Anxiety Arises when You Are Bored

Lately, I often feel bored and tired psychologically because routines and busyness have disappeared since the lockdown moments that require me to stay at home. In the morning, wake up, have breakfast, take a shower, start work, and be interspersed with looking at social media, napping, meeting briefly, then having dinner, watching drama, and sleeping again. It’s really very boring. Routines disappeared and helped eliminate the intentions and dreams that I wanted to live in the future. It seems that being sane is already grateful and still being able to be healthy is a valuable thing during this pandemic.

The lockdown that continues to be extended means that the government in my country wants to pursue vaccine numbers to achieve herd immunity so that we can be safe anywhere without fear of the spread of the Corona Virus. Even though I know that the coronavirus will stay in this world forever, we must adapt to the changes that are happening right now. I’m currently trying to find a way to be productive and stay mindful but after a while, I get tired and want to get out of the house for a walk and breathe in the green scent of the countryside.

I’ve been experiencing lately that I keep feeling confused about my future, confused, very tired, and don’t know what to do. I think my productive years at the age of 22–24 years were wasted without the pleasant moments that I should receive at my current age. Productivity also decreased, physically was not fine, headaches appeared, digestive problems to insomnia that I had to feel.

When I realized, I kept overthinking about the future, and then anxiety and depression emerged because I was eliminating the busyness that I had been doing. This busyness actually helps me not to focus too much on the problem or situation I’m facing. The mindfulness lessons I started trying to do a few months ago don’t apply today. Or maybe actually, I’m just tired and need a break, not give up. Acceptance is an iterative process that I have to go through. I have to realize that I can’t control this situation, but I can control myself.

Giving up is not an option (for me), but resting is the answer. When I start to get anxious, I have to distract myself by taking a break or watching something funny to calm my mind. Or maybe avoiding seeing something that worries me. I wouldn’t recommend you just sleep, because I’m not the type of person who sleeps to solve problems (I tend not to sleep because of problems). I wanted to start trying to hand-write my reflections on that day and put all my thoughts, worries, and goals in my handwriting into a book. Later, the book will be a witness to the long process of my life’s journey so far.

I don’t know what solution to give to other people when they feel anxious during this pandemic.

However, I’ll give a suggestion based on my experience:

1. Always take a break if you feel tired and burnout. Avoid multitasking to reduce your stress and focus on one job at a time.
2. Do what you like and don’t limit yourself to the rules of this world. No need to be afraid of fat, buy your favorite food. No need to be ashamed of your writing, start writing on a blog. The world is too big for you who are shy.
3. Accept this condition because you cannot change this situation. Find other things you need to do in your spare time, and keep yourself busy by doing things you enjoy, such as yoga, watching dramas, or calling your friends on the phone.
4. Begin to write a brief reflection of yourself on that day in a book. You will be surprised when you reread sometime in the future that you have made it through such a long process.
5. Avoid watching or doing anything that makes you more anxious. When your anxiousness is emerging, forget about your targets and start living your life like running water. Thinking about something that hasn’t happened in your spare time is just an idea without execution and only makes you more anxious.

This pandemic is not easy for all of us, we all need time to accept, then survive. Everyone is feeling frustrated and upset right now. You don’t have to be the one to fail the most, because you have to delay your goals. This world has its own time for you and you just have to be patient to wait until that time comes.