Now that many of us are under stay-at-home orders and social distancing is the norm, you’re likely to feel more bored than usual, which is never pleasant. Add to that the uncertainty around how long we could be locked down by our local, state and national government, and the threat of further boredom can prove somewhat terrifying.

“This is kind of the worst kind of boredom because of its enforced nature,” says Gretchen Rubin, a New York City-based author who’s known for her book, The Happiness Project and Happier at Home.

“When you are bored, time feels heavy on your hands, and it’s easy to get pulled into irritation and annoyances, so people don’t want to be there for very long, but there are things you can do to manage that.”

Want to know more? Read my story over at Shondaland.