Archive · 9 Aug 2026
Why Boredom Is Good for You, Expert Explains
Most people run away from boredom.
They fill their time with phones, TV, and busy schedules.
But being bored is not always a bad thing.
Boredom happens when our brain wants more challenge or meaning.
If we let ourselves be bored, we can think of new ideas.
This is called mind-wandering, and it can help us solve problems.
Doing nothing for a few minutes can also help our brain remember what we learned.
You do not have to give up your gadgets completely.
But cutting down on switching between apps can help.
So next time you feel bored, try to sit with it and see what good ideas come.
Boredom occurs when people want to be mentally engaged but their current activity or environment lacks challenge, stimulation, or meaning.
Used well, boredom can push people toward positive change and meaningful activities instead of easy distractions like phone scrolling.
Boredom allows the mind to wander productively, which can boost problem-solving, creativity, and the generation of new ideas.
Taking short periods of 'wakeful rest,' such as five to ten minutes of doing nothing, supports memory consolidation and learning.
Experts advise accepting boredom as normal and cutting back on rapid switching between videos, apps, and social media to benefit from it.
- Who
- Trudy Meehan, a lecturer at the Centre for Positive Psychology and Health at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, is the author of the article.
- What
- The article explains how boredom can benefit wellbeing, creativity, problem-solving, memory, and learning when embraced properly.
- When
- Not specified in the article.
- Where
- Not specified; the article was first published on The Conversation.
- Why
- Because boredom, when used well, can motivate meaningful activity, improve problem-solving and creativity, and support memory consolidation.
- Author
- Trudy Meehan
- Author affiliation
- Lecturer, Centre for Positive Psychology and Health, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences
- Publication
- The Conversation
- Main benefits of boredom
- Positive change, problem-solving and creativity, memory and learning
- Recommended wakeful rest
- Five to ten minutes a day
- Key concepts
- Shower effect, productive mind-wandering, wakeful rest, memory consolidation