Be aware that you are more prone to boredom than others might be. This means that you are more likely to find things boring, you need more activity, are more easily distracted and find it difficult to cope with routine/boring work.
Like any job, school will always have elements that are less exciting than others. Because you now know how boredom prone you are, you can take action to try to cope better with the more boring parts of your school life.
You find lots of things at school boring. In your action plan you will find lots of ways to reduce your boredom and help keep you interested.
Action Plan
Try to participate in class discussions or class activities – being an active participant will help you find the material more interesting
Try to find something relevant about the material to your future career, or to your life, or to something you are interested in.
Get enough sleep so you don’t feel tired as this makes you more prone to boredom.
Be sure to ask for help if you don’t understand anything – there is nothing more boredom-inducing than being told stuff that is lost on you!
Try not to miss lessons as you will fall behind or miss important information – which will make the lessons all the more boring!
Don’t watch the clock – this makes time appear to go slower!
Doodling can help concentration – but check with your teacher first.
If you are distracted by worries or concerns that mean your mind is wandering, try making a note of your distractions so you can come back to them later at a more appropriate time).
Keep a daydreaming diary; for each lesson, every time your mind wanders, make a mark in a box. Becoming aware of when you daydream can help you stay focussed.
Remember that you will be bored sometimes at school. You will be bored sometimes when you have a job – sometimes you will be bored with your friends or even at a party! That’s life, and it isn’t necessarily a bad thing – unless you are bored a lot of the time.
Go back to Module 1 to re-examine your motivation about school; reminding yourself of the long-term goals can help with current boredom. For example, reminding yourself that you are doing this to make your life better in the future can be very motivating and that in itself can reduce your feelings of boredom.
Now think of ways, with your mentor, of making the boring things more bearable. For example:
- Could I participate more/ask questions?
- Could I doodle?
- Could I reward myself for getting through a boring lesson?
- Could I read around a topic to make it more interesting?
- Do I need help with a topic?
- Can I ask for more interactive material? (Your teacher is aware of your doing this project so should allow you to ask for such things)
Now think of ways, with your mentor, of making the boring things more bearable. For example:
- Could I participate more/ask questions?
- Could I doodle?
- Could I reward myself for getting through a boring lesson?
- Could I read around a topic to make it more interesting?
- Do I need help with a topic?
- Can I ask for more interactive material? (Your teacher is aware of your doing this project so should allow you to ask for such things)
