Restless and easily bored. Advice please?

allkosong SG

Hi there -

I get bored easily and is always restless. What is the cause of restlessness and boredom? What should I do to feel less this way? Kindly advise.

Thank you.

winsomeea SG

restlessness is one symptom of ADHD.

Probably u are bored with life or you have too much time to waste

An Eternal Now SG

ADHD could be one reason. But actually 'getting restless and getting bored' is a very common thing - everyone has that, so I don't think a special reason is needed.

I have two suggestion:

1) Borrow or buy The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, read it and practice it

2) Do regular meditation - best if can 30-45 minutes a day. Just mindfulness of breathing will do.

AngelOfDarkness SG

Pick up reading as a hobby and you’ll no longer be bored. Very Happy

Dharmadhatu SG

ADHD could be one reason. But actually 'getting restless and getting bored' is a very common thing - everyone has that, so I don't think a special reason is needed.

I have two suggestion:

1) Borrow or buy The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, read it and practice it

2) Do regular meditation - best if can 30-45 minutes a day. Just mindfulness of breathing will do.

Do you still get bored after realisation? As boredom should be one of the emotions that is attenuated.

Dharmadhatu SG

Hi there -

I get bored easily and is always restless. What is the cause of restlessness and boredom? What should I do to feel less this way? Kindly advise.

Thank you.

Apart from AEN's suggestion, my experience with boredom is that you can also do something meaningful with your life apart from focussing on your own needs. Like do something that can help others. Like if your family or friends have problems, you can try to help them, lend a listening ear, be more concerned etc. But don't limit yourself to any one person or group. Open yourself up to everyone, including animals.

You can also try feeding animals, going out into nature for walks etc. This will ease your mood.

Mainly to break out of the cycle of self-concern by doing something for others based on your own skill-set.

An Eternal Now SG

Do you still get bored after realisation? As boredom should be one of the emotions that is attenuated.

I don't really feel boredom but I can't say if I won't if I am put in a no-mans-land for a few years. As I said, latent tendencies could be very deep. I never said I am an arhat or a Buddha.

Anyway I still plan where to go out with my friends on weekends. I don't want to stay at home everyday (that'd be too boring or uninteresting!) So un-arhat-like... haha

But boredom just don't possess my mind nowadays and I'm also ok with just sitting with nothing to do.

As on the other hand, every moment of aliveness, intensity of luminosity as the shapes and sounds and colours is just too wonderful and fascinating for you to ever get bored.

allkosong SG

ADHD could be one reason. But actually 'getting restless and getting bored' is a very common thing - everyone has that, so I don't think a special reason is needed.

I have two suggestion:

1) Borrow or buy The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, read it and practice it

2) Do regular meditation - best if can 30-45 minutes a day. Just mindfulness of breathing will do.

Thank you, AEN.

1) I will check out the book. From some of Tolle's videos, I noticed that a lot of his ideas are based on Buddhism though and I am not comfortable how he has "exploited" it (and usually without acknowledgement) for commercial purposes. What is your opinion on this?

2) I do walking meditation regularly for 10 minutes, trying to increase that to 15. My mind is too restless to meditate more than that and too restless for sitting meditation. Is walking meditation good enough?

allkosong SG

You can also try feeding animals, going out into nature for walks etc. This will ease your mood.

Mainly to break out of the cycle of self-concern by doing something for others based on your own skill-set.

Good advice, thank you, Dharmadhatu.

allkosong SG

Pick up reading as a hobby and you’ll no longer be bored. Very Happy

How true. I do like to read. Thanks for the reminder, AngelOfDarkness.

An Eternal Now SG

Thank you, AEN.

1) Tolle is not Buddhism. But his practice is good and leads to genuine spiritual experience. Next time if you experience what he realized, I will tell you what's the difference with Buddhism. Yes, I don't like his overly commercialized stuff, so I wouldn't recommend you to sign up for his expensive things. Just his books will do. There are also free online Oprah course with Eckhart Tolle.

2) Try to do both sitting and walking meditation. Both are a little different and both are good and helpful. If you are able to overcome the initial hurdle in sitting meditation, you will experience very deep tranquility - the initial part is the hardest and you just have to sit through it with strong perserverance. When you experience tranquilization of mind and body, it becomes very easy and joyful.