This is not going to be a leadership post. We are giving that a rest today. Instead, we are doing some good old-fashioned, out-loud, normal-life thinking.
I have, at the moment, deactivated most of my social media accounts and gone into hibernation on LinkedIn. Awww! And Netflix? That one was hard. Very hard.
But here we are.
And it has got me thinking about something I haven’t given much thought to before: What would life look like if I deliberately made room for a little more boredom?
More Boredom, Please
One of the things I have been wondering is what I would actually do with my time if I didn’t have things to scroll through or shows to binge-watch.
What would I do with my evenings and weekends? What would I do while sitting at reception waiting to be served? How would I occupy myself during those little pockets of time when there is absolutely nothing demanding my attention?
I wish I had all the answers. I don’t. Not yet.
But I am beginning to discover a few things.
For starters, here I am, showing up to write this article. I have also been visiting my small piece of land more often. I am planning to turn it into a little haven, and I find myself going there just to check on the trees we have planted. Sometimes I simply go to see how they are doing. Other times, I fill up the car with more trees and head there to add to the growing collection.
Nothing particularly exciting. Just trees, fresh air and the occasional reminder that plants do not grow faster because you keep checking on them. I am learning patience, apparently.
I am also sitting still a little more. Just contemplating. Journalling more. Doing a bit of Sudoku.
And, awww, since we are confessing, I have been using YouTube a little more and checking WhatsApp updates.
I know. I haven’t exactly gone off-grid.
But I have gained so much time from eliminating the other platforms that I don’t currently feel these two are a threat. I will, however, keep tabs on them and let you know how that experiment goes.
What I am beginning to appreciate is that not every empty moment needs to be filled. Sometimes you can just sit. You don’t have to listen to a podcast, catch up on the news, watch a video or find something interesting to read.
You can simply exist for a few minutes.
And perhaps that is something many of us need to relearn.
We have become so accustomed to having something available to entertain us that even waiting for five minutes can feel like an inconvenience. Reach for the phone. Open an app. Scroll. Repeat.
What if we allowed ourselves to be bored instead?
What if we gave our minds a little room to wander, follow an unfinished thought or stumble upon an interest we had forgotten about?
I am curious to see what I discover.
A Cleanse and a Restart
I have been thinking quite a bit about what I want the second half of my life to look like. I am just two years shy of my 40s, assuming I will be blessed with a few more decades to enjoy this adventure called life.
And I find myself asking different questions.
What do I want to spend my time doing? What interests have I never explored? What hobbies would I enjoy if I actually gave them a chance? What kind of life would I like to build, beyond the responsibilities and routines that currently occupy my days?
Part of why I am removing things that consume my time but offer little or no value is to create room for what I am yet to discover.
I want to explore interests and hobbies. I want to experiment with things without necessarily needing them to become productive, profitable or impressive additions to my CV.
That last part is important.
Somewhere along the way, we seem to have developed the habit of turning almost everything into an opportunity for productivity. You take up a hobby, and before long, you are thinking about monetising it. You start exercising, and suddenly you need a fitness target. You read a book, and now you must extract five lessons and share them on LinkedIn.
Can we just enjoy some things?
Tell you what, even my decision to train in life coaching was part of this broader exploration. I found myself wondering what other career paths I could take on. What else could I learn? What other versions of myself could I discover?
It wasn’t necessarily about abandoning what I had already built. It was about being curious enough to explore what else was possible.
And I think there is something beautiful about allowing yourself that freedom, especially as you get older.
We spend so much of our earlier years building careers, establishing ourselves, meeting expectations and taking on responsibilities. There is nothing wrong with that. But at some point, it is worth pausing to ask whether the life we have built still leaves room for the life we would like to experience.
Perhaps a cleanse and restart is not always about making dramatic changes. Sometimes it begins with simply creating enough quiet to hear yourself think.
Instead of Adding, Try Subtracting
Most of us get excited about new things. We make plans, set goals and enthusiastically add more items to our to-do lists.
New hobby? Add it.
New business idea? Add it.
New fitness routine? Add it.
New course? Sign up!
Before long, our calendars are bursting at the seams, and we are wondering why we never seem to have enough time.
My challenge to you, which is also a challenge to myself, is this:
What do you need to subtract to create room for what you want to add?
And I don’t just mean deleting a few apps from your phone.
Sometimes subtraction can look like letting go of certain friendships that no longer serve you. It could mean leaving a job that has run its course, disappointing a few people by saying no, or releasing obligations you have carried for years simply because you have always been the person who takes care of them.
It could even mean letting go of a business, a marriage or a particular version of yourself that you have outgrown.
Of course, these are not small decisions. Some require careful thought, difficult conversations and, in certain circumstances, professional advice. I am not suggesting that you wake up tomorrow and resign, terminate every friendship and announce that you are starting a new life. Please don’t blame me for the family WhatsApp drama!
What I am making a case for is intentional subtraction.
Don’t keep pouring into a full cup.
First, take some time to examine what is already occupying your space. What do you no longer need? What are you holding on to out of habit, guilt, obligation or fear? What consumes your time, energy and attention without adding much value to your life?
And this applies beyond our schedules.
Look at your emotional, spiritual and physical spaces too.
Are there old disappointments you keep revisiting? Commitments you resent? Habits you know are not serving you? Physical clutter you have been meaning to clear?
I mean, why are you buying more supplements when your cabinet is already full of supplements you haven’t taken for months?
Perhaps the next big improvement in your life isn’t another purchase, another commitment or another goal. Perhaps it is finally using, enjoying or letting go of what you already have.
Before you add something new, take inventory.
You might be surprised by how much room you can create simply by removing what no longer belongs.
And Yes, Even This Blog Is Getting a Cleanse
This blog has not been spared from the introspection.
When I started writing, my intention was quite simple. I wanted a space to share life experiences, the things I was going through and the things people around me were navigating. I wanted to explore these experiences and research better ways of understanding and dealing with them.
It was a space for ordinary life conversations.
Somewhere along the way, the “you need to become a coach with a niche” fever caught up with me.
And, being a technical professional, it seemed only sensible to focus on technical leadership. It was a natural fit with my professional experience, and I don’t mind writing about it.
But if I am being completely honest, I don’t love it.
I have enjoyed exploring leadership topics and sharing lessons from my professional experience. But I also miss the freedom of writing about life without having to fit everything into a particular niche or professional identity.
Sometimes I just want to write about something because it has been on my mind.
Sometimes I want to explore a random life question, share an observation, talk about an experience or research something that has absolutely nothing to do with project management, leadership or coaching.
And I think that is perfectly fine.
So, consider this a little heads-up. One of these days, you might come here and find things looking a little different.
I am thinking of returning to the original reason I was passionate about starting this blog. A space for exploring life, personal experiences, interests, relationships, habits, growth and all the other things that make us human.
I am not necessarily saying that leadership content is gone forever. I am simply giving myself permission not to be boxed into it.
After all, I now have a little more time on my hands. Lol.
And apparently, quite a lot of thoughts to get through.
So, expect a few random conversations around here. We shall see where they take us.
Final Thoughts: What Would You Do With More Free Time?
I suppose this little experiment is teaching me that creating a more fulfilling life isn’t necessarily about doing more.
Sometimes it is about doing less.
Less scrolling. Less mindless consumption. Fewer obligations that don’t align with what matters to us. Less pressure to turn every interest into a project or every experience into something productive.
And then, perhaps, more time to explore. More time to think. More time to nurture friendships, enjoy hobbies, visit places, plant trees, read books or simply sit somewhere and do absolutely nothing.
I am still figuring out what that looks like for me. I haven’t discovered all the hobbies I want to pursue, and I haven’t mastered the art of being bored. Netflix may still be plotting its return.
But I am enjoying the process of creating the space.
So, I am curious about you.
What do you do with your free time when you are not working, scrolling through social media or watching television?
Have you discovered any hobbies or activities that genuinely bring you joy? And is there something you have always wanted to explore but never seem to find the time for?
I would love to hear about it. Perhaps you will give me an idea or two for my newly reclaimed evenings and weekends.
More boredom, please. Let’s see what grows from it.
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