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A behind-the-scenes look at Terranam Wellness & self-care tips for taking better care of yourself.
BY MARIA GARRIDO - 2 MINUTE READ
Happy Halloween! How moments of boredom can foster your wildest imagination.
CONSTRAINT BREEDS CREATIVITY
When the Covid pandemic began, my children all came back to the family nest. I suddenly found myself with 3 grown boys plus an aupair all locked in the house together.
We're fortunate that we have a garden and the first few weeks of confinement we were able to eat outside and get some fresh air. We took turns walking the dog within the allowed 1km radius of our house, so that everyone could take a breather and move around a bit, somewhat freely if shortly.
A couple of months into the pandemic, though, when it became clear that being confined at home was to be our new norm, boredom began to set in. Sitting around the dinner table one evening, my family had a brilliant idea. What if we had themed dinner parties? At first the conversation revolved around food; we could do Mexican night, then Thai food, Spanish, etc. As I was primary kitchen master in our house and no one seemed keen to help, I shut down this idea pretty quickly! After eight hours of work zooms, I had not intention of slaving away cooking for 4 young men alone. Pretty quickly though, my son blurted out "Hey, why don't we treat dinner like a costume party with a different theme every night?". Everyone's eyes lit up and someone grabbed a notepad and began to list our themes.
And so costumes in confinement began. With very little fancy dress material to work with, we conjured up outfits using what we could find in our home, each of us expressing our own creativity through that evening's theme. Sometimes the costumes took minutes to pull together and sometimes, we spent days creatively constructing the best outfit for the evening's dinner.
THE BEAUTY OF BOREDOM
It's not often we allow ourselves to be bored. With our jam-packed and over-scheduled lives, we don't leave much room for spontaneity and relaxation. And yet, creative expression often flourishes in unstructured environments, when we leave space for our minds to wander. .
What my family stumbled into during the covid pandemic happened because routine set in, boredom became the norm and not knowing how long we'd be stuck in the house made everyone uncomfortable. This uncertainty triggered restlessness as our hyperactive minds searched for new stimuli and experimentation with new activities seemed a good outlet.
We don't have to wait for a global confinement order to promote a little boredom in our lives. Simple reducing distractions like constant connectivity can promote the exploration of our own thoughts. When we eliminate external stimuli and create an environment that allows for unstructured time, we become more receptive to the details we often overlook. Our minds are given space to breathe, relax and express our inner most creative thoughts.
THE HUMDRUM GUIDE
Give yourself permission to pause. Promoting boredom in a constructive way, especially for fostering creativity, involves creating an environment that allows for unstructured time and encourages self-directed activities. Here are some ways you can promote boredom in a healthy manner:
Airplane Mode: Encourage periods where screens are turned off, reducing the need for constant entertainment.
Take a Hike: Nature provides an environment with fewer external stimuli than urban settings so spend time in a green context to encourage contemplation and creativity.
Agenda Overload: Overscheduling leaves little room for boredom. Block gaps between activities for spontaneous relaxation.
Read away: Encourage reading for pleasure, especially fiction, which allows the mind to wander into different worlds.
Mindful moments: Sit with your thoughts and feelings, embracing boredom rather than looking to immediately alleviate it.
Whip out the knitting needles: Drawing, writing, or crafting promote unstructured environments with no strict rules allowing creative expression to flourish.
SELF CARE TIP
Too much boredom can lead to frustration and lack of motivation. So it's important to find the balance that works for you. Start small with a short walk around the neighborhood, free of devices, and just let your mind wander. Then, work your way up to longer periods of boredom, giving yourself an hour or more to practice mindfulness, read a magazine or simply look around when you're on the bus. Get lost in your own thoughts and you'll find your creativity simmering just under the surface, waiting to be burst out. ❤️
GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION TO PAUSE
Join us at one of our exclusive self-care retreats.