When was the last time you felt bored? With endless demands on our time, I don’t often get to that state. I’m starting to wonder what I’m missing without the space to daydream and wonder.
Before taking some time off work, many people asked me what I was going to do. When I slowed down and asked myself what I wanted to do, I wasn’t sure. I decided to do nothing. I wanted to feel bored and was curious what desires would appear in that space. This sparked research to determine if there are benefits to boredom.
Brain Benefits:
We’ve all experienced a great idea that comes to us in the shower. Part of the reason this happens is that our brain gets time to wander a bit. We need this for creativity.
If you, like me, feel you are too busy to do nothing, neuroscientists say that boredom can boost productivity and efficiency. Giving our brain time to exert itself and to rest is key. The Mayo Clinic suggests that our brains need rest to build memories and apply lessons.
The time in this rested state helps us dream of the future and reflect on the past. “Seek a balance between structured activities and intermittent rest time to increase your creative thinking.” Dr. Arthur Brooks reminds us that “being bored can lead you to ask big questions,” and “If you learn to be bored, you may end up happier.”
Creativity Boost:
We saw during the peak lockdown of the pandemic that many people used their time and boredom to pursue creative hobbies. An article written by Clare Thorp in May 2020 about creativity and boredom for the BBC quotes the Turner Prize-winning sculptor Anish Kapoor: “I’ve learned over the years… that it’s precisely in those moments when I don’t know what to do, boredom drives one to try.”
When my kids were young, they had limited access to screens and would create elaborate paper dolls complete with back stories and a multitude of outfits. They were bored, and their creativity helped them entertain themselves. “Boredom is a ‘variety-driving emotion,’ meaning that it primes us to seek out new and different — therefore creative — experiences and solutions,” writes Jeffery Davis for Psychology Today.
Bored Kids:
I am usually impressed with what my kids do with their boredom. Sometimes it’s squabbling, but they are building problem-solving skills!
Suzanne Bouffard writes for PBS Kids that it might be helpful to schedule some downtime. “You can make sure that your kids have a couple afternoons or evenings per week when they don’t have an organized activity.”
It sounds counterintuitive, but we seem to naturally fill up our calendars. Sometimes we may need to support the idea-generating time of boredom.
“It’s harder for children with ADHD to occupy themselves for long periods of time because their attention and focus are compromised,” clinical psychologist Stephanie Lee reminds us. It might be helpful to brainstorm a list of ideas for fun activities, so when boredom strikes, our kids don’t reach for a screen.
All this research has me intentionally daydreaming. Instead of catching myself and jumping back into my to-do list, I’ve been lounging on the couch for several minutes.
I walked in on a colleague who was staring out a window and immediately apologized, as if she’d been caught doing something she shouldn’t. I congratulated her and told her I appreciated the inspiration. She needs a moment of rest. We all do.
Resources
Bored by Felicita Sala (picture book)
Niksen by Olga Mecking
Saving Time by Jenny Odell
Slow Productivity by Cal Newport
When You Find the Right Rock by Mary Lyn Ray and Felicita Sala (picture book)
Wreck This Journal by Smith
By Megan McQueen. Spanish translation by IRCO’s International Language Bank.
Megan McQueen is a warmhearted teacher, coach, consultant, and writer. She grounds her work in empathetic education, imparting a strong sense of community and social skills to those with which she works. Megan prioritizes emotional learning and problem solving skills. When not at work, she is most likely playing with her husband, two children, and pup.
Learn more about the Oregon Parenting Education Collaborative and read our blog!