Challenge Boredom: Why Discomfort Leads to Growth

Boredom Isn’t the Enemy

You’ve checked your phone. Again. Not because there’s something urgent—just because. The quiet space between tasks starts to itch. So you scroll. Tap. Swipe. Distract.

That creeping discomfort? That’s boredom. In today’s hyper-connected world, we treat it like a bug to fix, a glitch in the system. But what if boredom isn’t a problem to solve—but a powerful signal to listen to?

We’ve become so efficient at killing time that we’ve forgotten how to use it. But boredom, when we stop running from it, can be the push we need toward creativity, clarity, and real personal growth.

The Psychology of Boredom

Boredom isn't just the absence of fun. Psychologists define it as the unfulfilled desire for meaningful engagement. You want to do something—but nothing feels right or rewarding.

There are two broad types:

• Situational boredom, which arises in mundane or repetitive environments—long lines, slow meetings, same-old routines.
• Existential boredom, the deeper sense that life itself lacks meaning or novelty. This is the kind that often pushes people to radically shift careers, relationships, or creative pursuits.

Dr. John Eastwood, a leading researcher on boredom, describes it as “a failure of attention.” When we can’t connect our current experience with our deeper values or interests, boredom emerges as a cue to redirect.

Rather than being a mental weakness, boredom is an evolutionary feature. It pushes us toward better use of time and energy. In essence, boredom is productive dissatisfaction.

Why We’re Addicted to Avoiding It

We live in an age where every idle second is an opportunity to consume. Streaming platforms, social media, bite-sized content, mobile games—our entire environment is designed to make boredom obsolete.

But that’s part of the problem.

The average person now spends 7+ hours a day looking at screens. We switch between tasks and apps hundreds of times, creating a loop of constant, shallow engagement. In this state, we're rarely bored enough to grow—but also never focused enough to create.

A study from the University of Virginia found that participants left alone in a room with no distractions chose to administer mild electric shocks to themselves rather than just sit with their thoughts. That’s how uncomfortable boredom has become.

We’ve developed what psychologists call boredom intolerance—a conditioned response to flee from mental stillness. But running from boredom means running from the very discomfort that drives growth.

What Happens When You Sit With Boredom

When you let boredom in—truly sit with it rather than escape—it activates an entirely different mode of thinking.

Enter the Default Mode Network (DMN). This is the neural network that lights up when the brain is not focused on the outside world. It’s engaged during daydreaming, reflection, and imagination. This is where the good stuff—original ideas, self-insight, new perspectives—happens.

In fact, research shows that moderate boredom improves divergent thinking, the ability to generate multiple creative solutions. Boredom also supports goal-setting, emotional processing, and even moral reasoning.

In plain terms: boredom is the brain’s way of clearing the decks, allowing for deeper thought and unexpected connections. It’s the silence that makes the signal easier to hear.

How to Productively Engage With Boredom

Rather than fearing boredom, we can use it. Here’s how:

1. Practice Mindful Boredom

Instead of rushing to fill gaps with stimulation, pause. Set a timer for 10 minutes. Sit with no screen, no distractions. Just notice what thoughts come up. Boredom often masks feelings—restlessness, fear, creative blocks. Get curious about them.

2. Schedule Structured Idleness

Give yourself permission to do nothing for a set time. Walk without music. Watch the trees. Let your mind roam. This unstructured time becomes fertile ground for insight.

3. Go Analog

Screens provide endless passive input. Try analog alternatives: journaling, doodling, reading, crafting. These activities slow you down and re-engage your senses.

4. Use Boredom as a Signal

Ask yourself: What am I avoiding? What matters that I’ve been neglecting? Boredom often points toward areas of your life that are undernourished or misaligned.

5. Build Your Boredom Tolerance

Start small. Delay checking your phone by five minutes. Increase that window daily. Like exercise, discomfort builds resilience over time.

The Hidden Benefits of Embracing Boredom

Let’s be clear—boredom isn’t always fun. But it is useful. Here’s what it gives back when you stop resisting:

1. Enhanced Creativity

Many artists and innovators swear by boredom. Steve Jobs was known for taking long, aimless walks. Agatha Christie claimed her best plot ideas came while washing dishes. Great ideas rarely emerge in the chaos of overconsumption—they rise in stillness.

2. Stronger Self-Awareness

When we stop numbing out, we start tuning in. Boredom creates space for emotional and psychological processing. It’s during quiet moments that we examine our lives and recalibrate.

3. Mental Resilience

Building a tolerance for boredom is like weight training for your attention span. It teaches patience, focus, and persistence—all crucial traits in a world that’s constantly pulling at our attention.

4. Clarity of Values

What you miss when you're bored tells you something important. Do you long to connect with others? Create? Move your body? These cues help clarify your authentic desires.

Make Peace With Stillness

Our culture celebrates hustle, productivity, and endless engagement. But the truth is, creativity doesn’t happen at full speed. It blooms in the pause.

So the next time you’re tempted to reflexively pick up your phone, don’t. Let yourself feel the friction of a quiet moment. There’s gold in that silence—if you’re willing to listen.

Try this:

This week, schedule 30 minutes with no agenda. No screens. No goals. Just be bored. Then notice what thoughts, insights, or ideas emerge.

That’s where your next great leap might begin.