do laps around the inside of my house in order to stay active and to not be a sedentary

Well, that got boring, so I decided to make a game out of it. Seeing how fast I could walk between rooms and then running from the kitchen to the living room as fast as I could. Sometimes you have to make whatever you're doing into a game and allow your brain to get creative and find the fun in whatever you're doing. That helped a lot.

[BLC89 in reply to KnightlyADHD]

Nicely done! Keeping it interesting for your brain is a great idea.

[KnightlyADHD in reply to BLC89]

Yep

[empleat]

Couldn't do anything 8 years but watch a wall...

get audiobook - David Goggins Can't Hurt ME

Thing of yourself as, educate yourself about these (that need to be satisfied):

1. lizard brain - go do some workout, or get action, they brought up mice from depression via rough play

2. limbic system: emotional: socializing, taking care of parents etc.

3. intellectual: set goals, work on your ideas etc. ADHD brain needs certainty and know what it is doing for

You are your lizard brain other parts just trying to help it to do what it wants to do...

It is painful to watch other ADHD ppl like rats in maze being tortured in workplace and failing in life being confused left to rot in ditch no one helps them not knowing what to do...

Get red light therapy, be gentle with yourself take it one day at the time that is only way... Atomic habits... Try Healthygamergg on youtube...

[KnightlyADHD]

love healthygamer, thanks for the advice.

[KnightlyADHD]

Just to clarify, I'm not saying that I'm exhausted all the time, I just have some days (not frequently) when I feel tired and I simply need to do what I can do for that day and not push myself to the point of burnout. I do exercise more regularly then I did five years ago, and that's been helping me a lot. It's just that sometimes I need to take brain breaks to gather my thoughts that's all.

[empleat in reply to KnightlyADHD]

I am so fucking bored right now, every day is like hell every second, like needles inside head...

+ anhedonia/alexithymia...

[KnightlyADHD]

I'm sorry to hear that, you could always start with writing down the things you enjoy doing and the things that would be good for you to do, and then to do at least one or two positive things everyday (exercise, eating healthy, prayer, connecting with people etc.) Also, when you find yourself bored with something, look at it from a different perspective and/or make a game out of it. That's really benefitted me recently.

I've also heard that pairing activites together is helpful. For example, if you hate cleaning, but you love dancing, dance around when you're cleaning the house. Doing the thing that you enjoy doing while doing a task that is boring will offset the boring activity. Listen to Lofi when doing taxes... etc. Hope this helps, stay strong bud!

[empleat in reply to KnightlyADHD]

I cannot i reject every atom in universe, i hate consciousness and it is like rape to be born, i didn't ask to be born... God should be scared of me, oh wait i am it, fuck! I have like nail in head, i cannot make game out of things: my brains thinks only in terms of utility and importance otherwise it cannot do anything. It has been so FUCKING LONG, I don't even know how pleasure feels like... If i felt pleasure rarely like under 1000 bricks: it actually hurt more than suffering, i am accustomed to pain... Because it wasn't authentic and it was like tainting of things i valued most in my life... I am working right now even every day is struggle and it is going at snail pace...

[KnightlyADHD in reply to empleat]

well, if you're making improvements everyday, at least that's something right?

[empleat in reply to KnightlyADHD]

Well that was when i had hope, now i am back at 0 again... Struggling with existential depression 8 years... There is no one in the WORLD i can relate to, lost my only friend in whole world that could understand me, life is hell for me. I couldn't even find breakfast in 8 years, all i cannot stomach and don't like taste, i am so bored of all food possible that fact there is nothing other is like torture and i couldn't accept it years that there would be no other food... I put so much work into finding breakfasts and there is nothing, so i live unhealthy don't have even proper breakfast... Mind is god, it can create infinite universes, but reality is like being stuck in 1x2 room in prison... Fucking HELL!!! You wouldn't understand...

[PinkPanda23]

In thinking how I would answer you, I confirmed again that I am never bored. I have days when I'm not motivated to do things I "should" do, but I'm always happy to read a book or binge watch TV or do puzzles or play games on my tablet. I cannot think of a day, ever, where I'm looking for something to chase away boredom. My "laziness" is more about the motivation and focus issue with ADHD. Or did I misunderstand your question?

[KnightlyADHD]

I guessed I've reframed my question the longer my post has been up. My original question was based around finding out what other people do to remedy being bored with everyday life. But since then it's morphed into me realizing that I'm not bored with my current situation, I simply lack the motivation to do what I am supposed to be doing at the time. The thing that I'm ultimately unmotivated to do seems to be the most boring in my eyes because it's not stimulating enough.

To answer your question, yes, my "laziness is more about a motivation and focus issue with ADHD. I've come to the conclusion that in order for me to stay personally motivated to get things done, I need to reward myself after completing said task or pair the boring task with something I find enjoyable, for example, listening to music or dancing while I clean my room. You got it.

[empleat]

Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom Boredom

[KnightlyADHD]

You should talk to a therapist about what you're going through. I am not a therapist nor can I pretend to be, honestly I hope you find peace someday man. Keep your head up.

[KnightlyADHD]

youtube.com/watch?v=UzwoE3z...(Not working as expected?)

I found this video on ADHD and its connection to boredom, hope this helps. That's all I got, and I think this thread is a wrap, thanks guys!

-KnightlyADHD