Boredom may seem like the worst feeling to have, especially when the cure is right at your fingertips, but embracing your boredom can be beneficial. Instead of filling your time by doomscrolling, allowing yourself to get lost in thought is a great alternative: stare at the wall, notice things in nature, look at the stars. Boredom doesn't have to mean locking yourself in a white-padded room with no escape. If you think about it, boredom only lasts as long as you not wanting to do something else.
For me, I don't think there's ever been a second I haven't had a thought. I'm not sure if my boredom is just me wanting to do something else or needing to get away from my thoughts for a bit. I used to try to avoid boredom at any cost, but I've embraced it, and now I feel calmer and more in tune with myself and my surroundings.
Boredom…
Gives you time to yourself
Who spends more time with you than yourself? You allow others to get to know you, but you may not be giving yourself that chance to fully connect with the most important person in your life. The best — and most intimate — relationship you innately inherit is with yourself. Take time and treat yourself how you would others.
Be bored with yourself and don't rely on anything or anyone else to cure that. Boredom shouldn't be cured; it should be embraced. Think about the positives of your day, try to remember what happened, or sit in silence. Just do anything that benefits you! One thing I've been wanting to try is going out somewhere by myself that I usually wouldn't go out to alone.
makes you smarter
In a sense, boredom does make you smarter. Becoming more in tune with your emotions and practicing self-reflection are traits of emotional intelligence, and using your free time to think gives you the opportunity to have unique thoughts. For example, do you think grout is the same texture as a smoothie? What's the point of wearing camo if cameras still know you're a human? You could call that philosophical thinking.
New information = smarter
Doomscrolling = mindless
When I'm bored, I listen to podcasts about things I like. I sat and let myself be bored enough to think of anything that was happening, bothering me, or that I needed to do. Sorting out my thoughts and listening to podcasts made me more emotionally intelligent.
Example: "No, I deserve more than to be treated that way." "Yes, I could've done better in that situation." "Yes, it's okay to be selfish." See, smarter already.
allows you to be creative
Being able to express yourself through the creation of art takes a lot of talent and even more thought. Pushing through the boredom to create a masterpiece is a skill in itself. Not all boredom is good, but not all boredom is bad.
Creativity isn't just in making art, it's in everything. Your thoughts can be creative. The most fun game I have for this is trying to have the most original thought. If you look it up and there are no results that specifically answer your question, you win.
Do you ever wake up in the morning and go straight on your phone? If possible, when you wake up, try to recall what you dreamed about that night. It really gets you thinking and may even wake you up! Your mind is very creative, especially in your dreams.
Increases imagination
Boredom — especially in childhood — is a crucial facilitator in the development of cognitive, social, and emotional skills gained through imagination. Problem-solving skills are maintained through learned imagination, which ultimately makes you smarter.
Do you ever think, "Wow, I wish I thought of that first?" Well, you can! My epiphany with this was when I was super bored in the car one day and let my mind wander to the subject of belly buttons. I thought, if our umbilical cords were once connected to our belly buttons, it has to be possible to have feeding tubes through the belly button. Come to find out, it is somewhat of a thing used for newborns.
I always have conversations planned out and my responses to certain situations. If you can imagine the conversation or conflict that will occur, it's easier to find what you want to say. The only downside is none of the conversations I prepare for actually happen or go as planned.
improves Metacognition
Metacognition is the ability to think about thinking. It's the understanding of what you know and what you do. Improving metacognitive skills can compensate for any cognitive limitations such as trouble with memory.
Metacognition is deliberate, so try to figure out how you can become the best thinker! Here's an example of the types of metacognition.
Problem: Remembering a phone number.
Tacit: "I have bad memory."
Aware: "I might forget, but I guess I can write it down."
Strategic: "I don't have anything to write it down on, but I know I remember numbers better in threes, so I'll say it aloud in threes."
Reflective: "Saying it in threes didn't really help, but saying it aloud did. Next time I can try making it into a tune."
Once you figure out which type of metacognition you perform, it's easy to upgrade. Reflection of yourself and your thoughts is important because it keeps you in check with reality.
boredom in a nutshell
Boredom is a great strategy to benefit thinking, life, and yourself as a whole. Instead of finding mindless activities to dull the boredom, take advantage of your ability to feel bored and choose what's best for you! It's easy to forget what's going on in your life when you never give yourself time to process experiences. Boredom is beneficial if you let it be, so let it be!
You are already using your free time to do something that benefits you: reading this article and learning more about yourself. Be more conscious of what you spend your time doing, and you will be aware and remember things more. Let boredom be beneficial, because it truly is what you make it to be.