Psy Blog

While we tend to think of boredom as something that inevitably leads to trouble — drinking, gambling, antisocial behaviour — this research suggests different possibilities.

More than anything, the feeling of boredom is a strong signal that we are stuck in some kind of rut and we need to seek out new goals.

In the study above, this search led participants to new ideas.

Usually, people will do anything to avoid being bored, as it’s such an aversive experience. But creative people, like writers, sometimes talk about seeking out boredom.

The above-linked article is a decent explanation of what, so-called, “Writer’s block,” actually is and why enduring it is so critical to the creative process.

It’s also a great expectation of why banishing the TV from the bedroom is so essential to a couple’s erotic and romantic life: You really want a bored spouse who, having no other source of entertainment available, finds a highly creative way to make both of your lives, umm, interesting…

😉