Invest Time in Boredom

If you had to guess, where would you say most people encounter their best ideas? Would you be surprised that it is in the shower? I sure was!

But then, dear reader, I remembered that the shower is one of the few places we are separated from our phones. Perhaps it is this respite from technology that allows our brain to thaw. You see, we are constantly stimulated by our phones – from news updates, to text messages and calls, to emails, to Facebook notifications, etc. And in this way, our attention is constantly held hostage, our minds never free to fully soak in the present.

Perhaps most troubling is that many of us are unwittingly addicted to technology. Studies have shown that something as simple as getting a notification releases dopamine, the neurotransmitter underlying rewarding behaviors. With unfettered access to technology, our “reward system” is being hijacked as our brains hungrily demand more and more dopamine. This may in part fuel why individuals compulsively check their phones, or feel a twinge of pleasure when they receive a notification. But the truth is that behaviors once rewarding become less so as our chemical thresholds become off-kilter. But back to creativity…

This circles back to creativity because perhaps our brains need a break from constant stimulation to explore new horizons, and to connect disparate ideas floating aimlessly in the bowels of our minds. Now that Facebook, Netflix, and YouTube are in a battle for our attention, our minds are robbed of the time to metabolize all that we have fed them throughout that day. And perhaps we are so rarely “unplugged” from technology because we have become addicted to constant stimulation.

All the above is not to bash on our smart phones. Ultimately, people decide how they use a tool, and it is possible to use technology intentionally, to enjoy its gifts of productivity and connectivity, while also make a conscious effort not to compromise our creativity. It’s wonderful to access calculators, GPS routes, recipes, workout classes, and book summaries with just a click of a button. But let’s make sure that we aren’t letting these resources tarnish our ability to think for ourselves. And as our society becomes more and more conditioned to instant gratification, let’s make sure that technology isn’t eroding our patience, too. We are used to receiving instantaneous answers, but the truth is the most precious gifts in life – things like deep relationships, meaningful work, and true success – take time to grow.

So maybe next time you go on a walk, put your phone on mute. Enjoy a sunset, appreciate your surroundings, and see where your mind takes you. Life is too short to spend cumulative years (I’m not exaggerating, seriously, years) looking down. Let’s start looking up!