Writing Through Boredom

What would you say if I told you that boredom can boost your creativity?

The first time I heard that, I didn’t really give it much thought. Then a friend sent me the link to Manoush Zomorodi’s TED Talk—aptly named “How boredom can lead to your most brilliant ideas.”

I was intrigued.

I clicked on the link.

I listened for sixteen mind-blowing minutes.

Have you ever been bored as a kid? (I expect you to raise your hand in the affirmative.) Me too. In fact, I remember countless times when I would slide limply off some piece of furniture and, filled with youthful angst, whine (I was an award-winning whiner) “I’m booooorrrred!” My parents would list off several options (oddly, many of them involved some form of house-cleaning chore…) then fell silent, immune to my continued complaints.

My parents knew the value of being bored. I did not. Now—thanks to Ms. Zomorodi—I do.

When we are bored, we look at things differently and process things differently. We begin to say, “what if…?” and our minds go wild. As a kid, I learned how to climb trees. I made all sorts of mud pie creations and opened a “store” in my parent’s shed. My sister and I built an entire kitchen out of cardboard boxes.

As an adult, I recognize that creative boost more in story ideas than anything else. When I’m driving or running, my mind is constantly moving through story ideas and plot twists. I people-watch and say, “what if they…?” and suddenly those people have a whole new life that resides solely in my mind that they know nothing about.