On Boredom and Creative Thought

Here’s a fun challenge. The next time you hop in your car or on your bike don’t listen to anything. No phone calls, no music and no podcasts for at least fifteen minutes. Instead, take in your surroundings.

Sit there and let the claws of boredom take you into its embrace. Mellow with it and let your mind wander to different places. Don’t think about anything in particular. Just let your mind explore its new environment and accept whatever it finds.

This is an excellent practice in creative thought. By clearing your mind and not taking in any external auditory stimuli, you’re given the opportunity to create rather than consume. Your mind has the chance to run in a field without a leash and, chances are, it will enjoy it.

After a few minutes, your surroundings will begin to pop out more at you. You may recognize patterns of nature you haven’t seen before. You may even find parallels between your life and nature.

Don’t be afraid to explore even the weirdest observations. Just because you’re in a metal box closed off from fresh air doesn’t mean you’re trapped.

Boredom can be good sometimes.