Children’s Librarian Erin Streeter creates shadows during the Leap into Science series at the Warsaw Community Public Library. Photo provided by library staff.

By Melissa Chapman
Cataloging Supervisor

Have you been bored this month? July is considered National Anti-Boredom Month. Sometimes it’s not that you are necessarily bored, but maybe you aren’t thinking of ways to use your time sufficiently. Boredom is subjective to the individual. There are people who are content with staying in bed all day and they’ll never get bored, but others have to get out. During Anti-Boredom Month, you are encouraged to find out what makes you bored and to find ways to stop the boredom.

Finding creative and healthy ways to beat boredom will improve our everyday lives. Once you’ve identified your causes, approach boredom with a set of positive challenges or stimuli to keep it at bay.

What are some ways to beat boredom? Take some time to learn something new, take a cooking class, learn how to draw, write a story or teach yourself to knit. Take your dog to a dog park, start a garden or watch a movie you’ve never seen. Explore your community. Find a place to volunteer, visit a local farmers’ market or look for festivals and events near you.

Do you have kids that are experiencing summer boredom? For children, the anticipation of summer fun wanes as the summer goes on and all those previously fun activities start to feel stale. Having a campout in the backyard or building an awesome indoor fort with them is great fun. Get creative by finding crafts and activities for the whole family, like scrapbooking, sewing or woodworking. You could even turn on the lawn sprinkler and run through it as you did when you were a kid. Your kids and dog will love it.

Another way to fight boredom is to get moving with exercise. Take a dance or yoga class. Walk around your neighborhood or one of the many trails in Warsaw and Winona Lake.

Warsaw Community Public Library offers many ways to curb boredom. Staff have a library of things collection that you can check out. WCPL has books, movies, audiobooks, video games, digital collections, genealogy information and the summer reading program. The library is also still offering limited curbside service for those still apprehensive about venturing out in public.

Share your best approaches by using #AntiBoredomMonth and follow on social media. Beat the boredom and come find something magical to do at the library.