Being bored is a state of mind we try so hard to avoid. Maybe you clicked on this post wondering what good could possibly come out of being bored. What benefit could I derive from the agonizing lack of stimulation? Boredom is a state of mind that can actually be extremely beneficial to your mental state and your creativity. In my previous post, I talked about how your life can improve by living more slowly. This blog today explores the hidden power behind mind-numbing boredom.

I used to be terrified of being bored. I actually couldn’t stand it. As soon as I felt an inkling of boredom coming on, I reached for my phone, or grabbed my laptop to open up Youtube. My brain physically couldn’t handle the feeling, it almost hurt in a way. I had been conditioned to never have to be bored, and on paper (and really in practice as well) that sounded absolutely fantastic. Who wouldn’t want to be never bored?

The human brain naturally seeks to avoid boredom and be constantly stimulated. It is always searching for novelty and new information to consume. Of course, in our modern world it’s extremely easy to satiate that desire simply by picking up your phone. But the brain does actually benefit greatly from being starved of that constant stimulation. What happens when you allow yourself to enter into a state of boredom?

Your Creativity is Boosted

Being bored allows your brain to rest from the strain of constant stimulation. In this state of rest your mind will begin to wander, and a wandering mind is an untapped haven of creativity and imagination. You’ll find that after being in a state of boredom for an extended period of time you’ll find yourself to be more creative and more imaginative. Allowing your mind to wander can be a catalyst to coming up with what to write for an essay, or how to solve a certain problem in your life. This is why “sleeping on it” is an effective method of decision making and problem solving.

Stress Levels Will Go Down

We live in an incredibly stressful world. What’s worse is that even when we are off the clock, or not physically working, our minds are still often occupied by thoughts and worries about our working lives. This never ending stream of stress can really begin to take a toll. If you take time to experience boredom you can experience a decrease in stress along with it. Boredom allows your mind to process the information it has already taken in without taking in new information, and you can start to feel more in control and more understanding of what’s been going on around you.

Your Productivity in Work Will Increase

Taking time outside of work to be bored and recharge your brain has been shown to increase abilities in task performance. This goes back to idea that being bored allows your mind to wander. The state of a wandering mind, while so feared, is actually so healthy for the brain. It allows the brain to then return to a focused, work related setting and perform at a higher level than a brain that continued to be bombarded with stimulation.

You Will Cultivate Mindfulness

Being bored forces you to stop and exist within the immediate world around you. There’s not really a whole lot actually going on if you stop and just sit. In my experience, I’ve found this to be a very peaceful realization. Online, everything seems so fast. So much is happening. In reality though, things don’t move that quickly. 24 hours seems a lot longer when you’ve got nothing to do. You can become more aware of what’s around you. There’s more appreciation of the little things, and that’s always a beautiful thing.

Boredom is something that many of us fear experiencing, and we go to great lengths to avoid it. Yet if you take a closer look you might be surprised at just how good it can be for your brain to unplug and recharge. Your brain is an incredibly complex thing, constantly processing new information and learning new things. Be bored, and allow your brain to rest and recover so that it can perform even better when it’s needed again.