You’re probably not bored enough

Picture this: You’re out to dinner with a friend. Your friend has excused themselves to go to the restroom. You watch as they walk away and suddenly realize you’re sitting all alone. You immediately reach for your phone and begin scrolling. This is just one example of how we just don’t allow ourselves to be bored- even for a few moments.

In the digital age of constant stimulation, we’ve grown uncomfortable in situations where we find ourselves bored. However, boredom is a necessary state that all humans need in order to thrive. When you allow yourself to be bored, you give your brain a chance to recalibrate. Boredom boosts creativity, reduces stress, and improves mental health.

Have you come across an amazing idea while taking a shower? This is because you were bored. 

The evidence of this can be seen all around us right now with the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result of the lockdown many of us had no choice but to be bored, and thus was born a plethora of new ideas, businesses and passions. According to the Census Bureau, applications for new businesses in the United States have increased over 40% compared to pre-pandemic data.

We have seen an influx of mental health advocates, myself included, in recent years amid the pandemic. As I was writing and researching for this article, I thought a lot about the terms “mindfulness” and “meditation.” You likely have seen a lot of these terms recently, especially if you’ve been reading my past articles. 

When we meditate we are giving our brains a break, a chance to do nothing for a few moments. When we practice mindfulness, we practice being present without distractions. I would argue that those terms were coined as a way to promote boredom without calling it boredom. 

Remember back in the day when you would complain about being bored and your parents would tell you to find something productive to do? We hated being bored. It was viewed as a negative connotation. And to some extent, it still is.

This day and age, more and more parents stick an iPad or other device in front of their young children to pacify their boredom. This action is single handedly halting your child’s ability to develop their imagination and creativity.

While we can see the evidence of the benefits of boredom right now, we can also find it looking back in history. Think about Isaac Newton, for example. If he hadn’t been bored as hell sitting under an apple tree, he would have never questioned why the apple fell straight down instead of sideways. And thus, it may have taken us a little bit longer to discover the universal principle of gravity.

Being bored gives us a chance to question and challenge the status quo. 

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “If you want to change the world, start by changing yourself.” Our inability to be bored can arguably prevent us from the best ideas to improve ourselves as contributing members of society. Think about all of the ideas that haven’t had a chance to come to fruition simply because we are not bored enough. 

I challenge you all to be mindfully bored everyday for 10 minutes. 10 minutes. No external stimuli. Just you and your thoughts. You’ll be surprised at what your mind is capable of doing.

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Thank you all for reading! Comment below a great idea you’ve had after finding yourself in a state of boredom.

Love & Light,

Cindy Natalia