Dealing with Mindfulness and Boredom at work

[aly4519]

Hello! I regularly have tasks at work that just aren't interesting, and frankly there's no way to make them interesting.

In the attempt to practice mindfulness and focus on the senses, I can't then focus on the actual work!

Any thoughts?

[JonW]

I've thought long and hard about this question but have no answer. I can't remember ever feeling bored.
Anyone?
Jon

[MiM]

Hi Aly,

What kind of tasks are they? What if you change your focus in the mindfulness practice and focus deeply on your work, instead of your senses?

[JonW]

'What if you change your focus in the mindfulness practice and focus deeply on your work, instead of your senses?'
Great question.

[aly4519]

Hi Aly,

What kind of tasks are they? What if you change your focus in the mindfulness practice and focus deeply on your work, instead of your senses?

HI there, often, very boring repetitive tasks. Where everything is the same in putting together a letter except for the date may change as well as a few other things.

Don't get me wrong. There are still lot of interesting parts of the job too!

[JonW]

'...very boring repetitive tasks.'

Cleaning the house is repetitive but it doesn't need to be boring. Something is boring only if we choose to believe it is. Accept that these tasks need to be done, rather than thinking you'd sooner to doing something more interesting. If there is resistance to doing the task, then cultivate the intention to be curious about that resistance. We do the same in formal meditation. You might find yourself thinking, 'This meditation is boring. I'd sooner be out with my friends, having fun.' BE with that.
Performing repetitive tasks is unavoidable in life. Accept that. Refuse to buy into the idea that life should constantly be stimulating.
Practice, as ever, is key.
Best,
Jon

[Sylviarippl]

Very well said life is full of repetetive tasks and I do have the same at my work, the best is to accept that tasks sometimes must be finished and not always cherished. What JonW says is so well said. Thank you

[Deborah1]

Hi

When I was doing my mindfulness course our teacher said that she always found ironing boring. She decided to become curious about where it was made, thinking about who made it, it's journey to this country etc. I can't say what's right but what she said made sense.

Deb

[Rajsama]

Hi,
There are several points to be re-learnt here about how you understand mindfulness.
1) Mindfulness simply put is about being present. To be present in the current moment, one has to be fully awake and employ the senses. Although it seems pretty simple it can get quite boring to many people for the simple fact that most of the daily life activites are routine and boring. however it would be funny to expect things to be interesting to practice mindfulness as the mind would be encapsulated fully by anything that it perceives to be interesting. no special effort is necessary in such a case.

Hence the biggest hurdle in practicing mindfulness is the superficial understanding of mindfulness. while mindfulness is mostly propogated as a technique to improve the quality of work and harness the powers of the mind, one grossly ignores the spiritual nature of the practice. ONE HAS TO PONDER OVER WHY ONE HAS TO BE AWAKE AND FULLY PRESENT IN THE PRESENT. several books have been written about the significance of the present but very few realise the divine importance of the present moment and how the very faint idea of the past or far future (leave alone browsing in time) can seriously undermine the evolving nature of the mind.
Hence, you should stop expecting your daily tasks to be interesting to practice mindfulness as it comes naturally in activites that are interesting. mindfulness is warranted in matters that are least interesting. You can practice mindfulness with an intent to be mere witness without any expectations but to be fully present in the present moment. you can achieve this if you can practice meditaton for atleast 30 mins in the morning while obseving your breath/thoughts without judgement. this brings out the inner power in you which gives you self fulfilling contentment in you that gives you the ability to indulge in activites fully without expecting entertainment.

[JonW]

'Hence the biggest hurdle in practicing mindfulness is the superficial understanding of mindfulness. while mindfulness is mostly propogated as a technique to improve the quality of work and harness the powers of the mind, one grossly ignores the spiritual nature of the practice.'

Not so. Mindfulness is rarely propogated as a technique to improve the quality of work and harness the powers of the mind. Also, it can easily practiced without any spiritual dimension to it. With rare exceptions, it is taught as a purely secular practice these days in order to be all-inclusive.
Jon