Less Distraction, More Satisfaction

[By Samantha Fraley]

When we have too much on our minds, we do anything we can to distract ourselves. But life amid the COVID-19 pandemic has put more stress on everybody and taken away all our favorite things to do. So, what now? We spend our free time at home avoiding the unforgiving weather and viruses, scrolling down the endless social media feed and eventually succumbing to our boredom, but it doesn’t have to be like this.

STEP 1, UNPLUG. Digital distraction kills creativity. You don’t have to pull every cord out of its socket but stop relying on technology to satisfy your boredom. Binge watching a good show or playing a video game may be entertaining, but in no way, shape or form is it fulfilling.

STEP 2, GET READY for the day (or night). It doesn’t matter if it’s 7 a.m. or 5 p.m. Finding motivation begins with simply getting started. Wash your face, put on your favorite outfit and do whatever it takes to make yourself feel better.

STEP 3, ORGANIZE with a to-do list. This list focuses on the mundane tasks in your life. Start with your biggest headache — for example, mine would be maintaining the house as a working-mom. The trick is to reframe your to-do's as a set of miniature goals. Making a weekly chore list and sticking with it will make life a little less overwhelming, AND the best part about making a list is the satisfaction of checking it off!

STEP 4, SHIFT YOUR MINDSET from work to play. Now that you’ve released a weight of responsibilities off your mind, this next list focuses on what inspires you. Write down the things you loved to do as a child, simple pleasures that make you happy or skills you’d like to learn. Tapping into your creative side is all you need to figure out what to do next.

My grandmother taught me an important lesson on being bored — it’s all in your head. There is always something to do, but we’ve become so comfortable with escaping reality that we forgot how to productively entertain ourselves at home. So, the next time you find yourself “bored,” free yourself and the rest will follow.