Boredom gets a bad rap, but science says it can actually be good for us

We are subjected to information overload and high stress, and constant stimulation can be costly — particularly for our nervous system.

- Michelle Kennedy and Daniel Hermens

We have all experienced boredom — that feeling of waning interest or decreased mental stimulation. Eventually we lose focus, we disengage. Time seems to pass slowly, and we may even start to feel restless. Whether it be watching a movie that disappoints, a child complaining that "there's nothing to do", or an adult zoning out during a meeting — boredom is a universal experience.

Generally defined as difficulty maintaining attention or interest in a current activity, boredom is commonly viewed as a negative state that we should try to avoid or prevent ourselves from experiencing.

But what if there's another way to view boredom, as a positive state? Could learning to embrace boredom be of benefit?

THE BRAIN ON BOREDOM The brain network is a system of interconnected regions that work together to support different functions. We can liken it to a city where suburbs (brain regions) are connected by roads (neural pathways), all working together to allow information to travel efficiently.

When we experience boredom — say, while watching a movie — our brain engages specific networks. The attention network prioritises relevant stimuli while filtering out distractions, and is active when we commence the movie.

However, as our attention wanes, activity in the attention network decreases, reflecting our diminished ability to maintain focus on the unengaging content. Likewise, decreased activity occurs in the frontoparietal or executive control network due to the struggle to maintain engagement with the unengaging movie.