Boredom, for me, is the feeling that one has nothing worthwhile to do. Too often people complain that “this is boring.” We can borrow a pithy rebuttal from the internet for this complaint: “You’re doing it wrong.” In fact, boredom can be a good thing.
Bored people can ponder life’s big questions. At least, that’s what my philosophy professor once said in my first year class.
I think he was correct: you could do a lot of good and interesting things when you’re bored. You could help others, gain insight into a mysterious topic, write a book or blog post, and paint. During a typical week, we may not have time to do these things because we are so busy. Boredom offers us time to retreat from the world and reflect on life.
But you cannot do these activities without a break. Perhaps your philosophical and charitable binges have left your body and mind exhausted. The engine that powers both overheats and needs to cool down. What do you do when you need a break from the big questions? You need to relax.
Boredom provides great opportunities to relax. I take advantage of it to play stacks of video games. If I didn’t have time to play, my list of back logged games would rival the page count of War and Peace.
When I play these games, all problems melt away and it feels like I am on a roller coaster with my hands in the air. The game is a thrill ride you do not want to end. Play too long, though, and you might look pale enough to throw up your lunch.
Boredom is great! It gives you time to serve others, engage in profound thought, and enjoy hobbies. When life gives you boredom, squeeze out of every last drop and savor it.
Video Games Nebula 
This is an awesome post. I think boredom is so underrated. Personally, I don’t get bored–but–I do get free time to look around wondering what to do next. I either end up, as you say, helping other people, volunteering, or reading a good book, or playing a great game. The last game I played was on my Nexus 7 called Fling! Great game. I love the puzzles aspect of it all and the music is very relaxing after a tough day. Anyway, I enjoy the whole concept of waking up in the morning wondering what I’m going to do with the day. It’s exciting, but not boring!
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Thanks for the positive comment. I just got back from vacation and read it.
When I have free time, I love to do all the things you mentioned. That free time is precious, and I try not to waste it by complaining about “being bored.”
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When I have nothing to do I take that time to think about my life and where I hope i’ll be in another 5 or 10 years. I wouldn’t exactly call it boredom, It’s actually very peaceful when i’m alone and doing absolutely nothing.
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Sure, I think boredom is an opportunity to do great things. It might allow you to plan, as you say, your future; philosophize and meditate; volunteer your time; or relax and play games. So I think people who complain about boredom are wasting their time.
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My thoughts exactly. When I have free time I write articles on games, or movies. I might play a good game, or just help a friend in need. There are plenty of things you can do instead of complaining how “bored” you are.
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Agreed!
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It’s great to see ‘boredom’ shown in a different light. I sometimes wonder, in a world where there is so much to do how people still come to suffer from boredom. I keep myself busy a lot, but sometimes it’s just nice to have that guilt free down time or the free time to tackle some of my other interests. I sometimes wonder if people who complain of boredom a lot will one day look back and feel like they wasted that time that they could have put towards… well… anything. To me time is the most precious commodity.
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“I sometimes wonder if people who complain of boredom a lot will one day look back and feel like they wasted that time that they could have put towards…”
If that was me, I would definitely look back and feel like I had wasted my time.
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