It’s Good To Be Bored Once In A While

Being bored scares us. In fact, chronic boredom can be dangerous.  It can lead to harmful behaviors, such as eating at inappropriate times or more than you should (with all that entails). Chronic boredom is also a risk factor for mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However,  getting bored once in a while can have some very interesting benefits that are worth analyzing.

We can not go on without asking a few questions. Why are we afraid of getting bored? What does it mean to be bored? Why do we need to be busy all the time? Are we afraid of wasting our lives, or are we afraid of being alone with ourselves?

The healthy habit of letting oneself get bored once in a while

Boredom is synonymous with frustration. In fact,  when we talk about boredom, we are referring to the frustrating experience of wanting to but not being able to perform satisfying activities.  Thus, no one who is bored can adjust the necessary factors to produce an activity that will entertain them. There are internal factors (such as thoughts or feelings) or external factors (such as the environment). But in the same way, you must learn to tolerate frustration. You have to learn to deal with boredom.

As you will see, getting bored once in a while will actually be healthy. This is because boredom awakens and encourages qualities and virtues that are far from abominable. And it’s not in vain: throughout history, many brilliant people have talked about the benefits of boredom.

Boredom encourages creativity

Although boredom may seem like an unpleasant feeling that you should avoid at all costs,  science shows that it can be beneficial for your mental activity.  For example, a study conducted by researchers at the British Psychological Society found that passive activities, which you can classify as “boring”, can actually increase your creativity.

This study was meant to dispel the popular belief that getting bored while at work is a negative experience. In fact, many companies see boredom as an obstacle to the efficiency and innovation of the organization.

However, this study was able to prove that sporadic and temporary boredom increases daydreaming. This is something that can really help with innovation that companies are looking for. This is because boredom, as we said, can promote daydreams, allowing you to make new and innovative connections.

On the other hand, other studies suggest that boredom encourages the search for new goals when the previous one is no longer interesting. Thus, if you are uninterested in your job, this may be a sign that it is not the right job for you. Or that you are not challenged enough. In this way, boredom can serve as a catalyst to improve an unsatisfactory situation.

Boredom enhances the creativity of children

Furthermore, boredom also increases creativity in children, according to several recent studies. In this context, a study conducted by a group of researchers at the University of East Anglia criticizes the idea that keeping one’s mind occupied at all times contributes to better intellectual and social development.

According to these studies, boredom is not a bad thing. On the contrary, it can actually encourage children’s creative skills.  They must respond to the wonderful question –  H va should I do now? Thus, contrary to popular belief, children should be allowed to get a little bored. It will help them learn to live with this “everyday frustration” and come up with good solutions.

Being bored once in a while encourages pro-social behavior

As if this were not enough, another study conducted by researchers at the University of Limerick, Ireland, has found another interesting benefit of boredom. According to these researchers, it is far from obstructing the mind and leading to a lack of productivity. Getting bored can inspire people to seek ways to be altruistic and empathetic, as well as to dedicate themselves to pro-social tasks.  These even include unpleasant tasks such as donating blood.

According to the researchers, those who are bored feel that their actions lack meaning. This is why they like to participate in a meaningful action or behavior. They say that if pro-social behavior meets this (being meaningful), boredom promotes this type of behavior.

While this may seem a little strange,  researchers explain that boredom can be a very strong motivator that can make people seek out unpleasant but meaningful tasks to perform.  Thus, through a set of seven different studies, the researchers found that boredom increases pro-social motivations that affect positive behavior. In turn,  these extend beyond the duration of the tedious activity itself.

Give your mind a break, give others a break

Having a tight schedule and an organized day is a great way to be productive, to take advantage of your time and to get the most out of your day. But once in a while you have to stop. Rest is important for both your mind and your body.

In fact, while setting up activities for your free time is very interesting, you should also set aside time that is actually free, empty time. You also need to let people around you, like your partner, your children and friends, have some free time as well. Do not be afraid of boredom. 

Do not focus on occupying every second of your time or the time of your children. Do not try to constantly fill the time with entertainment. Do not pressure your partner when you see that they are inactive. Behind the barrier of not knowing what to do, there is not a bottomless abyss. In this sense, getting bored once in a while gives way to a world full of alternatives.  Options that will show you new ways – even better ways – to spend your time.