"An idle man's heart is devil's workshop", never knew the source of this quote, it sounds biblical but it is definitely as real as it sounds. Most people don't really understand the complex nature of the human mind, we think we are in control, maybe sometimes but there are times when our mind takes the wheels and the body just helplessly follow through. Subconsciously, our minds have a significant control over every action we make, why it feels like we are in control is that, majority of the time, it is the action we think of that the mind processes and serves as a command for the body to execute.
As long as there is something meaningful for the mind to process, this keeps the mind occupied, in the absence of nothing to keep the mind occupied, the mind will seek its own adventure, even if we as a person don't have interest in what the mind is seeking but since there is nothing to keep us occupied, we subconsciously follow through and in that moment, it is no longer we as a human that is in control of our mind and body but the mind leading us towards something it find suiting. It is like the mind taking us for a ride and we are just in the back seat.
The mind detest boredom, it makes it feel still and inactive, which is why the quote I mentioned earlier describes an idle man's mind as the Devil's workshop, it is nothing religious, just a statement that best describes the dangerous nature of the human mind and how it copes with inactivity and the primary cause of inactivity is boredom. There are some people who discipline themselves to always do what is right but even those in this category find themselves losing composure when they are bored. Which means people can do things unnatural and unnecessary when they are bored which is absolutely normal, you see, it definitely sounds like devil's workshop.
Where does that leaves me? Well, I'm of a different breed. I'm in possession of a super active mind, always wanting to do something, in fact I always find things to keep my mind occupied. The most tricky aspect of my mind is how it manages to tolerate my personality. You see I'm an indoor person but still, I manage to find things to keep my mind occupied without going out of my comfort zone to do so. Which means a person like me is prone to get bored, though not always but I do get bored.
Knowing how super active my mind is, boredom isn't something I enjoy experiencing because it makes my mind want to seek adventures that are not in line with my principles. Speaking of times that boredom made me do something that is out of character, well I have a lot of it but I will pick the most funny one of it all.
This happened about four years ago when I was still working two jobs, one at opebi estate and the other one at Adeniyi Jones. Normally I don't work on Saturdays but my job at Adeniyi Jones sometimes requires going to work on a Saturday because it has to do with the warehouse. On this specific day, I was in my apartment in opebi estate and I find myself having nothing to do. I had already done all the house chores I can find but still, there was still a lot of time till sun down.
So I called one of my colleagues who was suppose to work afternoon shift that day, I told him I was going to cover for him, he was so glad. Since I still have a lot of time till 12 noon, to make sure I don't get there too early, I decided to trek from opebi estate to Adeniyi Jones. It is a little far but it can be fun. The road that pass through opebi estate to Adeniyi Jones is a very busy road. It is the kind of road filled with lot of dramatic people and situations, so there is definitely something to look at.
Despite walking as slow as possible, I still got there few minutes early, it was when I reached the gate and I was about to enter the warehouse compound that was when I realised I didn't come with my key and warehouse pass. Everything looked blurry for some minutes, I was trying to process the fact that I just successful trekked for nothing. I decided to hurriedly go back to get stuff, I had to board a tricycle. Because I was in so much hurry, I didn't even bother to inform those in the premises that I was around to cover for a colleague. It was only after I left that one of the supervisors came to check around and found no one in my colleague designated area of the warehouse.
Since no one was aware that he had already called me to cover for him, the boss was so upset that he wasn't around to take over his shift and the guy that was suppose to handover to him was already making waves. I was on a bike on my way back when my colleague called and was pissed about what I had done to him, saying why would I call him to the cover his shift and yet I didn't show up, before I could try to explain the guy just hung up. That moment I knew he had gotten a call from office and the things he heard must have pissed him off.
I managed to still get there and take over but the atmosphere wasn't good at all, the matter had escalated. My colleague showed up few minutes later and from his looks, I could tell that he felt I was trying to sabotage him because that was definitely what it looks like. If it wasn't for the estate security guard where our office is located that saw me come in, no one would have believed me because my explanation makes no sense to anyone. It took awhile before the matter died down in the office but throughout the week, I was the subject for jokes.
Ever since then, I make sure to keep myself occupied doing other stuff that doesn't warrant getting anyone in trouble and if any wrong ideas should spring up in my mind, I'm wise enough to handle it appropriately.
This write-up was inspired by weekly featured content titled Boredom caused it in hive learners community.
Cover image - 𝖣𝖾𝗌𝗂𝗀𝗇𝖾𝖽 𝗎𝗌𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖼𝖺𝗇𝗏𝖺
All images are mine or else stated otherwise
