Experts Say Boredom Is Necessary, What Are the Benefits?

JAKARTA - So far, boredom is synonymous with unpleasant and unhelpful conditions. Especially in the midst of a world that is now very busy, if boredom occurs, then many people think that they are not productive.

However, experts say that actually feeling bored is actually necessary. Neurologist, Lila Landowski, said that when feeling bored arises, it does not mean that a person's brain is not active.

"When you're bored, you don't turn off your brain, but you turn your attention inward," Lila said, quoted from Women's Health, Saturday, December 20, 2025.

When bored, the brain will switch from focusing on external stimuli to internal thinking processes such as daydreaming, self-reflection, wandering thoughts, remembering memories, and imagining the future.

"The body switches to a low level of nervous system stimulation, which reduces your stress hormones (adrenaline and cortisol) and also lowers the heart rate," says clinical psychologist, Kate Cummins, PsyD.

By letting boredom happen, it can make the body rest from the busy mental and physical fatigue. This is useful for making the body fresh again, reducing stress, to train self-awareness.

"Letting our minds wander and free ourselves from social media, constant news feeds, and alerts from apps gives our minds a chance to refresh," he explained.

Bored moments are also useful for increasing creativity. This can happen because when you are bored, your brain usually wanders and brings together unexpected ideas, which can bring about solutions to problems or new ideas.

Therefore, it is good to allow boredom to occur occasionally in yourself. Instead of fighting it, feel the boredom and use it to get to know yourself better until you know what you have actually been looking for in life.

However, enjoying this boredom should also be well regulated, to prevent negative impacts. The key is not to be lazy, but to practice boredom deliberately.

You can start by scheduling a free time without any distractions, especially digital distractions. Try walking without listening to music, or sitting near a window while enjoying a cup of tea or coffee without doing anything else.