Boredom often gets a bad rap. Many see it as a negative state to escape from, a void to fill with distractions. But what if boredom isn’t the villain we make it out to be? What if it plays a crucial role in sparking creativity and imagination? Let’s explore how this mundane feeling can become a powerful ally in our creative endeavours.
One of the things that has gone massively wrong with our society across England and beyond, is the belief that everything has to be exciting. Bigger, better, louder. If you look at the happiest cultures on earth, nearly all of them lead pretty ‘boring lives’ compared to super-rich western societies.
It never used to be like this. If you are old enough to remember watching the TV quiz show Bullseye, the contestants were so chilled out that you would never have known if they had won the car (or speedboat) or not at the end of the show. Today a gameshow contestant is whooping and screaming, before the opening credits.
Understanding Boredom
Boredom isn’t just a lack of interest in what we’re doing. It’s more layered than that. Curiously, boredom can be a signal alerting us to an unmet need for stimulation or change. There are several shades to it, all worth understanding.
The Science of Boredom
Researchers have unpacked the mental mechanics behind boredom. It’s often linked to the brain’s need for novelty and challenge. A study from the University of Central Lancashire showed that engaging in dull tasks can actually boost creative thinking. When our minds are free from complex tasks, they start to wander and explore—like taking a mental stroll through a park, stumbling upon unexpected ideas.
Types of Boredom
Boredom isn’t a one-size-fits-all experience. Existential boredom hits when we question the meaning of life itself. Situational boredom occurs when we’re stuck in the same routine. Then there’s chronic boredom, a constant feeling that can shadow every part of life. Each type of boredom has the potential to shake things up and awaken creativity.
Boredom as a Creative Force
Rather than fleeing boredom, embracing it might just be the key to discovering our creative potential. It’s like that proverbial silence before the storm, where ideas gather strength before bursting onto the scene.
The Link Between Boredom and Creativity
Some of history’s most creative minds have valued the power of boredom. Artists such as Beethoven embraced periods of inactivity and allowed boredom to feed their imagination. Beethoven often took long, aimless walks, letting his mind wander into new symphonies.
Mental Space for Imagination
Boredom gifts us mental space, free from the clutter of daily tasks and distractions. This empty space is where imagination thrives, where the seeds of inspiration are sown. When the mind isn’t occupied with endless distractions, it can create connections, explore new ideas, and even solve problems that seemed insurmountable.
Practical Ways to Embrace Boredom
How can we harness the power of boredom without succumbing to frustration? Here are some practical suggestions to make boredom your creative partner.
Mindfulness and Boredom
Mindfulness encourages us to be present and accept boredom as it comes. Practices like meditation can help us embrace stillness and open our minds to imaginative thinking. Sit with a quiet mind, let thoughts drift and watch as curiosity and creativity start to emerge naturally.
Setting Boundaries with Technology
Our gadgets, though essential, often steal opportunities for much-needed boredom. Setting boundaries with technology allows time for reflection and creativity. Try unplugging for a certain period each day. Step away from screens and immerse yourself in your thoughts—or even dawdle away the time. You might find that creative ideas surface when least expected.
We Need Competent (even Boring) MPs
We have politicians who strive to be loud and interesting. Everything has to be bigger and better. Trump is obsessed with getting more people come to his rallies than anyone else. Johnson wanted to be a ‘world king’ who wanted everything in England to be ‘world-beating’. Enough, already. We all need to slow down and simplify our lives, this is where happiness lies.
Why ‘boring cultures’ are Usually Happier
In her beautiful book A Field Guide to Happiness, American journalist Linda Leaming travelled to study the lives of people living in the tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. She found that whilst she often had 10 things to do by lunchtime, they had one thing to do all week! She fell in love with the lifestyle (and one of the locals, who she married). Although they now live back in the US, she spends her working life giving lectures, on what we can learn from slow ‘boring’ cultures.
Boring is Good (and more reliable)
One area that many women fall prey to is going after the ‘exciting men’ who treat them badly. And the ‘nice boring men’ don’t always get the girl. This is a shame, as often the boring man is the one who will treat his woman well, same as boring friends and co-workers.
Learn to Be Bored (once in a while)
Learning to be content being bored, is good for the soul! Years ago, everyone was bored now and then. Remember the days when you had to just wait at a bus stop or wait for your meal to arrive in a restaurant, without fiddling with your phone all the time, to pass the time?
Not having your brain constantly stimulated often leads to the best ideas. It’s always when you go for a walk, look at the sunset or have a shower, that the best ideas come to you, right? That’s because boredom lets your mind turn off now and then.
Try being bored once in a while. Don’t buy anything, watch anything, scroll anything or say anything. You don’t have to stare at the wall like a lemon. But just listen to the purr of a cat, take a small walk to gaze at an apple tree in fruit, or listen to some music, rather than switch on rolling news.
Think of your over-busy life as a pond, and the constant rain has been thumping huge drops from the sky, agitating the water. Do nothing and let the water stop falling. When the water becomes clear, you’ll find that you can view your reflection better, and the answers to your life will arise!
My aunt and uncle in their country home, taught me how to be okay with sitting still. To be a decent writer, you have to be okay with either writing or doing absolutely nothing. I’m a firm believer that the only way to be creative, is to sit around and do nothing, until you get bored enough to entertain yourself. Cole Schafer
Conclusion
Boredom, so often seen as a hurdle, can surprisingly lead us to our most innovative ideas and imaginative solutions. By embracing these idle moments, we create the space needed for creativity to flourish. Next time boredom strikes, resist the urge to fill it instantly. Instead, let your mind wander and discover what creativity lies hidden in the quiet. It might just surprise you.
