When My Mind Hits Idleness...

The human mind is very powerful and it influence on us as individuals can't be underestimated. It has the ability to keep us going but once it becomes idle, it can be an issue for those who aren't used to the mind's idleness.

Several times, I have found myself in an idle state, and it's usually not the best of time for someone who loves being active. I always have a lot of things to do daily, and anyone should think someone like me can't be idle or bored, but somehow, I just find myself there like every other person. Before now, I always thought of that idle time as an opportunity to rest, but the things that play in my mind at the time won't give me room to relax.

It's really annoying how my mind roams around in the wrong direction once I hit idleness. I always call myself to order when these silly thoughts start creeping in, but they always find their way back, so getting rid of idleness for me means putting myself back in an active state.

That should be the easiest of things, but it's not always easy, especially when you don't have any compulsory tasks and nothing seems interesting to you. It's so bad that I just want to be alone, and it even pisses my wife off when I complain of idleness and still say no to every suggestion she makes to help me get rid of it.

Tackling idleness/boredom has always been a personal thing, and the most effective way for me is stepping out of my space or wherever I am. It can take as little as just taking a walk, and until that's done, I might be stuck with being inactive for some time.

Praticing mindfulness (paying attention to nature or the things happening around me) while walking helps me get rid of those thoughts, and yes, that is my first step away from idleness. With my mind clear of silly thoughts, I can think of other activities to keep myself busy, and it actually works.

After getting rid of those thoughts, the activities I engage in are things that I enjoy doing always. One of them is gardening, and it's new for me.

Having my mind fixed on gardening has made me dedicate so much time to it lately, and it makes me happy spending time in that small space where I get my veggies. It always looks like there is nothing to do in there, but when I look around, there will definitely be something to do.

Gardening helps me stay active, and it's quite effective because while at it, I get fresh ideas and even the inspiration to try something new in and off my garden.


A lot of people know about my interest in making crafts, and this is another activity that helps me stay active while getting rid of idleness. I always have these ideas already and just swing into action once my head is clear.

Engaging in craft is an activity that requires complete attention, so there is no time for boredom to creep in while at it. The only challenge I have with doing crafts is the availability of materials. Sometimes, I can't access the materials I need, so it becomes impossible to create anything, but once I have my materials in place, I just go on doing my thing.

And finally, giving room for connection or interaction helps as well, but it won't happen until I can get rid of those silly thoughts because they will be interfering, which means a break in the flow of communication.

Finding oneself in an idle state isn't a bad thing since it can be an opportunity for us to grab some rest, but in my case, resting is always an option because of how my mind keeps wandering around at that time. I have my time schedule for rest, and it's not because of idleness, so when I find myself in the state, I try to get active again.

Staying in control of my thoughts is the biggest task, and once that's done, I get active again.

All Image In The Post Are Mine

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4 comments

Staying in control of one's thoughts is a very difficult task to do.. however it's necessary especially when boredom sets in. I like your coping mechanism especially the garden duties.
U should blog about ur garden soon

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You are right, it's very important for us to be in control of our thoughts no matter how difficult it is. I intend blogging about it when I start from scratch again, the plants are growing and dying already.

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Idleness can be overcome with the right mindset and mechanisms and just like you, walking and gardening is one of my way out too.

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That's right boss, we just have to know what works best for us and it's time I start taking some gardening lectures from you.

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When idle your mind gives room for a lot of thoughts, some or should I say most of which are bad or negative.

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It's mostly negative thoughts and that's the annoying thing about idleness... It's important that we handle idleness properly.

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