Boredom is typically experienced as undesirable, something to avoid or escape. Reflecting this perspective, scientific evidence indicates a strong association between boredom and psychiatric issues including depression, substance abuse and eating disorders. Other research shows that boredom can lead to impulsivity and negative behaviors including drinking and smoking, especially among adolescents. Moreover, culturally-endorsed values prioritize productivity and implicitly hold a critical view of those who are prone to boredom as “lazy” and “uninspired”.  According to the journalist Saumya Kalia, boredom typically originates from a “lack of satisfaction” and is akin to a “thirst” or “hunger” for something more; her recent article in The Swaddle summarizes the work of psychologists James Danckert and John D. Eastwood who, in their 2020 book Out of My Skull: The Psychology of Boredom, “define boredom as the uncomfortable feeling of ‘wanting to do something, but not wanting to do anything’”. Others portray boredom as an “aversive state that is characterized by feelings of dissatisfaction, restlessness, and weariness.” Despite these notions, there is an emerging opinion among experts – perhaps most notably Sandi Mann who wrote The Science of Boredom: Why Boredom Is Good, that boredom is not something to resist or avoid, but actually a state worth pursuing. This view suggests that “quality boredom” serves important functions. From tedium and the mind slowing emerges the potential for the mind to wander, which stimulates curiosity, creative problem-solving, and imagination. Neuroscientists indicate that as the mind slows the default mode network of the brain and nervous system is activated, which triggers the channeling of spontaneous thoughts necessary for autobiographical narrative formation, meaning-making, and even a greater degree of empathic connection to others. In the next virtual meeting of the Men’s Group Seminar on Saturday, July 16, 2022 (10:15 to 11:30 AM), we will discuss this new positive perspective on boredom. Central to our discussion will be the podcast interview of Manoush Zomorodi, author of Bored and Brilliant: How Spacing Out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self and the TEDx presentation “How Boredom Can Foster Creativity” by Loic Souetre.

*Registration Directions: If you would like to attend the next virtual meeting of the Men’s Group Seminar on Saturday, July 16, 2022, 10:15 to 11:30 AM, please RSVP to me at 949-338-4388 or jt@jamestobinphd.com no later than Thursday, July 14, 2022. The fee is $25.00 (payable before entering the virtual meeting) and informed consent for participation in this telehealth event must be completed prior to the seminar. Please note that the Men’s Group Seminar is psychoeducational in nature, not therapeutic, and does not constitute psychotherapy or counseling.