Is being bored a good thing, I wonder?
Our world buzzes with constant stimuli, activity and distractions, and boredom is often considered a problem. In this age of speed, instant gratification and constant connectivity, we may sometimes believe the more we do, the more we achieve. We’ve perhaps become conditioned to fill every moment, fearing the uncomfortable stillness that boredom brings. But what if boredom isn’t an issue? What if, instead, it’s the path to creativity, self-discovery and deep emotional resilience? What if it helps us become a human being from a human doing?
Boredom can be associated with laziness or even the lack of motivation. Yet, psychologists suggest that boredom serves a valuable function. Just as physical pain alerts us to injury, boredom is a sign we need change; a signal from our brain that we maybe in some meaningless or unchallenging activity.
When we’re bored, our minds are free of tasks. This mental state, though seemingly aimless, can actually be rich with potential. For, it is often in these quiet, unoccupied moments that we stumble across new ideas, connect unexpected dots and solve problems that have gnawed away at our minds. Many creative folks cite boredom as the birthplace of their best ideas. The acclaimed writer Pico Iyer has spoken at length about stillness. According to him, it’s crucial to create space in our lives to listen — to ourselves, to others and to the world — without the constant buzz of distraction that surrounds us. In silence, he believes, we often find what truly sustains us: clarity, gratitude, joy, and purpose. He argues that without moments of stillness in our routine, we risk becoming strangers to ourselves. We could get swept up in the momentum of doing without realising what we’re doing or why we’re doing it. In slowing down – in being still – we in fact don’t lose time but find it.
Boredom also encourages introspection. In the absence of constant stimulation, we’re left with our own thoughts and that can be a powerful tool for self-awareness. It creates space for us to process our emotions, reflect on life’s questions and examine our values, our sensitivities, our conditioning. In this way, boredom is the opportunity for a mental reboot — a pause that allows us to re-connect with what we truly desire.
Moreover, learning to sit with our boredom can strengthen our patience and emotional resilience. The ability to accept boredom without immediately seeking escape is increasingly rare, yet exceedingly valuable. This state cultivates mindfulness and the capacity to be present, even when nothing “exciting” is happening.
So, maybe, we need to treat boredom as a good thing and the next time boredom creeps in, resist the urge to reach for our phone or the TV remote. What if instead, we let our mind wander, sit in the stillness and see where it leads us. We might well be surprised at what we discover in the quiet. Maybe it’s in doing nothing that we might discover ourselves.
