@Ramya
Ramya V
@Ramya · 1:34

#AskAnExpert | How to hack boredom to become more creative? Ask coach & author Neera Maini Srivastav

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I mean, I was mind blown when I read that, but to be honest, I am among the vast bunch of people who actually feel like they have occupy themselves doing something in order to not lose their minds from getting bored. So, yes, I think your book is very relevant to the times that we are in. Could you tell us what sparked the idea for a book around hacking boredom?

#authorinterview #askanauthor

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@bookerprize
neera Srivastav
@bookerprize · 4:45
And that monotony, I think, kept building up, right, over time. And it was a long two years, which did a whole lot to a whole lot of people. There was huge loss of life, of course, and also there was this sense of what now? People had plunged themselves into despair, even the ones who didn't lose lives or didn't go through it themselves, the suffering was on a different level altogether
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@Ramya
Ramya V
@Ramya · 0:46
Was very, very interesting. Thank you for that. You know what? I think even the world around us is built to protect us from boredom. In a 2013 BBC report, it was found that those buttons that we see at pedestrian crossings across the UK serve no better purpose other than simply giving people something to, you know, fidget with. And in May remand's 2017 book, she writes that the closed door buttons that we see in lifts are simply there to help people pass the time
@Swell
Swell Team
@Swell · 0:15

Welcome to Swell!

@bookerprize
neera Srivastav
@bookerprize · 5:00

@Ramya

And in fact, one study of teenagers also found that those with very strong interests had significantly higher self esteem and an overall sense of well being far higher than bored ones. So, yeah, I mean, boredom is that actual low life state, which for me is for me, bottom is really that cuff on the one side, it could really plunge you deeper into an absolute depressive state of being on the other side
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@Ramya
Ramya V
@Ramya · 0:44
Thanks. Thank you for that. Nira. We are living through times where we are swiping and scrolling our boredom away. We listen to music while walking or working out we scroll through instagram while we wait in queues and dive into a book or a magazine when a five minute window in our day opens up with nothing to do and has to be for. So there's rarely a moment when our brains are not subject to some form of external stimulus
@bookerprize
neera Srivastav
@bookerprize · 4:07

@Ramya

Which is why, and I keep repeating myself, that mindfulness tools like meditation or nature walks or any creative or artistic pursuit, be it music, be it art, or be it writing or anything creative, right? It leads us back to our connection with ourselves. And that is really potent. So it's not really always necessary to do something external to deal with boredom. In fact, I call the bored moments the pregnant pauses, right? Because they are actually great creator triggers
@Ramya
Ramya V
@Ramya · 0:27
Nira. You're a creative director, a communication specialist, an author, a screenwriter, an educator and a mindfulness coach. You are someone who has donned several hats and continue to successfully juggle between multiple roles. How has your writing been influenced by your experiences across these diverse areas of interest?
@bookerprize
neera Srivastav
@bookerprize · 5:00

@Ramya

So I feel that has been my greatest strength, which actually flowed into every form of writing, every format, and it continues to do so. So I find perspective spotting is a gift for any writer. The moment you can shift perspective to something which already exists and give the world a new way to look at the same thing, then that's an AHA moment for me. Coming to cinema
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@Ramya
Ramya V
@Ramya · 0:35

Hack the Boredom Code https://amzn.eu/d/j9koNuM

Thank you so much, Nira, for this great conversation. I really appreciate your taking the time out for the interview and I wish you the very best with your book. As for our listeners, please do check out Nira's book. I've added the Amazon link here. For those of you interested in knowing more. You got a question for Nira, please feel free to leave them here at the reply and I'm sure she'll be happy to take them on
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