(Image via news.columbia.edu) 

Volunteer Writer: Brandon Correia 

Email: icorreia@umassd.edu

We can always be productive when doing a task, but the heavy blanket known as boredom always comes to cover us up and ruin our momentum. Why does this blanket of boredom enfold us so quickly during work moments, and what are some ways to tear it off?  

Ryan Forest, a history major at UMass Dartmouth, has a paper due at the end of the week. He gets all his materials ready to hit the ground running when starting his paper. Ryan’s progress on his paper feels just like a runner, with no obstacles in front of him to stop him. 

Suddenly, a long leg reaches out and trips Ryan. His progress comes to a grinding halt, and Ryan lies there with his face plastered on the ground. He looks up to see who has tripped him and stopped his work on his paper. It was no other than boredom seeking to take all his productivity and motivation on his paper. 

Ted Powers, a psychology professor at UMass Dartmouth, says that people who are motivated are more likely to finish goals. If they lack motivation, they will begin to be bored. 

Here are some tips that should provide ways to deal with boredom. 

“As an art student, I tend to switch to a different project that I need to work on and come back later with a fresh set of eyes,” says Mason Gomes, senior graphic design major. 

The first way to combat boredom while doing a task is to split your huge task into little segments of work. People look at tasks and try to complete them in one big sitting. Doing this will not only get you bored but also cause you to lose motivation to complete the assignment.

People need to look at problems such as small hills rather than humongous mountains. This will allow someone to maintain focus and avoid continuous roadblocks when working.  

“Most assignments I do usually take a lot of time out of my day, so when I start to feel tired, lose focus, or start to get bored with my work, I turn on a minigame on my laptop and play for about five to ten minutes to give myself time away from work,” describes sophomore, Computer Science major, Hafeez Liad.

Remember to take breaks while working on an assignment. Breaks from work can allow you to breathe, unwind, and think of new strategies for tackling your endeavor, leaving you ready to refocus.

You might have a spot in your house, apartment, or an old rickety park bench that you like to stay and work at. But sometimes, it’s good to change locations occasionally to stimulate a fresh mindset. 

People tend to get the same haircut that they like because it suits them and they love the style. When they’ve had it for too long and get bored of it, they get a new style and feel brand new. 

If you change areas while doing work, it can give you a new look into what you’re doing, and you are less likely to be caught off guard when looking at stuff you usually look at. 

Since you know how boredom affects people, you can utilize these tips to combat it.