This may be the most still our world has ever been. Some people are busier, sure, but many are finding they have more margin in their lives, more calm.
Some might call this boredom. If you have kids, you may even be finding this to be a huge problem. You are trying to figure out how to keep your kids from being bored out of their minds.
This reminds me of a book I read a few years ago. The friend who recommended it said he “no longer has time for good books. He only has time for great books and this is a great book!” I found his statement to be true. The book is Deep Work by Cal Newport.
The subtitle is “Rules For Focused Success In A Distracted World” and the chapter that came to mind this week is titled, “Embrace Boredom.” He suggests boredom is good, that “dependence on distraction” is not good.
A couple quotes from the chapter via this blog post:
If every moment of potential boredom on your life – say, having to wait five minutes in a line, or sit alone in a restaurant until a friend arrives – is relieved with a quick glance at your smartphone, then your brain has likely been rewired to a point where it isn’t ready for deep work. Once you’re wired for a distraction, you crave it.
One more:
It’s crucial in these situations if you’re in an offline block, to simply gird yourself for the temporary boredom and simply fight through it with the company of your thoughts. To simply wait and be bored has become a novel experience in modern life, but from the perspective of brain training, it’s incredible valuable.
I’ve found limiting distractions and embracing boredom has been invaluable personally and for our kids. As a family, we are learning how to be bored. Some of the results are calm (as opposed to anxiety) and creativity.
Recently I posted on social media about boredom and a couple of the comments were very helpful. One friend said, “It’s good at times. Our brains need time without stimulation.”
Another said, “Having grown up with no electronics, limited TV, we were never bored. Parents literally had to call us to come in when it was dark.”
A teacher and grandmother shared, “I think some boredom is good. It teaches children and adults to find something to do that suits them.”
My favorite post inspired me with this: “Boredom CREATES. It will be interesting how much is created in our minds this month. Inventions. Art. Music. What an exciting opportunity.”
Of course, as many people pointed out, boredom can lead to unhealthy things. The point here is that constant stimulation is actually not healthy for the mind. Our brains need a break. Distractions hurt creativity and productivity. We need to limit them.
How about you? What benefits of boredom have you seen? Please share below.
