Today we strive to avoid boredom; it's practically a taboo in our society.
We have all heard that being bored is something bad. Something that you should never be. But it's actually not so bad!
I'm a person that quickly got sucked into the social media and Netflix black hole. Now I constantly have my favorite TV show playing in the background of everything I'm doing and Facebook is always open, interrupting my life with notification pings. As a result, I am bombarded with constant information. And useless information at that. Moments of silence in my life are rare. Moments of inactivity are far in between. My life is punctuated by the busyness of my day, the compulsive social media skimming and Netflix binge watching, and naps. I fall asleep watching Netflix as well.
I remember a time when I would fall asleep reading; I'd wake up my face lined with the imprint of the book's pages. Throughout my day, I'd be writing, doodling, and so on. I'd keep a journal and set daily goals to improve myself. Peace and quiet was welcomed, and doing absolutely nothing was welcomed with open arms.
Today, being bored is one of the worst things we can be.
Today, we can no longer stand in line without scrolling through our phones, texting our friends.
Today, sitting absolutely still for a period of time is agonizing.
Andreas Elpidorou, a researcher of the University of Louisville, writes in an article, "The Bright Side to Boredom," that "boredom helps to restore the perception that one's activities are meaningful or significant." Boredom actually functions as a "regulatory state that keeps one in line with one's projects. In the absence of boredom, one would remain trapped in unfulfilling situations, and miss out on many emotionally, cognitively, and socially rewarding experiences. Boredom is both a warning that we are not doing what we want to be doing and a ‘push’ that motivates us to switch goals and projects." Watching Netflix fends off boredom, but also the fulfilling experiences that boredom leads to.
"Boredom is both a warning that we
are not doing what we want
to be doing and a ‘push’ that motivates
us to switch goals and projects."
Boredom pushes us to find what we are lacking in the present situation. We crave something more meaningful and rewarding. So the next time you run into creative block, whether in writing, painting, etc. allow your brain the chance to be bored. Pause the Netflix series, silence all notifications and find that creativity. Being bored shouldn't have the negative connotation that today's society places on it. Let your mind wander for a minute without bombarding it with useless information and interruptions. Let boredom motivate you.
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