Boredom Is Good: Embrace the Bliss of Doing Nothing!

Did you know that boredom can be good for your productivity and brain health? There is an Italian phrase called “il dolce far niente” which translates to “the sweetness of doing nothing”. It is a combination of four words — “il” meaning “the”, “dolce” meaning “sweet”, “far” which is the short form of “fare” meaning “to do”, and “niente” meaning “nothing”. This phrase emphasizes the importance of taking a break and enjoying the simple pleasures of life.

Our modern society revolves around businesses, and we often find ourselves constantly selling something to others. Even when we are sleeping, our minds are still working non-stop. On top of that, some successful entrepreneurs promote the idea of working 70 hours a week. If we do the math, we can see that we hardly have any time left for ourselves. This is why it is important to understand the value of doing nothing and allowing ourselves to be bored for a while.

Why Boredom Is So Powerful?

There is a popular movie called “Animal” that has generated a lot of buzz. Some people believe that movies like this can hurt society, while others defend it as an example of creative expression. Recently, I stumbled upon a post by financial influencer/expert Akshat Shrivastava that presents an interesting perspective on this topic.

“He began by saying, ‘The ability to get bored is something that people are losing fast, and it is killing their minds.’ He correlated it with our need to find bigger stimulation, as we are so used to continuously absorbing so much. It’s hard to keep our hands away from our smartphones unless there’s a restriction and we can’t use our phones. Below are the screenshots of the post and my response.”

Earlier that morning, I came across an intriguing article in the newspaper that discussed the negative consequences of having too many options. According to studies, an overabundance of choices is causing problems for children and is leading to decision paralysis. These examples demonstrate how we are susceptible to being overwhelmed by an excess of stimuli.

In the past few years, I have written about minimalism, mindfulness, and slow living, which are the main themes of my writing. My most popular blog post of 2020 was titled “Being Slow is the Most Underestimated Quality Ever!” where I talked about finding joy in the little things and doing one thing at a time to become the best version of ourselves. Another blog post that comes to mind is “How Less is More and More is Less,” where I discussed the importance of decluttering to gain clarity of thoughts and simplify life.

“In this fast-paced and hectic era, it has become common to respond with “I’m busy” to almost everything. It is almost considered a crime to admit that one has free time. This is why boredom is often feared. Psychologists suggest that boredom is a warning sign that our mind sends, indicating that something is not right and that we need to act. It is how we deal with boredom that determines whether it has a positive or a negative impact on us.”

Boredom Is Your Brain’s Best Friend

It’s important to understand that boredom is not necessarily a bad thing. Taking the time to get bored can be the best thing you can do for your brain. Rather than constantly being busy, it’s important to take time to simply be and let your mind wander.

Many great inventions were born out of moments of boredom when people had the opportunity to think outside the box. Doing nothing can be a powerful tool for recharging your mind, especially when you’re on the go.

It’s easy to get distracted by technology and other activities that don’t engage our minds. Instead of mindlessly scrolling through social media, try taking a walk and letting your mind wander. You might just have a breakthrough idea or moment of inspiration that you wouldn’t have had otherwise.

Wrapping up!

We might not have phrases like “il dolce far niente”, but we do have Dagh Dehlvi’s “Jo Log Kuch Nahin Karte Kamaal Karte hain” (Those who don’t do anything, do amazing things). So, next time you feel bored, don’t feel bad. Remember, your brain is telling you to take the right action, which you may have put on hold, or perhaps increase the scale of your goals if they aren’t encouraging enough.

Tags: boredomhuman psychologylifelifestylemindfulnessproductivityself awarenessself improvementslow lvingThe Sweetness of Doing Nothing

Originally published at https://gauravsinhawrites.in on December 14, 2023.