On The Cost Of Technological Entanglement
How we fail to tap into the potential of boredom.
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Even as a kid, I dreaded empty moments. Every car ride, every quiet afternoon, I armed myself with books, games, anything to avoid being alone with my thoughts.
For many years, I thought there must be something wrong with me. Was my mind particularly anxious and nasty? Where did my restlessness come from?
Whatever the cause, I just couldn’t tolerate silent moments. Noticeably more than other people.
Or so I thought.
Unfortunately, I realized I am not alone.
It is apparent nowadays how most people can’t tolerate stillness.
Observe how quickly people check their phones when the conversation dies down, or when they just ordered their coffee and have a torturous minute of waiting to fill.
We have become allergic to stillness. And it’s not our fault.
Technology has declared war against idle moments. Content platforms design products to grasp and maintain our attention for as long as possible.
We’ve all experienced wasting hours scrolling on social media, not remembering why we even sat down and stared at our phones in the first place.
Is there a cost to this constant stimulation? Absolutely.
Without a minute for our thoughts to wander, our minds run on overdrive. Ultimately, we are disengaged from our thoughts — leaving no room for them to surface. And we are overstimulated with a surplus of information on a daily basis.
It was years ago when I first I sensed there was untapped potential in idleness. That I was missing out on something important.
It wasn’t long before I discovered the science behind the power of boredom.
Neuroscientists describe a state of the mind called the ‘default mode network,’ a brain function that kicks in when we’re not actively engaged with the external world. This state is linked to creativity, memory consolidation, and self-reflection.
This mode of function can lead to creative breakthroughs and innovative solutions to complex problems — think Newton and the apple or J.K. Rowling getting the idea for Harry Potter during a train ride to London.
Most importantly, boredom is the gatekeeper for this semi-conscious state of processing that is vital for our emotional well-being.
It is idleness provides the space where we understand our experiences, process our emotions, and construct the narrative of our lives.
Don’t get me wrong — I am still nervously keeping my mind busy.
Despite knowing all this, I find it hard to let go of the habit of filling every minute.
No one reaches for the remote to hit the Next Episode button on Netflix faster than me.
The concept of the necessity of mental downtime is clear, yet hard to implement.
Accommodating empty moments in our daily lives may be an inconvenience.
Yet, I hope this acts as a reminder for you — as well as for me.
Boredom is not just a void that had to be filled — it can be an opportunity for the mind to rest, explore, and rejuvenate.
Thank you for reading!
My name is Orestis Ps. — I am a Mental Health professional from Greece — I share personal pieces about my insights from Neuroscience and Psychotherapy and write nerdy pieces on things I love.