My mom used to call boredom the “b-word.” If I wanted to make her hopping mad (which I usually didn’t), all I had to do was say I was bored. Her problem with boredom was philosophical as much as anything. If you were bored, it wasn’t because there was nothing to do. It was because you hadn’t put enough effort into keeping yourself busy.
It turns out that Mom wasn’t wrong.
Boredom has become trendy. Studies point to how boredom is good for creativity and innovation, as well as mental health. For example, a 2014 study published in the Creativity Research Journal found that people were more creative following the completion of a tedious task. Another piece of research published in the same year by the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology found that when people were bored, they had an increase in “associative thought”—the process of making new connections between ideas, which is linked to innovative thinking. These studies are impressive, but in reality, the benefits of boredom may be related to having time to clear your mind, be quiet, or daydream.
The truth about boredom
The truth is, pure boredom isn’t pleasant. One study published in Science found that participants (67% of men and 25% of women) chose to administer an electric shock to themselves rather than to sit and think quietly for 6 to 15 minutes. In addition, a Washington State University study shows boredom is on the rise, especially in adolescent girls. This is a problem, since boredom can have negative consequences that lead to everything from overeating to issues with drugs, drinking, or gambling.
In our stimulation-rich world, it seems unrealistic that boredom could occur at all. Yet, there are legitimate reasons boredom may feel so painful. As it turns out, boredom might signal the fact that you have a need that isn’t being met.
Boredom can point to a need for more connections
Our always-on world of social media may result in more connections, but they are superficial and can get in the way of building a real sense of belonging. Feeling bored may signal the desire for a greater sense of community and the feeling that you fit in with others around you. So take the step of joining a club, organization, or association to build face-to-face relationships and create new friendships. You’ll find depth that you won’t get from your screen no matter how many likes you get on your post.
Boredom can point to a need to contribute
Similar to the need for belonging, bored people often report that they feel a limited sense of meaning. It’s a fundamental human need to have a larger purpose and to feel like we’re part of something bigger than ourselves. A 2007 University of Mississippi study found that when people are bored, they’re more likely to feel less meaning in their lives and vice versa. Conversely, a 2016 study by the University of Southampton found that when people volunteered, their happiness increased. If you want to reduce boredom and increase your sense of meaning, seek work that matters to you where you can make a unique contribution, or find a cause you can support with your time and talents.