Welcome back to our series sharing Unique Holidays: July 2022: National Anti-Boredom Month. I must admit there is days on end when I’m bored out of my mind. David is at work and I’m stuck inside with Charlie. Who is upstairs in his room while I’m downstairs by myself. What about you. Do you end up bored as well?
National Anti-Boredom Month
National Anti-Boredom Month in July brings a slew of activities to take part in and kill boredom. July can become quite uneventful, especially after the Fourth of July has passed. There aren’t any major public holidays or celebrations taking place during July other than the 4th of July. For many children, July means Summer break. The hot Summer Weather forces old and young to seek shelter at home. As you can see not much happens during July, but there’s no need to fret. I will shared fun activities you can do to beat the boredom blues, and also share the history attached to boredom. Did you know that boredom is also a Phobia for many called Thalassophobia, which is the fear of having nothing to do and feeling bored.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL ANTI-BOREDOM MONTH
National Anti-Boredom Month was created in the 1980s by Alan Caruba and he wanted people to stop ‘moping’ around because of boredom and, instead, focus on other things in life. Boredom, as a subject, is quite interesting, which in itself is somewhat paradoxical because ‘boredom’ is the word used for not knowing what to do and feeling like the day is tedious. Over the Centuries, scholars from the fields of Science, literary prose, and philosophy have tried to understand boredom. The Greeks did not name the concept because boredom was such an ever-present thing that they deemed boredom as ‘natural’ as breathing. Romans, on the other hand, described the feeling as being of a lazy mind despite having several things to do. Religious figures deemed ‘boredom’ as sinful because the mind should always be occupied with serving the Lord.
Boredom also became a weapon used to punish people. Prisoners were forced to spend days and nights without anything to do. This practice led to many prisoners being driven insane because of the endless hours of silence and nothingness. Boredom can be life-threatening, too. Research studies show that people who get bored easily are more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, aggression, or psychological issues. Easily bored people are also more likely to develop and/or die of heart diseases. At the same time, researchers state that it is okay to feel bored which is a normal part of the human experience. The only catch is that boredom should not happen frequently. To escape boredom, you can try your hand at different activities including painting, reading, or going out for a walk.
HOW TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL ANTI-BOREDOM MONTH
- Change your routine by doing something that you haven’t done before the activity could be anything from cooking, learning a new language, or even eating new things. Not only will your boredom be cured, but you will also discover new interests.
- Give your time to a cause that is close to your heart. List things that are important to you on a personal level, and see if there are organizations that require volunteering services. This will help you meet new people, too.
- Many times, the reason for our boredom is the lack of change in our environment. Go for a walk which you can choose to go down a familiar route or explore new corners of your City.
FACTS ABOUT BOREDOM
- Studies have shown that people who have suffered from traumatic brain injuries are more likely to suffer from boredom than people who haven’t had traumatic brain injuries.
- People have reported feeling agitated and mentally tired during and after bouts of boredom.
- Boredom can also be caused by difficult tasks as they can be considered tedious, repetitive, and hard to complete.
WHY PEOPLE LOVE NATIONAL ANTI-BOREDOM MONTH
- Our lives can be extremely hectic, especially with all the information and stimulants due to our increased technological usage. All of us need a break every now and then. Anti-Boredom Month allows us to do just that by making us think about boredom and its benefits. The month shares ways to break free of boredom, but that doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate boredom as a concept.
- Boredom calls for you to have new experiences and these new activities can lead you to become skilled in things you may have never imagined to be an expert in. You can also learn about new concepts altogether, which could be a great conversation starter.
- Boredom can lead you to novel spaces and ideas. Awaken your curious side to efficiently pass your time. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
