Hugh: Bored? Good! Here’s Why Boredom is Actually Beneficial for You

Axios writes that we should embrace boredom, saying that research has shown that allowing yourself to be bored promotes creativity,  saying as an example that it’s why being in the shower is one of the most productive times for brainstorming. When we constantly distract ourselves instead with our phones, it, quote, “leaves little room for creative and original ideas.” The article cited a study in which researchers bored one group by instructing them to sort beans by color, while another group was given something a lot more interesting to do. After that, each group was told to come up with good excuses for being late, and the bored group had both more, and more creative, ideas. Another study found that boredom motivates people to seek out novelty, as we think of new things to try when our minds wander when bored. The Child Mind Institute says that boredom is good for kids, because learning to deal with being bored helps them learn flexibility, planning skills and problem-solving. Axios offered a couple of tips to start trying to spend less time on your phone, including not looking at your phone, but just standing there when you’re in line at a store, or going for a short walk without a podcast or music.