Reframing Boredom
“Boredom is desire seeking desire. ”
Boredom can be a significant stumbling block, especially if we have used alcohol to cope with it or to distract from it, but being bored is not something to run from. There are other ways to perceive it.
I would like to define briefly what boredom is, address some stigma around it, then offer a more positive and productive reframe from which to view it.
What is boredom?
Boredom is like a restlessness born from the fact that we know something is missing but don’t quite know what that is. Dr. John Eastwood, in a study from 2012, defined boredom as “the aversive experience of wanting, but being unable to engage in satisfying activity.”
We deal with boredom quite often, so let’s not dismiss or trivialize it.
Boredom as shame.
Have you ever heard the phrase “only boring people are bored?” A statement like this has negative, even shameful connotations.
We can be culturally put upon to have a good time, be interesting, or use our time wisely. There is pressure on us to fill that time lest boredom creeps in.
We would rather distract ourselves from it than explore it. In doing so, some reach for maladaptive behaviors like drinking, pornography, gambling, etc.
It’s no wonder boredom is on people’s minds when they stop drinking. So, what are some ways we can reframe this issue?
Boredom as a gift.
Before I became alcohol-free, most of my thoughts revolved around drinking. When I left booze behind, I had a bundle of newfound time on my hands.
All this time was a gift.
We might not know what in the hell we are supposed to do with it initially, and that’s fine. We can look at it as though boredom is giving us the room to explore new interests. We now have the freedom to play and experiment with new ideas and ways of living, which is far from boring.
Boredom as a catalyst for creativity.
Contrary to idle hands being the devil’s playground, there have been studies that link boredom with creativity.
Boredom lights up the default mode network of our brains, which is the part responsible for daydreaming. This seems to point to creativity, as stated in an article by Nathan Biggs:
“Boredom has the ability to enable our creative thinking by moving us into a state of daydream, which then allows our minds to wander and create without distractions.”
How many masterpieces of art, science, and literature have sprung forth from a bored human mind?
How can you use boredom to stoke the fire of your creativity?
Boredom is an unlikely ally in our journey to become who we need to be. Boredom is an opportunity to explore, seek novelty, and create our unique art to offer the rest of the world.
