MindSwitch Mondays #12 Boredom Encourages Creativity
Boredom is often seen as unproductive, but the opposite is true.
Greetings from San Salvador!
Last week I shared a STEAM activity curation tool to use at home to keep kids in the learning momentum. You can read more about this here.
But this week, I want to explore the following question:
How often do you allow your kids to get bored?
I’m guessing, not much!
Boredom is often seen as unproductive, but the opposite is true.
Boredom is a kid’s internal message that they need to come up with something on their own.
Research tells us that boredom encourages creativity, responsibility, and psychological well-being.
Let’s dive into each one to learn why:
Boredom encourages creativity
The mind, like a river, doesn’t always go where we want. When we let the mind run free, it goes off to wander and daydream. Daydreaming sparks creative thought. When kids have nothing to do, they exercise their imagination. Developing the skill to think creatively in a constantly changing world will serve as an advantage.
Boredom makes kids more Responsible
Kids won’t have parents or their teachers around to manage their personal agenda of activities when they grow up. They need to develop a sense of responsibility and ownership of their time. Having space to become bored and needing to come up with what to do motivates them to take responsibility. It gives them practice in making their own choices and finding ways to be interested in what is going on around them.
Boredom improves psychological well being
There is no east without west, no top without bottom, and no right without wrong. Knowing both opposite ends allows kids to appreciate one or the other.
Boredom allows kids to reflect on the things they have done and feel they have been meaningful. This adds purpose to life. They start putting more meaning to the next thing they see, and our brain just starts finding more meaningful things to focus on.
The right level of boredom is an important part of finding meaning in life.
There are constant attempts to distract kids from boredom.
It is rare that kids today are stuck with nothing to do. When boredom kicks in, most just grab a tablet, or video game, or sit down to watch TV. They get bombarded with external stimuli rather than relying on internal resources to entertain themselves.
How do we help kids learn to embrace boredom?
Give them prompts without choosing an activity for them.
“Can you find something to play with?”
“What can you make with those blocks or boxes?”
Help them look at these moments as opportunities.
“Is there something you have been wanting to play, now is a good time.”
“We have had a lot to do lately, this is a great time to relax!”
Empathize with them. Let them know you understand the boredom feeling and ask them to help out with something around the house.
“What about if you help me wash the dishes?”
Thanks for reading.
Until next week,
Alexandra Zamora
P.S This Podcast by The New Schools featuring Chrisman Frank Founder of Synthesis School is AWESOME!
I will give you a hint about what’s in it: The Elevator Pitch for Elon Musk’s School, Gamification in Education, and what the most valuable skill in the world is!
Listen to find out!