How to beat the boredom of the Weekends.

[Akashic_Librarian]

This is a recurring problem for me. Every weekend I just have nothing to do besides school work and my job in the evenings. And now I have even managed to start doing my school work just have to waking up so from about 8 -9am onwards, I have nothing to do until about 3:30pm.

Anyone got any suggestions??

[Konini]

I used to have that problem in boarding school. Are you cooped up somewhere, or are you free to move around. I take you have some pocket money from your job? If not take a second one!

I learnt something very useful from a diamond mine in the desert. Every month they scheduled a "public holiday". Each employee had a three day weekend for them to leave the mine and go shopping (in the neighbouring country). I decide to introduce that for my own staff. Except we had a four day weekend. They took theirs on the last weekend of the month - so they had an 18 day working month. The idea was they would finish a month's work and dump it on me and they could vanish for a long weekend and do all those jobs that pile up: the dentist, getting the car fixed etc. I reviewed their work that weekend and once all the monthly stuff was done (accounts etc) took my four day weekend.

So, you may not be able to take 4 day weekends, but the trick is to block out time for things that you want to do and protect that time ferociously. You will work better as well.

If you are a student you should be seriously considering trying out each of the following and having them as a life's activity:
a group sport
a solo sport
dancing (it is sociable and portable if you move somewhere that does not have facilities for your favourite sport)
an individual cultural activity
a group cultural activity (like bridge or music)
a lifestyle activity like cooking or woodwork
a service activity which might be linked to one of the above but might also be mentoring someone younger or spending time with someone older
something religious or soulful like reading poetry or reading good books or listening to good music thoughtfully
your own family
and expanding your network of friends also with a view of finding a life partner

Add them in one by one and you will soon be working 4 hours a month because you have to be that efficient to have a full life! And be like that diamond mine. Plan your recreation first and fit your work around it.

I did notice that I could take that attitude more easily than my younger colleagues. And since I've had to live in a quasi-refugee state during the last 5 years, it has been harder. This is one of the spiral things common in personal development. You need to feel control to spend time on recreation and when you spend time on recreation, you feel more in control.

I recommend Plan, play and progress in every area of life - Inpowr as a useful recording tool to help you get started. Mindtools also have a goal setting system on a database. If you are any good at Access, you can build one yourself pretty easily. I could also send you a blank copy of mine to get you started.

Thanks for posting. Time for me to stop thinking like a refugee and putting the important pieces of my life back into the jigsaw puzzle. Yes, long overdue.

[Akashic_Librarian]

Wow thats really great thank you. I think I do need a hobby, I used to like Warhammer 40k, I might get back into that in the next few weeks, we will see.

[Brutha]

Ask yourself what you want to do in ten years. Public knowledge is that it takes ten years to become an expert.
Do something that builds those skills that are required in that field.
In the past you said that you want to become a leader
Solo activity's that could help you with that part are:
1) Start a blog.
Put complex thoughts into writing. It's an important skill to develop.
2) Read good books. Either fiction or nonfiction. It helps you to think abstractly.
Useful group activitys would be something were you can learn public speaking.
Maybe a debating club? A theater play? A toastmasters club?

It's not the talent that deterimens whether you will become a good leader but the amount of time that you invest in developing skills.

If you don't excercise on a regular basis I would also look into taking up a sport (dancing would also work) to excercise your body.

At least that are the suggestions that I would give a youger me at your age

[Akashic_Librarian]

Thanks Brutha. Not two minutes ago I was deciding with myself to go the gym about three times a week, Mondays, thursdays and Fridays, because my school has a gym attached and its free for students to use. So thanks for the reassurance.

[Jcs]

I too have way to much time on my hands...

Originally Posted by Konini

I used to have that problem in boarding school. Are you cooped up somewhere, or are you free to move around. I take you have some pocket money from your job? If not take a second one!

Free to move around, decent money.

So, you may not be able to take 4 day weekends, but the trick is to block out time for things that you want to do and protect that time ferociously. You will work better as well.

I work 3 days a week so I kinda have a 4 day weekend every week!

If you are a student you should be seriously considering trying out each of the following and having them as a life's activity:
a group sport
a solo sport
dancing (it is sociable and portable if you move somewhere that does not have facilities for your favourite sport)
an individual cultural activity
a group cultural activity (like bridge or music)
a lifestyle activity like cooking or woodwork
a service activity which might be linked to one of the above but might also be mentoring someone younger or spending time with someone older
something religious or soulful like reading poetry or reading good books or listening to good music thoughtfully
your own family
and expanding your network of friends also with a view of finding a life partner

I've tried out about a dozen sports, piano lessons, photography courses, writing, gaming...

Everything I do just bores the heck out of me really quick.

Originally Posted by Brutha

Ask yourself what you want to do in ten years. Public knowledge is that it takes ten years to become an expert.

Seriously, no idea. Nothing I'm passionate about. Been listing to a few of Tony Robbins tapes. All that 'the past doesn't equal the future' & 'that you failed before doesn't mean you'll fail again' etc.. that is a nice view, I like that. Only there is nothing I can fail at! I desperately want to try something new but I don't enjoy anything :s

If you don't excercise on a regular basis I would also look into taking up a sport (dancing would also work) to excercise your body.

Done that. Could not find any reason to continue after 3 months though.

More Scrubs ftl...

[Brutha]

Seriously, no idea. Nothing I'm passionate about. Been listing to a few of Tony Robbins tapes. All that 'the past doesn't equal the future' & 'that you failed before doesn't mean you'll fail again' etc.. that is a nice view, I like that. Only there is nothing I can fail at! I desperately want to try something new but I don't enjoy anything :s

At the end of each day, write down three good things that happend the day. At the beginning it might be difficult, but with practice you will become better at spotting good things.

[Jcs]

The day has pretty much ended (for me at-least) so here it goes.

• Motivated enough to actually make good progress on a website project that's been collecting dust for 2 years.
• Deleted all characters I had on World of Warcraft. If I'm gonna start playing again its gonna be on a different server, away from everything thats build up the last 2 years.
• I write these things down?

The reasons I want to finish the website;

• Its a really good concept (friend thought of it though, both working on it).
• After starting playing with the idea 2 years ago I *must* finish it!
• When its actually finished I can enjoy the finish site or 'product' if you will.
• If it turns about to be enjoyable then possibly earn some money out of it.

To much If's, When's and Possibly's there...

On another note, I went trough this article;
http://*************/blog/2006/07/ho...ou-love-to-do/ (hm, for some reason the link gets censored, black listed?)

So here I go.

Step 1: You WILL find the answer. No doubt. Ok!
Step 2: Make a list of your skills and interests in two columns and WRITE THEM DOWN

Can't really do column here as on paper, so I'll just do it one by one.

Skills

• Programming
• Webdesign / coding
• Listening
• Snowboarding (not *that* skilled though)
• When motivated enough I can be dedicated 200%

Interests

• Nightlife
• Music events (i.e. roadie, doing the lightshow etc)
• Writing
• Girls
• Dubstep (music)
• Quality (customer) support. As it is sometimes impossible to do so due to weird company policies.
• Apple
• Innovative products / design (relates to Apple)
• Drawing
• Reading
• Electronics (multi-touch interfaces, microcontrollers etc)
• Being known for 'impressive' things

Step 3: Set aside some TRUE alone time with no distractions to focus and figure out what you love to do by asking yourself the right questions.
I have honestly spend so much time doing this.

What would I love to do on a daily basis utilizing both my skills and interests that will add significant value to people?
Okay. This is the part where I cross my entire 'interest' list. They are interests, not something I'd like to do on a daily and most not even on a weekly basis.

Probably can think of a billion things that are valuable to other people but that I would not love to do. I've tried a lot of things which eventually got really boring or I could not be arsed to keep at it.

There must be something!

Nngh, sigh. Frustrating -.-. At the moment I just feel like getting laid. Hey, at least I'm honest I guess.

[Kryptik]

I usually have a problem getting bored on weekends too.

I would find several things to do on weekends that are hard to fit in anywhere else, they're fun to do when you don't have anything more pressing to do.

For example, I want to be a police officer. So, my weekends are filled with practicing defensive tactics (which reminds me, taking up something like martial arts or parkour would be a great use of time), tracking prints in the woods, etc. Sundays I usually set aside for my weekly review (I'm starting in GTD).

So, pretty much, find things you're interested in and find ways to do those things in the weekends.

[Brutha]

I write these things down?

Yes, but there are many things that you might find good in your private life that you might not want to share publically on a forum like this.
It doesn't have to be big level actions. It's enough when you feel good about them. They might also be experiences happend through the actions of other people of luck and that you enjoyed.

http://*************/blog/2006/07/ho...ou-love-to-do/

The blogger in question, probably tired to spam our forum some time ago.

[LawofAttractionHandbook]

I find the best way to conquer boredom is to set a big goal. So any free time you have, you'll be working towards that goal. It will excite you, fill you up with positive energy and make you feel great. I'm sure there's something you can do. Give it some thought.

[Jcs]

Originally Posted by Brutha

Yes, but there are many things that you might find good in your private life that you might not want to share publically on a forum like this.
It doesn't have to be big level actions. It's enough when you feel good about them. They might also be experiences happend through the actions of other people of luck and that you enjoyed.

If there is something I would definitely write it down. Posted my whole life story already . Nothing really interesting happened today. Adding some to interest list; breakdance (lessons?), processing.org, ruby/rails/ajax.

Originally Posted by LawofAttractionHandbook

I find the best way to conquer boredom is to set a big goal. So any free time you have, you'll be working towards that goal. It will excite you, fill you up with positive energy and make you feel great. I'm sure there's something you can do. Give it some thought.

I have this sometimes only the initial motivation can/usually does evaporate within one hour-one week.