Getting bored is actually good for you

Picture this: You are sitting in a quiet room; no one around and nothing to do.

Next time you find yourself in this situation, allow yourself to sink into the feeling of boredom instead of reaching for your phone to fill the void. Getting bored is much better than being glued to that mobile screen. That’s what experts say - the seemingly unproductive moments of boredom can help you in unlocking your full potential.

In simpler words, boredom is not only utterly beneficial but also important for well-being. Instead of dreading the idea of getting bored, one should embrace it.

“Boredom is both easy to identify and difficult to define,” says Sheena Sood, psychologist, and counselor at PD Hinduja Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Mumbai. She explains that boredom is a signal for change.

“Boredom indicates that a current activity or situation isn’t providing engagement or meaning—so the individual can preferably shift to doing something more fulfilling,” Sheena Sood adds.

It unknowingly leads us out of our comfort zone and prompts us to indulge in activities that stimulate our minds, eventually leading to personal growth and discovery. You tend to get more creative, reflect inwards – all because of boredom.

Being mentally unoccupied or bored makes one feel the need to seek out new experiences, learn new things, and explore different ideas, resulting in personal growth.

Quoting an example of a child under her care who exhibited anxiety related to school, Sheena Sood shared how parents' decision to allow the child ample free time and moments of idleness, unencumbered by additional tasks or schoolwork, proved instrumental in fostering creativity and facilitating the child's self-directed strategies to manage anxiety.

The child demonstrated unexpected behaviour when left to their own choice.

“Upon inquiry with the child's parents, they expressed surprise at the child's creative endeavors during moments of idleness. It was remarkable to learn that, in periods of boredom, the child exhibited heightened creativity, exemplified by the spontaneous creation of a makeshift pool using a bucket and a pipe found around the house,” Sood shared.

Creativity boost

“First and foremost, boredom allows you to explore and experience creativity. If you're feeling bored, then you're likely to find something to engage yourself, to do with your cognitive capacity,” says Dr Dinika Anand, visiting consultant, clinical psychologist at BLK Max Super Specialty Hospital, New Delhi.

“If a child is getting bored with playing with his current Lego set in the same way again and again, then the child can come up with something unique. The other day, my nephew made an auto-rickshaw out of the Lego pieces that he had, and he did a pretty good job. He did so on a day when his father could not sit with him to make something with the Lego manual. But because the child had to entertain himself as he was bored, he came up with something creative. So that’s one thing that boredom does for us,” explains Dr Dinika Anand.

Not only children, but adults also benefit from boredom-induced creativity.

Boredom can prompt individuals to engage in activities that require deeper thought or complex ideas, such as sitting down with one's thoughts or reading longer pieces of material.

Self-reflection

As your mind wanders around, you get a chance to reflect within and ask yourself questions, figure what new you want and the ways to achieve it.

“It is essential to escape the rat race of work and life and have some time off to reflect on our thoughts and our environment; it works as a stress buster—hence, boredom helps our mental health,” says Dr Anand.

Better communication

Boredom also helps you communicate better and build valuable relationships.

Dr Anand explains how. “Communication increases with boredom since you have no clear goal; you find people to connect with and increase communication and often can make valuable connections,” she says.

Problem solving

Another reason not to give a bad rep to boredom is that it is during the moments of idleness that one may solve a problem. Boredom frequently serves as a catalyst for problem-solving.

Quoting another example, Dr Anand shared: “A patient of mine found himself at odds with an undisciplined roommate. However, boredom prompted him to initiate interaction with his roommate on a Sunday, ultimately leading to a surprising outcome. Despite their initial differences, the two individuals forged a strong bond and became best friends. This unexpected turn of events underscores the potential for boredom to facilitate positive social connections and problem resolution.”

Better productivity

Boredom can double up as a motivation to seek out new activities or complete tasks that have been procrastinated on. It can nudge you to explore new hobbies and interests as well.

Reduced stress

In the times when we are almost always stimulated (courtesy of the constant presence of mobile phones and technology), boredom is essential in bringing a pause.

Allowing yourself to experience boredom can reduce stress by giving your mind a break from constant stimulation. It can be a time for relaxation and rejuvenation.

Bottomline

Keep your phone away for a while each day and allow yourself to make the most of getting bored.

Because Dr Dinika Anand says: “Boredom helps because it lets one pause, it lets you ask questions, it lets you take risks, try things and think out of the box.”