Checking social networks can prevent us from falling into a state of deep boredom, which according to scientists is a great pity.
We all get bored from time to time, and while we are waiting for the bus at the station or in line in front of the counter, it is only superficial. However, these initial feelings can deepen over time and grow into something else, according to scientists.
“Deep boredom may sound like an extremely negative concept, but it can actually be extremely productive if people are given the chance to think undisturbed and develop,” explains sociologist Timothy Hill of the University of Bath in the UK.
Deep boredom and creativity
To examine this nearly 100-year-old concept, Hill and his colleagues explored the lives of 15 people who were given paid time off or worked from home during the coronavirus pandemic. Age, occupation and education varied between the participants, and all were given pre-designed interviews aimed at probing their feelings.
Based on the data they received, it was observed that boredom occurred often, but that for those who experienced it more deeply, it caused a feeling of restlessness and emptiness. All this resulted in repeated attempts to fill that gap through hobbies such as carpentry, cooking or cycling.
However, the main problem in this process is checking social networks, whose content can alleviate superficial boredom and thus prevent falling into deeper feelings, thus also discovering hidden talents and passions. Other studies have also suggested that boredom and mind wandering are key foundations for creativity, which is why so many good ideas come to us while in the shower.
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