Stop being boring! 9 easy ways to stop boring your family and friends

By MiNDFOOD

Stop being boring! 9 easy ways to stop boring your family and friends
A comprehensive study delves into the most effective strategies to break free from the monotony and keep your family and friends thoroughly engaged.

Social psychologist Mark Leary and his research team have conducted a series of studies into how people bore each other.

The research paper titled Boredom in interpersonal encounters: Antecedents and social implications asked participants to describe things that people do, that they found boring.

From these responses, the researchers were able to curate a list of 43 yawn-inducing behaviours, which they then used to create the nine categories of ultra boredom.

Discover the top 9 strategies to avoid being boring and infuse excitement into every aspect of your life:

  1. Negative egocentrism – If you want to avoid this list-topping behaviour try not to constantly talk in a negative way about your problems. 
  2. Banality – Don’t talk about superficial topics ad nauseum. Repeating the same old jokes or stories is a surefire way to get your friends and family members rolling their eyes.
  3. Low affectivity – Be enthusiastic! Talk in an animated way with expression in your face.
  4. Tediousness – “Talking slowly, pausing a long time before responding, taking a long time to make one’s points, and dragging conversations on.” Get on with it!
  5. Passivity – Don’t be afraid to have opinions, as people find it boring if you’re always agreeing with them.
  6. Self-preoccupation – Me! Me! Me-itis is a scourge I tell you! Careful not to talk “at” people all about yourself. Occasionally show an interest in what the person you’re talking to has to say.  
  7. Seriousness – We all want to appear smart, but it’s okay to relax and not be too earnest. Don’t forget to smile too. 
  8. Boring ingratiation – “Trying to be funny or nice in order to impress other people.” We all know how awkward this can feel when it’s happening 
  9. Distraction – Focus on your conversation, and avoid getting sidetracked or doing things that might interfere with your interaction. 

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