Why Feeling "Meh" Might Actually Be Meaningful!
They lied to us about boredom, and here’s is the truth.
Have you ever felt excessively sentimental longing for the past days by hearing a song, or a familiar smell, or seeing something that connects your soul to the past?
I always feel this when I see the wind dancing between the leaves of the trees, it brings me to the time I chased butterflies in plains with the wind running through my hair.
Nostalgia, a deep longing for a piece of your soul that’s left in the past, sad but sweet. ✨🥀🌖
It’s interesting that it’s caused by boredom, but can diminish it!
☔️But, what’s boredom, really?
Psychologists define boredom as the “unfulfilled desire for satisfying activity.” It’s not just about having nothing to do; it’s about feeling unable to engage meaningfully with our surroundings.
🥱This lack of engagement can leave us feeling restless or drained, oscillating between states of listlessness and agitation. While this might sound harmless, boredom has been linked to serious issues like increased risk of addiction, depression, and risky behaviors like gambling.
Funny fact: the way you react to this boredom shapes your mood!
It can have significant effects on our mood, behavior, and even our mental health.
🤔How?
There are 3 different types reactions to boredom:
Evaider: They try to daydream or do anything to distract themselves from what’s going on and they don’t like it. Daydreamers are of two types: a) who dream about the past. b) who dream about the future. And scientists say that the second group tend to have more active minds( they are smarter!).
Criticizer: They engage with the process, but in an aggressive manner by focusing on the negative aspects without allowing for creative insights.
Re-appraiser: They are the smartest ones, they change their perspective and approach to what makes them bored and engage actively with it. They get the best results: they are better learners, and they have healthier minds.
The worst thing you can do when bored is distraction. It sucks all your time and mental energy and leaves you with sunken emotions.
Tell me what happens when you switch between social media platforms to distract yourself from your boredom? That’s right, you get more bored!
This gift from consumer economy is also a curse: having too many options.
In today’s world of constant digital stimulation, it may seem like we’d be less prone to boredom. However, research suggests the opposite.
Reliance on quick, screen-based entertainment can reduce our ability to engage meaningfully with our environment, making us more susceptible to boredom in the long run. Children who constantly turn to screens for stimulation may struggle to develop the imagination and resourcefulness that come from finding their own ways to stay entertained.
When we have more than 10 options for each decision, we have less interest in each one and we get choosing paralysis! So we get bored, bored and anxious.
“ I have too many interests, and I can choose to be whoever I want. Great! But now I don’t know which one to choose, maybe I don’t make a decision at all and spend my days with creeping anxiety and killer boredom!”
Is it me or the task?!
Well, even though the environment is the invisible hand that shapes our behavior2, it’s all on you!
Don’t worry though, I’m not trying to make you feel guilty, the good news is when the responsibility is yours, you have the power to change it.
But, why is it easier for some to focus on a boring tasks? Do they have more determination or some weird wired brains that help them re-appraise?
If there’s someone to blame, they are these 3 fellas:
Inattention
Hyperactivity
Impulsiveness
Executive function ( this one is the tasty juice of the first three)
This is where everything comes together: your childhood shapes your attention and the way you interact with your emotions and boredom.
You didn’t have the power to choose another way then, but you have now.
When something bores you to death, but is a must-do to get to your vision, instead of distracting yourself or procrastinating on it, get engaged.
Figure that shit out, don’t let lack of confidence or skills get on your way.
Unlearn what stops you from doing what you love, learn how you can get there.
Your life’s a puzzle, you can’t get the big picture if you don’t put each piece at its own place. Maybe some pieces are boring, but it doesn’t make them unnecessary or unwanted.
How can you get more creative by being bored?!
Interestingly, boredom isn’t all bad news.
Research indicates that it can be a powerful motivator for creativity and introspection. In one study, people experiencing boredom were more likely to feel nostalgic and find deeper meaning in past experiences.
For some, the discomfort of boredom pushes them to explore new activities and ideas.
The Default Mode Network (DMN) is a network of brain regions that becomes active when we are at rest, not focused on external tasks, and engaged in inward-directed thought, such as daydreaming, self-reflection, and memory recall.
The DMN becomes active during periods of boredom, when the brain is unoccupied by structured, goal-directed activity.
How?
by encouraging "mind-wandering," a state that fosters free-flowing, associative thinking. Neuroscientists have found that mind-wandering can enhance creative problem-solving by enabling the brain to connect disparate ideas and retrieve memories or information from different contexts, effectively "priming" the brain to generate novel solutions.
For example, a study by Sandi Mann and Rebekah Cadman demonstrated that individuals who completed mundane tasks (like reading phone numbers) performed better on creativity tasks afterward compared to those who hadn’t.
This suggests that boredom-induced activation of the DMN allows the brain to disengage from immediate stimuli and instead explore unconventional ideas, associations, and solutions.
When the brain is free to wander without constraints, the DMN may facilitate creative thinking, highlighting how boredom, often seen as a negative state, can serve as a crucial catalyst for innovation and problem-solving.
Engage in low-stimulation activities: Tasks like doodling, cleaning, or taking a walk are great for stimulating the DMN without requiring much focus, giving your mind the freedom to wander.
Practice mindful boredom: Instead of reaching for your phone or a quick distraction, sit with the feeling of boredom and observe it. This can cultivate patience and improve tolerance for mental quiet, setting the stage for innovative thinking.
How to become a re-appraiser?
Becoming a re-appraiser means seeing boredom as an opportunity rather than a nuisance. Here are some practical steps to help you cultivate this mindset:
1. Shift Your Perspective: When you feel bored, try seeing it as a chance to learn something new or think creatively. Boredom can be a gateway to insight, not just a lack of stimulation.
2. Stay Curious: Ask questions about whatever is making you bored. For example, if you’re in a dull meeting, ask yourself why things are done a certain way or consider how you’d improve the process. Curiosity can transform a tedious moment into an engaging one.
3. Use Low-Stakes Challenges: Give yourself a small challenge that reframes the task. Small goals can make otherwise dull tasks more interesting.
4. Practice Mindful Acceptance: Instead of immediately reaching for your phone or another distraction, sit with the boredom. Pay attention to what it feels like without judgment. This practice builds patience and trains you to be comfortable with mental quiet, a skill that fosters creativity.
5. Engage in Mental Play: Allow your mind to wander and explore new ideas when you're bored, rather than focusing only on the boredom itself. Experiment with free-association thinking, where you let one thought lead naturally to another, or try brainstorming new ideas or solutions to existing problems.
Instead of reacting to boredom as a problem, you’ll begin to see it as a valuable space for creativity, reflection, and growth.
So, the next time boredom strikes, consider it an opportunity.
It might just be your mind nudging you toward something meaningful, whether it’s reconnecting with past memories, dreaming up new ideas, or discovering what truly engages you.3
The context of this post is inspired by the series of public podcasts by Dr. Azarakhsh Mokri, a well known and respected psychiatrist in Iran.
Quote by James Clear.