The Surprising Benefits of Boredom

are you constantly feeling like you need to be busy in order to be productive or do you ever find yourself Doom scrolling on your phone just to avoid boredom hi I'm Jana Hennemann and today we're talking about the surprising benefits of boredom this can actually be a good thing not just for your business but for your overall creativity first a few fun facts number one boredom does lead to creativity research shows that when people are bored uh this leads them to more creative thinking you know you start thinking outside the box it not only reduces your cognitive overload but it also reduces that constant stimulation and expectations you have of yourself and expectations others may have on you boredom also Sparks daydreaming and this can actually lead to enhanced problem solving skills we actually did a video on how when you ask the right questions your brain automatically goes to work finding the Sol Solutions you know have you ever tried to remember the name of a book or a movie and you couldn't quite remember it and you asked what is the name of that book what is the name of that movie and then a couple days later you're brushing your teeth and it just pops into your mind yeah daydreaming is good for that boredom is also linked to increased motivation it can inspire you to seek out new activities or learn a new hobby have you ever experienced burnout and you take a mental health day and then when you go and re attack all those tasks that you have in your business you just find yourself with this increased Vigor and increased Focus yeah increased motivation boredom is also a cue for reflection this self-reflection can lead to personal growth and a better understanding of your goals and what it is that you want to achieve you can also better digest certain results you've experienced and find ways of becoming more efficient or how you can do something better in the future boredom also improves Focus people who allow themselves to be bored often experience more focus more attention when they do return to their tasks again take some time to sit and just be I mean I think that we're all a little guilty of having that squirrel brain from time to time there's a few people I know who every day that they work they will schedule 10 minutes to just simply sit in silence and just be not think about anything not focusing on anything just being and then when they do go back to their work they finish their tasks more quickly and more efficiently in essence boredom is not the enemy when you find yourself bored in your business or on a weekend and maybe meditation or mindfulness isn't right for you there's lots of other activities you can do that can lead to the same results for example you can get moving physical activity is really good for not just your body but for your brain as well take a brisk walk uh do a quick workout dance around your living room moving your body can jump start that creativity number two journaling you can Journal down your thoughts you don't even have to write down anything specific just get out a journal and just start writing even if it's just random words this is a great way to reflect on your feelings and really understand what's going on in your mind learn something new use this downtime to explore a new skill skill or a hobby learn a new language watch some how-to videos on YouTube pick up a musical instrument learn a new recipe challenging yourself in these ways can be invigorating number four engage in Mindless creativity by doodling grab a Sketchbook grab some colored pencils don't have a desired end result grab some Play-Doh or some clay let your imagination run wild without the pressure of needing to create a masterpiece disc connect to reconnect turn off your phone put down your tablet spend some time in solitude and in silence this can lead to new insights and ideas Try A New Perspective change your environment if you work from home maybe go work from a cafe or from a coffee shop a change in environment can lead to new ideas as well reach out to someone you haven't connected to in a while a quick call or text can lead to interesting conversations and A New Perspective watch a TED Talk talk or listen to a podcast sometimes a new idea from someone else can spark inspiration so the next time you find yourself bored don't panic embrace it remember doing nothing can sometimes lead to the best ideas and new possibilities I'm Jana Hennemann thank you so much for tuning in remember to like follow subscribe sign up for our newsletter it's once a week no fluff just the good stuff and I will see you this time next week