Monotony is the opposite of diversity. It refers to always doing the same activities, with absolutely no variation. A typical example is a person who gets up, has breakfast, goes to work, comes back in the evening, gets the chores done, goes to bed. And does the same thing again the next day. And so on, successively every day of their life.
Monotony can arise in different contexts, be it in daily routine, school, work, relationships, and other situations. For some people, it is easier to notice it than for others. But it becomes evident through its psychological repercussions since it leads to feelings such as boredom, lack of interest, decreased performance, unsatisfaction, and even unhappiness.
Variety brings flavor and vitality to life. Innovations, improvements, and disparity are necessary. We should not be afraid of change, of taking a different path from others, of not staying too long at the same stage.
Being different is a superpower
You can always be creative. Always
If the pandemic proved anything to us, it is that no matter how difficult our current situation is, no matter how deep we are in a dull and uncontrollable monotony, we can always look for a way out through creativity.
And while these unprecedented times were gray for many, the truth is that it also prompted many people to seek a new direction for their lives. We saw groundbreaking startups, ingenious answers to current problems, migration of all kinds of services to the digital world.
Anything is possible, and it starts with a great idea.
It is important to think outside the box
Every great achievement and progress of mankind has been possible because certain people dared to question the reality of that moment.
Thinking outside the box means generating ideas beyond conventional mental parameters; that is, thinking creatively and creating original solutions to achieve our goals. This type of thinking is not only useful for solving complex problems, but for any situation in our lives.
There is no need to be afraid of breaking the horizon of equality in what you are working on, you are not destined to do the same as everyone else or to follow other people’s methods. Looking for organic, unique ideas will allow you to get new answers and change the course of your story.
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.”
– Albert Einstein
What leads us to similarities
We have a misconception that we must follow a certain “safe” or “approved” path to guarantee our success in life. Society impresses upon us from the moment we are born that we are destined to study, graduate, work, marry, have children, retire, become grandparents, and die.
And yes, it’s a nice way to see and live life. But not everyone wants the same thing, or at least not in the same order. And the fact that it is a very common route does not assure us that it is the winning one, that it always works, or that it brings happiness to everyone who takes it.
It is very common to see highly creative people fall into the pit, into the error of constantly using the same resources. Instead, we should turn to combinations, novelties, and surprises. Repetition is not a welcome guest. It doesn’t work when you imitate someone else, nor when you get stuck for too long on something. It’s like constantly telling the same jokes.
Among the possible causes of monotony we can count:
- A limited set of skills. Cultivate all your talents, help your mind stay active and flourish.
- Lack of time and resources. Both are reduced to a lack of interest. Those who want to do something, do it, and those who don’t want to do it, find excuses. Organize your schedule, commit yourself, identify the sources of resources around you and go for them.
- Laziness is a mental condition. An individual is said to be lazy about a task when he is not properly motivated to carry out the task. Lack of motivation to do a job can result from many factors, including physical lethargy, lack of incentive, failing to understand the reward for the work, concern about certain other things important to the subject, lack of interest in the task, among others. Identify the cause of your laziness, fight it, get out of the hole and get ready to shine.
A lazy mind is a devil’s workshop.
– Nico Pengin
Break routines and schemes and dare to be what you want to be
Being free from the everyday system of discipline gives our brain more room to breathe. Get rid of everyday repetitive tasks. Such a mind is the primary prerequisite for innovation. And for that, remember to do the following:
- Challenge yourself. Day after day, force yourself to break orthodox thinking, not to opt for existing solutions. When a problem seems to have no solution, change the parameters or circumstances you used to try to solve it, but don’t give up.
- Do not limit your ideas. Although sometimes they may seem crazy, insane, not feasible or very far from reality, you will surely find a way to make it happen.
- Do not be different just for the sake of opposing. Your difference must have a reason or provide value to be really useful and appreciated.
- Let go of the fear of failure. You may fail, yes, but trying is the only way to know if you are right or wrong, and therefore, the greatest triumph.
The incorporation of improvements, differences, and the derailment of expectations in all aspects of the project would allow us to avoid monotony.
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