You know that awkward pause when your train’s delayed, the kettle’s boiling, or your mate’s gone to the loo in the pub? Those few empty seconds before you instinctively grab your phone. It’s almost automatic, isn’t it? The thought of just sitting there, doing nothing, feels weirdly uncomfortable.
We’ve trained ourselves to fill every quiet moment. If we’re not scrolling, we’re listening to a podcast, watching Netflix, or checking emails. We call it “multi-tasking,” but really, we’re just avoiding one thing: boredom.
The thing is, boredom isn’t something to fix. It’s something to feel. And here’s the twist- it’s actually good for you.
Why we’re never bored anymore
Our brains are constantly stimulated. Between work emails, TikTok, WhatsApp, and Netflix, we rarely leave space for stillness. With a slot machine in our pocket, we’re no longer given space to feel bored. And because of the endless availability of entertainment, silence and boredom now feel incredibly uncomfortable.
And it’s a problem. Research shows boredom is the catalyst for creativity - it helps us concentrate, spark creativity, and solve problems more effectively. So in the absence of boredom (and the growth of AI), we’re not thinking as creatively as we could. We might think we’re feeling unmotivated, but we might just be completely overstimulated.
The benefits of boredom
Boredom is a natural state that we should embrace, not run from. It’s culturally labelled as a ‘bad thing’ - calling something boring isn’t great. But according to researchers, letting your brain be bored can actually be really beneficial.
1 - It’s the starting point for creative thinking
When your brain isn’t being bombarded with information, it starts to wander - connecting dots and generating new ideas. One study found that people who let themselves get bored scored higher on creativity tests than those constantly stimulated. So if you’re stuck on a problem, maybe don’t push harder, just take a walk, do the washing up, or stare out the window for a bit.
2 - It sparks original thought
Original thought has never been more sought after since the launch of AI. Sandi Mann, in her book The Science of Boredom, says boredom can be the “catalyst for creativity” and we should harness it rather than avoid it. By allowing yourself time to mindless wander and meander through simple thoughts, you can spark creative and original thoughts. Every wondered why you always get the best ideas in the shower? Yep, this is why.
3 - It prompts better decision making
Boredom also motivates us to make decisions. Professor Brian Little explains “Boredom has evolutionary significance by creating the motivation for exploration”. Being alone and bored also provides respite from constant noise and distractions from decision-making. This can make it the perfect environment to make important decisions in or come up with new ideas.
Attention is finite, use it wisely
Attention is a limited resource. Just as an overworked muscle grows weak, overworking your attention can wear it out. We’re constantly giving things our attention, even during down time. Yes, that includes scrolling - watching a TikTok requires attention.
When you’re over-using your brains attention mechanisms, you can suffer “attention fatigue” that effects your mental processing. You can feel tired, irritable and struggle making decisions (similar to that pesky brain fog).
Attention fatigue is caused by over indulging and getting ‘too much’ of stuff. Distractions (like your phone), multitasking, loud noises, bustling urban environments, poor sleep, and many other features of modern life seem to promote attention fatigue.
Your brain needs boredom
Your brain needs rest and down time to work properly. Think of it like a workout - after a hard session at the gym, you need rest to allow your muscles to rebuild themselves stronger than before. Your brain need boredom for the same reasons.
Whilst sleep is crucially important in revving up your brain horsepower, doses of boredom is also important for you brain health. It may feel like a waste of time but it plays a big part self-reflection, memory and creativity. This kind of idle thinking is also believed to lead to innovation by allowing new connections between existing ideas or concepts from different fields of knowledge.
How to be bored
Being bored can be very difficult and irritating. After 5 minutes without your phone can trigger a twitchy knee and hunt for something to do. In one study, subject even resulted in electrocuting themselves for ‘something to do’. So here are a few ways to be bored.
1. Get out in nature
Being in nature is the perfect spot to practice soft fascination, which is when attention is held gently, where thoughts are able to pass through and meander around freely. Take a walk, watch the waves or observe wildlife to give your brain permission to pause. This means no books or podcasts - just listen and watch the outside world. As well as increasing your ability to concentrate, being outdoors has been shown to reduce stress levels, spark creativity and improve sleep.
2. Do nothing, like staring out a window
Doing nothing can be hard, so start small (5 minutes is enough) and then build up to around 20 minutes a day. A great way to do this is just stare out the window and notice things - passers by, birds, the colour of the bricks.
Try just sitting for 1 minute with Sit Sonnet
3. Don’t over-plan your weekends or holidays
The need to pack everything into weekend trips is probably driven by FOMO. You don’t want to miss out on anything. Challenge yourself to leave some time ‘unplanned’ and ‘unplugged’ so you can do whatever you feel like. Better yet, actually plan in trips focused around doing nothing, such as an off-grid cabin.
4. Put your phone away
Your phone is the definition of anti-boredom. Put it away. That means no social media, no Netflix, no podcasts, no music. Just silence and boredom. Think of it as 20 minutes of self-care for your brain.
Don’t avoid boredom, feel it
Being bored isn’t lazy. It’s productive in its own quiet way. It’s the space where your best thoughts, creativity, and calm come from. So next time you feel that itch to scroll, don’t. Let yourself sit in it and feel it. When you’re sat in a waiting room or having your morning coffee, try doing it with no distractions from your phone or the TV.
Unplugged is a digital detox experience that kickstarts your journey on reducing your digital dependency. With off-grid cabins only 1-2 hours from city life, you can lock your phone away and switch off for a 3 nights digital detox. Book your digital detox here.
