Sitting Down with Boredom
Boredom is a fascinating emotion considering everything today is within arm’s reach. Just grabbing your phone could lead to instant communication with friends or to endless content on social media platforms or to a variety of online stores to shop from. But perhaps it is this convenience that induces a state of perpetual boredom. It is overstimulation to the point where nothing is exciting anymore. Joseph Brodsky, a prolific Russian-born American poet, expressed that boredom is “your window on the properties of time that one tends to ignore to the likely peril of one’s mental equilibrium. It is your window on time’s infinity. Once this window opens, don’t try to shut it; on the contrary, throw it wide open.” Brodsky believes this emotion should be embraced and not shut out. And perhaps he is right in that it gives us the chance to step back from the constant noise in our lives.
But nowadays, it feels unnatural to sit still because sitting still feels like regression. Stagnancy is scary. It seems better to spend that time online, pretending to be doing something rather than actually face boredom. But the more time you spend online, the more you are likely to be bombarded with news about people getting new jobs, buying properties, and/or travelling the world. Comparison is the thief of joy, but it is still done anyways. Boredom, when looking at it through the lens of society’s standards, almost seems…wrong. One might ask: how can anyone be bored when there is so much to do?
This issue is further complicated because there is, in fact, a worldwide pandemic. It is harder than ever to meet up with a friend or explore some place other than the local grocery store. We are left with our technology, which could be wonderful to keep in touch with friends and family, but this innocuous act can quickly turn to mindless scrolling for hours. Gone are the days where boredom was staring at the bedroom ceiling trying to conjure up things to do. It is now replaced with phones, laptops, and TVs. Boredom is not about sitting alone and with your thoughts anymore – it’s about filling that void with something. There’s nothing wrong with spending more time online and seeing what everyone is up to. It may even make one feel more connected in a world that desperately needs connection. If, however, spending all this time online creates a sense of hopelessness and negativity starts to take over – that’s when it’s time to take a step back.
It’s important to understand that boredom is not a bad thing. Why is there an intense need to be doing something at all times? It is okay to rest. It is okay to be bored. In fact, it might even be beneficial.
Numerous journals and magazines have published articles on why feeling this emotion is a good thing. A study looked at how boredom can actually spark creativity. In this particular study there were two groups of people, one of the groups had gone through a boredom-inducing task (sorting a bowl of beans by colour one by one) and the other group completed an interesting craft activity. The researchers found that the bored group out-performed the craft group in an idea-generating task after the two groups completed their first tasks. This is because it’s natural to look for some sort of simulation when you are working through monotonous activities or just unsure of what you should be doing with your time - your mind is suddenly put at work and it has the ability to come up with great ideas.
So, be bored. In such a fast-paced world, it should be welcomed as it gives you the chance to breathe. There’s no reason to be always doing something in order to feel like you are not falling behind. And who knows, perhaps a revolutionary idea may spark the next time you find yourself staring at your ceiling without a clue about what you’re supposed to be doing.