Getting Bored From Time To Time Is Also Good

Boredom scares us. In fact, chronic boredom can be dangerous, as it can trigger harmful behaviors, such as eating late or eating more than necessary (with all that that implies). Chronic boredom is also a risk factor for mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. However, getting bored every now and then can have some very interesting benefits that are worth looking into. 

We cannot continue without asking ourselves the following questions: Why are we afraid of boredom? What does it mean to be bored? Why do we need to always be busy? Are we afraid of wasting our lives or are we scared of finding ourselves alone with ourselves?

The healthy habit of getting bored from time to time

Boredom is synonymous with frustration. In fact, when we talk about boredom we mean that frustrating experience of wanting, but not being able to perform satisfactory activities. Thus, a bored person cannot adjust the internal (thoughts or feelings) or external (environment) factors necessary to produce an activity that entertains him. However, just as you have to learn to tolerate frustration, you have to learn to deal with boredom.

As we will see later, getting bored from time to time is very healthy because it awakens and encourages not inconsiderable qualities and virtues.  Not surprisingly, throughout history famous people have highlighted the benefits of boredom.

Getting bored encourages creativity

Although boredom may seem like an annoying feeling that we should avoid at all costs, science says it can benefit our mental activity. For example, a study by researchers from the British Psychological Society found that passive activities, which we might classify as “boring,” can actually increase creativity.

This study tried to demystify the popular belief that being bored 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 succeeded in showing that occasional and transient boredom increases reverie, something that can really help achieve the ingenuity that organizations seek. This is because  being bored can promote daydreaming, allowing us to make new and innovative connections.

On the other hand, other research suggests that boredom encourages the pursuit of new goals when a previous goal is considered to be no longer interesting. Thus, if you are disinterested in your work, it may be a sign that the job is not suitable or you are not being challenged enough. In this way, boredom can serve as the catalyst to improve an unsatisfactory situation. 

In addition, boredom also encourages creativity in children, according to several recent studies. In this sense, a study carried out by a group of researchers (University of East Anglia) criticizes the idea that the constantly busy mind contributes to better intellectual and social development.

According to these researchers, boredom is not a bad thing. On the contrary, it can encourage the creative capacity of children: they will have to answer the fantastic question of: “And what do we do now?”. Thus, contrary to popular belief, children must be allowed to get bored so that they learn to live with that “everyday frustration” and give good answers.

 Getting bored encourages prosocial behavior

As if this weren’t enough, another study by researchers at the University of Limerick in Ireland has found a curious benefit from boredom. Far from cluttering the mind and leading to a lack of productivity, researchers say , boredom can inspire people to seek ways to be altruistic, empathetic, and engage in prosocial tasks, even some unpleasant ones, like donating blood.

According to the researchers, bored people feel that their actions are meaningless and therefore are motivated to engage in meaningful behavior. They say that if prosocial behavior meets this requirement (that of being meaningful), boredom promotes such behavior.

Although this may seem strange, the researchers explain that boredom can be, paradoxically, a very strong motivator for people to seek unpleasant but meaningful tasks. Thus, through a series of seven studies, the researchers found that boredom increases prosocial motivations that affect positive behaviors and that these last beyond the duration of the boring activity itself.

Give your mind, your mind a break

Having a tight schedule and an organized day is an excellent way to be productive, to take advantage of the time, to make the most of our day. But from time to time it is necessary to stop. Rest is vital for your body and mind.

Moreover, although organizing activities for free time is very interesting, sometimes you also have to leave real free time, empty time. You also have to let the people around you, your partner, your children, have that empty time. And do not fear boredom.

Do not insist on occupying each and every minute of your time or the time that your children. Stop trying to constantly fill their time with things to entertain them. Do not pressure your partner when you see that he is inactive. Behind the barrier of not knowing what to do there is no unfathomable abyss. In this sense, boredom will reveal a world full of options that will show you new – even better – ways to use your time.