Boredom is something many of us will do everything we can to avoid. We fill our time with social media, books and TV programmes and keeping our schedules packed with plans.

But boredom doesn’t always need to be seen as something negative. Boredom may, in fact, be good for you – but only if you effectively tap into its full potential.

1. It can push you towards positive change

Boredom tends to arise when we want to be mentally engaged but our current activity or environment isn’t providing the level of challenge, stimulation or meaning we need. This can leave us feeling restless – especially if we don’t know how to remedy the situation.

It’s for this reason that boredom can be used to push ourselves towards change and encourage exploration.

But in order to make boredom really work for you, it’s vital to avoid just reaching for the next easy distraction, like scrolling on your phone, online shopping or visiting the pantry for a snack.

Positive change comes not from asking “how do I stop feeling like this?” but asking yourself “what meaningful thing do I need next?” Focusing on doing something meaningful is key to making boredom a bridge to more productive or positive activities.

While determining what’s meaningful will differ for each of us, as a general guide meaningful activities require a bit of effort while still being doable and making us feel like we’re part of something bigger than ourselves.

So........

© The Conversation