11 Reasons Why You’re So Bored With Life (And 15 Ways To Change It)

If only we could all be independently wealthy and spend our days doing whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted. Sadly, for most of us, that’s just not the case. The mundanities of the everyday can provide comfort for a lot of people, but for others, they can be a cause of despair. Everyone feels bored with life every once in a while, but if this is your constant reality, it may be time for a change.

Signs you’re bored with life and need a change

1. You lack enthusiasm and motivation. You feel indifferent towards activities that once brought you joy or excitement. Maybe you used to love sewing or reading, but these days you literally can’t be bothered to do either of those things, and when you do, you’re pretty much over it immediately.
2. You never have any energy. You feel lethargic or drained most of the time, even if you’ve slept all night. You constantly wonder if you’ve picked up a bug or if there’s something seriously wrong with you. Chances are, your physical health is likely fine — you’re just bored with life.
3. You avoid going out and being social. When people invite you out, you always say no. You make excuses, claiming you have to get up early for work or you have your period and just don’t feel up to it. In reality, you just can’t imagine going to your local bar and drinking the same drinks, hearing the same music, etc. You’re over it.
4. You’re always procrastinating and never get anything done. You delay tasks and decisions, even if they’re simple or important. You know you shouldn’t put things off, especially when they would only take a few minutes to actually complete, but you can’t help yourself.
5. You’re always daydreaming. While everyone daydreams, excessive daydreaming about a different life or wishing for major changes can be a sign of being bored with life. You’re imagining a life that’s much more exciting or at the very least different.
6. You’re in a routine and you rarely deviate from it. You get up every morning, drink your coffee while checking social media for an hour, go to work, come home and hit the couch, then go to sleep. This is the same routine you have every single day and it never changes. Yep, you’re bored with life.
7. You feel empty and unfulfilled but can’t put your finger on why. Despite having no apparent issues, you feel something is missing in your life. Everything is fine on the surface, but you can’t help like feeling that something is just off.
8. You’re more irritable than usual. Everything and everyone gets on your nerves even though they’re not doing anything wrong. You’re in a constant state of being agitated and highly strung and it sucks. You don’t mean to take your bad mood out on the people you care about, but it happens a lot.
9. You can’t focus on anything like you used to. Your attention span might shorten and you find it difficult to engage in tasks fully. You find your attention span being split, meaning there are loads of jobs left half-done in your life.
10. All you do is complain. This is one of the biggest signs you’re bored with life. Your negative self-talk is becoming out of control and you can hear yourself whining and complaining to your friends and family all the time and just can’t stop yourself. Instead of changing the things you’re unhappy about, you just keep on chugging along…
11. You’re always looking for a distraction. Whether it’s binge-watching TV shows, compulsively checking social media, or taking long naps, you’re always looking for ways to avoid feeling or thinking about your current state. You’re not just bored, you might even be becoming depressed.

Reasons why you might be bored with life

1. You’re stuck in a routine and you’re tired of the monotony. You get up every morning, go to work, come home, make dinner, clean up, shower, stare at your phone, go to bed, and then get up and do the same thing again the next day… and the next… and the next. That’s enough to get to anyone after a while.
2. You’re not being challenged. Having things in life that challenge you and push you to be the best version of yourself is what helps you grow. Maybe your challenge is learning a new language. Or, maybe it’s learning how to cook. It could be that you’re gunning for a promotion at work. Anything that lights a fire under your ass and requires you to think on your feet counts. If you don’t have anything like this in your life, it’s no wonder you’re bored.
3. You lack purpose and/or direction. While it’s normal to feel stuck in a rut from time to time, generally speaking, it’s easy enough to get yourself out. However, when your life lacks purpose and direction as a whole, it can leave you feeling unmotivated and unfulfilled. Everyone needs a “why” — why do you get up in the morning? Why do you keep pushing through every day? This can help provide some inspiration and motivation.
4. You don’t have enough friends. While you probably have a core group of BFFs, everyone is busy and you may not have a lot of time to hang out. That’s why widening your social circle is so great. Sure, you should know how to entertain yourself. However, if you’re bored with life, filling up your social calendar could help.
5. You’re not getting enough exercise. Exercise boosts mood, that’s a fact. Feeling bored with life and having an overwhelming sense of ennui could be at least partially attributed to being a bit lazy. Admittedly, you may think “runner’s high” is a load of BS and absolutely hate most sports. However, there’s no denying that moving your body can work wonders on your emotional state.
6. You have a negative attitude. Attitude really is everything. It’s not easy to be an eternal optimist, and you don’t need to subscribe to the whole toxic positivity thing. However, being a Debbie Downer on a daily basis isn’t going to make you feel any better about life. The ability to look on the bright side will serve you well.
7. You’re not being intellectually stimulated. You don’t have to be academically minded to need mental stimulation. We’re kinda like dogs in that way. If we don’t play games or set up little puzzles for them to solve or teach them new tricks, they get bored. Human beings follow the same pattern.
8. You need a creative outlet. Painting, writing, singing, sewing… creative outlets make us feel content, fulfilled, and calm. If you don’t have that outlet, you may find your frustrations becoming pent-up with no way out.
9. You’re broke. Of course you’re bored with life when you can’t afford to do what you want to because your budget doesn’t allow it. Not having spare cash is limiting in so many ways, especially when it comes to actually living. You can’t go out to eat or to the bar with your friends a lot, travel, buy concert tickets, or do any of the other things that would add variety and fun to your life. And that blows.
10. You don’t feel in control of your own life. If your life is being dictated by an external factor — like, say, a sick family member or trying to finish a degree program — then it can make you feel helpless and yes, kinda bored. While you don’t want to skip out on your responsibilities, you would like to spice up your life, so to speak.
11. There’s no adventure in your life. You don’t have to want to climb Mt. Everest or go skydiving to want a bit of adventure. When the spontaneity, excitement, and intensity that come along with adventure are absent, it’s bound to have an effect on you.

How to find more joy and fulfillment in the everyday

1. Set some new goals and start working towards them. What are some short and long-term goals you’d like to achieve and how can you get there? There’s nothing too small or too big here. Write a list of things you’d like to accomplish in the next year. Next, do another list of five-year goals. Finally, make a list of 10-year goals. Then make concrete plans for how you’ll get there.
2. Try something new every day. It doesn’t matter what it is. It could be something as small as trying a new coffee place on the way to work or using a new machine at the gym. These are small but easy ways to feel less bored with your life.
3. Challenge yourself. How you do that is up to you. If you want to grow, you have to set yourself up for that. Learn a new skill, overcome a fear, and do something that inspires you. You’d be surprised at what a big difference this can make.
4. Try to widen your friend group (or simply strengthen the connections you already have). While you may not have a lot of spare time, you can make time for the people you love. From fringe friends to your ride-or-dies, the people you talk to and hang out with can alleviate a lot of the boredom in your life.
5. Get off your ass and get moving. As I said, exercise is important. If you don’t do any because “you’re tired” or “it’s not your thing,” enough with the excuses. Go find yourself a cute and comfy pair of leggings, find a good workout video on YouTube or use that gym membership you pay $60 a month for but never use, and go get a sweat on.
6. Learn something new. You don’t need to go back to school to learn something new. In fact, it’s basically as simple as picking up a book and reading. Plus, nothing makes you excited about life than soaking up new knowledge like a sponge. There’s so much out there to learn about, so take your pick!
7. Practice gratitude. Admittedly, this can be tough. However, you have so much to be grateful for on a daily basis. Even the fact that you’re lucky enough to wake up every day and get out of bed. How about the fact that you have a job, a roof over your head, clean water to drink and bathe in, and food on your table? I could go on and on, but you get the hint.
8. Think positive. Easier said than done, I know. But real talk: mantras and affirmations can be super helpful. The more you re-train your brain away from negative self-talk, the more it’ll start to stick. Yeah, it sounds like self-help nonsense, but it does actually work.
9. Do something that scares you. Obviously, you need to be smart about this. Don’t put yourself in danger or do something that literally might give you a heart attack. That being said, confronting a fear not only boosts your self-esteem, but it also keeps you from feeling bored with life. How can you be bored when you’re freaking the f**k out?
10. Make sure you have a work-life balance. You’re going to be bored if you literally work 60 hours a week and have no spare time to pursue your own interests. Set some healthy boundaries here and make sure you take time to do you. You are not your job, and your company doesn’t pay you enough to dedicate your life to them.
11. Find meaning in your life. Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to do this, and there’s no instruction manual. How you get there is a uniquely personal journey. However, that’s part of what makes it so rewarding.
12. Take a break sometimes. It’s okay to simply sit with the boredom sometimes. Step back from your everyday routine and just sit there with your own thoughts. Find peace in the nothingness. With practice, this can be a really great way to feel more at peace on a daily basis, regardless of what’s going on (or not).
13. Find something you’re passionate about. It’s nearly impossible to feel bored with life in any meaningful way when you have things you’re passionate about in it. Maybe it’s reading or collecting old stickers or bird-watching. Whatever it is that makes you feel alive and inspired, go with it.
14. Plan a solo trip and go see the world. If it’s financially feasible, planning a trip to a city/country you’ve always wanted to go to can really give your life the shake-up it desperately needs. You don’t need to go for weeks, either. Even a few days away can make all the difference. Plus, it can open your eyes to the potential of the big wide world.
15. Talk to a professional if needed. If you’ve done everything in your power to feel better and it’s still not working, it could be time to consult a professional. There’s no shame in having mental health struggles, and psychiatrists and therapists have the tools to help you.