Why It Is Good To Be Bored Sometimes

Boredom scares us. Indeed, chronic boredom can be dangerous. It can lead to harmful behaviors, such as eating more than we need. Chronic boredom is also a risk factor for mental health problems like anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. However, boredom can have some very interesting benefits worth reflecting on. In this post we explain why it is good to be bored sometimes.

We can’t go on without asking a few questions – and answering: Why are we afraid of boredom? What does it mean to be bored? Why do we always want to be busy? Are we afraid of wasting our lives or are we afraid of being alone with ourselves?

“There is something sweet and calming, and above all wise, in what the people of the world call boredom.”

Miguel de Unamuno

The healthy habit of getting bored every now and then

Boredom is synonymous with frustration. When we speak of boredom, we are referring to the frustrating experience of wanting but not being able to perform satisfying activities. Accordingly, when we are bored, we cannot turn off the factors that prevent us from engaging in an activity that we enjoy. These can be internal stimuli such as thoughts or feelings, or environmental factors. But we also have to learn to tolerate frustration. We have to learn to deal with boredom.

As we will see below, it is very healthy to get bored every now and then. Because boredom awakens and promotes qualities and virtues that are anything but despicable. It is not for nothing that many famous people throughout history have emphasized the benefits of boredom.

“Being bored at the right time is a sign of intelligence.”

Clifton Fadiman

Boredom promotes creativity

Although boredom can seem like an uncomfortable feeling that we want to avoid at all costs, science shows that it can benefit our mental activity. For example, a study by researchers from the British Psychological Society found that passive activities that might be described as “boring” can increase creativity.

This study helped refute the popular belief that boredom at work is a negative experience. Indeed, many employers see boredom as an obstacle to efficiency and innovation. However, the aforementioned study has shown that occasional and temporary boredom increases daydreaming. It’s something that can really add to the innovation companies are looking for.

On the other hand, other studies suggest that boredom promotes the search for new goals because it shows that the previous one is no longer interesting. So if you are not interested in your job, this can be a sign that it is not the right job for you. Or that you are not challenged enough. In this way, boredom can act as a catalyst to change an unsatisfactory situation.

Boredom also stimulates children to be creative

In addition, boredom also increases children’s creativity, as several recent studies have shown. In this sense, a study by a group of researchers from the University of East Anglia (England, UK) criticizes the idea that the constant preoccupation of the mind contributes to better intellectual and social development. However, according to this study, boredom is not a bad thing. On the contrary, it can significantly increase children’s creative abilities. You are going to have to answer the fantastic question: what should I do now?

So children should be able to get bored. It will help them live with this “everyday frustration” and find solutions to such problems.

Boredom promotes prosocial behavior

As if that weren’t enough, another study by researchers at the University of Limerick (Ireland) found an added benefit from boredom. In the opinion of these researchers, boredom is far from obstructing the mind and leading to a lack of productivity. Boredom can inspire people to look for ways to be altruistic, empathetic, and engage in prosocial tasks. This also includes tasks that nobody really enjoys, such as donating blood.

According to the researchers, people who are bored feel like what they are doing is pointless. Therefore, they are more willing to take part in a meaningful action. They say that prosocial behavior that fulfills this requirement, that is, that makes sense, is sought. So, while it may seem paradoxical, they explain that boredom can be a very powerful motivator for people to perform uncomfortable but meaningful tasks for them.

Give your mind a break

Having a tight schedule and organized day is an excellent strategy for being productive, using the time, and getting the most out of the day. But every now and then we have to take a deep breath. Rest is essential for the mind and body.

While organizing activities for your free time is very important, you should plan some actual free time as well. Don’t be afraid of boredom. You also need to give the people around you, your partner, children, and friends some time. 

Don’t focus on every single second and what you want to use it for. Stop trying to fill your time to the top. Don’t put pressure on your partner if you see they’re doing nothing. Behind the barrier of not knowing what to do, there is no bottomless pit. With that in mind , your boredom can open up a world of possibilities that can open up new – even better – ways to use your time.

“When I still have time, I try to get bored because boredom is a form of calm.”

Juan Luis Cebrián