You Need to Be Bored. Here's Why.

Boredom serves as a vital biological signal that activates the brain's default mode network, a state necessary for grappling with existential questions of purpose and meaning. Modern society faces a crisis of depression and anxiety because digital devices allow individuals to eliminate every moment of stillness, creating a "doom loop" that bypasses deep reflection. Research demonstrates that people often prefer physical pain, such as electric shocks, over the discomfort of being alone with their thoughts. Reclaiming mental health requires a deliberate "skill of boredom" practiced through protocols like device-free commutes, phoneless meals, and strict evening screen bans. These periods of cognitive inactivity do not merely provide rest; they foster original ideas and increase satisfaction with work and relationships by forcing an engagement with life's most significant questions of coherence and significance.