According to a research study carried out by the University College London, people who complain of boredom are more likely to die young and findings on heart disease show sufficient evidence to say there is a link with boredom, DNA asks youngsters for their views.
Expert view
More individuals are reporting this problem
Life expectancy of any person can reduce due to routine existence. This is because boredom compels people to adopt unhealthy lifestyles such as overeating and inculcating habits like smoking, drinking and drugs. The study is not only relevant for the United Kingdom, but holds good for our country. We have observed that in the city there are many cases where people complain of boredom.
Two years ago, the percentage of people, who came forward with such problems, was only 20 - 35%. But nowadays it has reached upto 60% of the total cases. Sometimes people with very little work are complaining of boredom and those with a lot of work are also complaining of the same. There is no creativity in such a situation and work becomes monotonous. And then you start asking yourself, why you are in this job or in such a situation. Boredom can also lead you to deep depression and frustration. But it is not so difficult to break boredom. In such a situation your mind needs a break from the assignment or emptiness. Inculcate some hobbies like swimming, walking, tennis orplaying badminton or some impromptu activity. You can go out for travelling, or a picnic and trekking. Never try to close yourself from the outside world. Meeting with people and socialising help in breaking boredom. Above all, you must have some goal in your life which drives you to move ahead and keep you engaged in some activities.
—Seema Hingoranny, clinical psychologist
Some claim boredom and waste time
I find the study far-fetched. Boredom is a state of mind and today it is very loosely used by individuals. Basically people don’t have the patience to do anything for a long time. There is very little tolerance or creativity that we are applying these days. Everyone is accustomed to the monotonous routine that they follow, so there is no room for anything beyond the routine activities to widen the perspective. I don’t get bored easily, since I keep myself engrossed in many activities. Sometimes, the same schedule can get on my nerves, but I do things which I thoroughly enjoy and which make me happy. I know of people who aimlessly waste time and claim that they are bored.
—Dhwani Shah, student
I eat voraciously to kill monotony
It will be an understatement to say that the young generation gets bored easily. People tend to get fed up easily and indulge in habits like smoking and drinking. Many even eat voraciously to kill monotony, I’m one of them. Lately, whenever I feel bored, I happen to eat incessantly. As a result, I have put on a lot of weight. This is having a negative effect on my life. So, I have come up with ideas to keep myself busy. For instance, on weekdays, I go to watch movies or just hang out with friends after college. People need to keep themselves busy so that they don’t indulge in activities, which might be harmful in the long run.
—Shweta Singh, management student
City offers many options to kill time
Smoking and drinking have nothing to do with boredom. Those are lifestyle choices. But it might be true that people indulge in harmful habits to get over monotony. I get bored easily and feel the constant need for entertainment. In a city like Mumbai, there is always something to do. Killing boredom isn’t that much of a big deal with the amount of activities the city as to offer. I don’t plan my weekends in advance but like to go with the flow. I’m okay with whatever comes up as long as it is fun.
—Abhijeet Rao, short film director
I’m particular about friend circle
While boredom increases smoking in certain cases, one can’t generalise. I get bored easily and that’s because I relish only a few things. Not too many things in the world inspire me. But I don’t really think of boredom as an issue. I meet up with people to overcome boredom or go watch a game. If there’s no one around then, I watch a show on television or read a book. I usually don’t plan my weekends. At times when required, I make plans so that I can get people on board for a trek or a hike. At those times, my creativity is limited to choosing the company I want and the place where I decide to have a party.
—Rahul Vamshidhar, research and advocacy associate
It depends on job profile and company
I agree with the study, because boredom is something which conjures negative thoughts. In such a scenario, people tend to do things which are either harmful for them because they have company. I don’t get bored easily and the reason for this is my job profile and colleagues keep me occupied and engaged. Certainly a lot depends on the company and job one has, if an individual is happy with daily tasks, then the person won’t get bored easily. I usually prefer to read something or watch classic hits or talk to friends whenever I’m alone. I’m not very outgoing and the reason is I like to spend time at home doing my own things.
—Mayank Sen, corporate adviser
Plan activities in spare time creatively
This study holds true for people living abroad, where the study was conducted. This isn’t just true for youngsters but also for middle-aged people. I agree that people often tend to eat or indulge in drinking or smoking just to kill boredom. Also this alone can lead an individual to commit suicide. Obviously they are limiting their options and not looking at other things that they can indulge in. Boredom creeps in easily into everyone’s life, what is important is how we tackle it. I’m particular and plan my weekends in advance, then even if studies tends to get boring, there is at least something that I’m looking forward to.
—Jignesh Gohil, student
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