It’s safe to say that nobody likes to feel bored, which is often why people turn on the TV, start playing a new game, or scroll through TikTok. They’ll take the easiest routes possible to get rid of that restless and boring feeling. However, we’re here to explain why boredom isn’t such a bad thing. In fact, it could offer a lot of positive benefits to your life.
Take a quick break from ordering your new helmet from Get Lowered Cycles, and let’s get into 5 reasons you should allow yourself to be bored.
Inspiration
When you allow yourself to be bored, you might think you’ll be sitting there mulling over how bored you are. This isn’t the case if you start to get used to it, and this time of solitude can open the door to inspiring you to take action on things you’ve been putting off. Instead of reaching for your phone, you’ll instead reach for your laundry or dishes that have been sitting on the sink or whatever else it is that needs to get done around your house.
Motivation
Motivation can manifest from a variety of different situations, and boredom is one of them. That’s right – when you’re feeling bored, you’re also feeling a bit of angst which is a form of energy. If you don’t succumb to boredom and turn on Netflix, you can use this energy to motivate you in different areas of your life. You could get the urge to go for a run or practice playing a new instrument.
Self-Awareness
Self-awareness is crucial to your overall well-being and is essential to one’s growth. How do you get self-awareness? By being still and observing what thoughts and emotions are swirling inside of you. When you allow yourself to be bored, you create the perfect opportunity to turn inward and explore your thoughts and emotions which undoubtedly increases your self-awareness.
Innovation
Great ideas come from nothingness. Even the American inventor, Thomas Edison, realized this truth as he would fall asleep with a ball in his hands and once it dropped, he would awaken with new and innovative ideas. Allowing yourself to be bored gives you the opportunity to come up with ideas you hadn’t once thought of before as your attention isn’t placed elsewhere.
Emotional Regulation
Emotional regulation is an important element in building a healthy relationship with yourself and others. Yet, our emotions often go unobserved and we certainly aren’t taught in school how to regulate them. Letting yourself be bored will get you in closer contact with how you’re feeling. When you feel the restlessness that comes with boredom, but you learn how to regulate this emotion through sitting still, you’re practicing emotional regulation. Over time, this regulation will become more of your natural state of being – even when you aren’t feeling bored.
Final Thoughts
Boredom has a bad reputation. We hope that after reading this article, you’ll be inspired the next time you’re feeling bored to sit with it for a while. Who knows, you may just start to look forward to the opportunity to be bored.
