In this BIT: Is it good to be bored? Discover benefits of boredom, how it boosts creativity, and answer the long-standing question of ‘why should I be bored?’
When was the last time that you felt bored, and didn’t immediately try to eliminate this feeling by grabbing a phone, iPad, or watching a show? You are not alone, most of us do just that. Also, have you ever experienced a ‘light bulb’ moment, came up with a great idea after doing something mundane like driving, sitting on a bus and looking out the window, or taking a hot shower. Why does boredom, while not fun, help us be more creative?
A survey in the United States finds that 74% of Americans feel uncomfortable leaving their phone at home, 71% check their phone within the first ten minutes of waking up, and 41% consider themselves to be addicted to their phones. The promise of connectivity and entertainment gives us that small dopamine burst, elevating our mood and building an even stronger desire to avoid boredom. Another study finds that 67% of men and 25% of women would rather be shocked with a small electric shock than to sit with their thoughts alone for fifteen minutes. It is clear that we as a society want to avoid boredom, however there are innate benefits that come from it.
Boredom CAN make us more creative! Researchers found that people who completed mundane tasks (designed to induce boredom) came up with more creative ideas upon completion. Boredom is labelled a “variety-driving emotion”, because it drives us to come up with and try-out various (creative) ideas, solutions, and experiences. The answer to more creativity isn’t more stimulation, it’s less.
Motivation for new goals: Feeling bored gives an emotional cue that what we are doing is not challenging or inspiring us. Hence, it drives an internal push to try something new and create a new goal that will cause more excitement and opportunity in our lives.
Improve mental health: In this day and age, more and more of us experience feelings of overstimulation and overwhelm. Taking a break and embracing boredom allows our overloaded brains to rest and relax.
Find creative solutions: Boredom allows our brains to wander and consider issues and experiences. As we give our brain the space to troubleshoot, imagine different solutions, and think differently, we can come up with better conclusions and make better choices.
Is it good to be bored? Boredom has many benefits, including increased creativity, better solutions, and an improved mental health. Make it an active goal to find time for those quiet moments without social media and entertainment to enjoy time with your own thoughts. We hope that these fun facts about boredom bring you a Small Bit of Happiness.
For more happiness check out our Mood Boost page.
Featuring quick videos created for teens by teens.
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