The 1 thing you never got told about boredom

Are you bored yet? One of the things I've heard people mention during this time of lockdown is that they are bored–the interesting topic of boredom.

Now, if you are immediately thinking 'I never get bored–I have too much to do!' then even more so, I encourage you to read on.

Remember those long car journeys as a kid–and I'm talking the days before phones, tablets and car DVD players (Wow! Remember them?) You were sitting there next to your siblings. Getting fidgety. You'd already played 'I spy' 50 times and gone through spotting every possible colour of car.

You were now officially b.o.r.e.d.

No doubt your parents were racking their brains trying to help you eradicate this unwanted sensation. Then further on in your life you had the same thought to erase this evil saboteur once and for all. Then it happened.

You bought a smartphone.

No longer did you have to be bored standing in a queue for your train. You didn't have to let your mind wander whilst sitting in the doctors or dentists waiting room. You didn't even have to interact with anyone whilst social distancing outside the supermarket!

The battle was won. The dragon was slain.

Boredom was now officially dead.

But, what if I told you that boredom was actually good for you–so instead of eradicating it, you learnt to embrace it?

Today you have a prime opportunity for this. Being confined to your home–through no fault of your own–means boredom can make a comeback. And research suggests that it is actually good for you. According to Psychology Professor James Danckert, “boredom is a motivational state, a call to action” and there's a lot more research that suggests it boosts your creativity.

So with that in mind, next time you're bored can I encourage you to do the following:

1) notice it – instead of going for your phone or netflix, let boredom sit with you, which may lead you to...

2) daydream – boredom can lead to daydreaming which itself can lead you to being more creative – perhaps to solve that tricky problem you've been struggling with.

3) be intentional – use bordedom to motivate you to intentionally choose to do something that is moving you towards your goals, instead of going with the flow, from one distraction to the next.

So next time you (or your kids) say you're bored, don't look at it as a negative thing. There's no need to think you're lazy. Remember, it's your brain giving you a call to action. Notice it, let your mind wander, then be intentional choosing something to do next that moves you forwards, not back.