The Power of Boredom

I know it might sound just a little odd coming from someone who talks about living a simple life, but I’m a big fan of boredom. Not the kind where you're stuck in traffic or trapped in a waiting room without a magazine in sight - although those count, too. I mean the good kind. And there are some good things in the middle of boredom. Just listen in and find out what they are!

Transcript

Episode 173 – The Power of Boredom

Let me tell you something that might sound just a little odd coming from someone who talks about living a simple life: I’m a big fan of boredom. Not the kind where you're stuck in traffic or trapped in a waiting room without a magazine in sight - although those count, too. I mean the good kind of boredom. The quiet, still, nothing-on-the-calendar kind that feels like an open field. That little lull in the day when no one needs you, nothing is dinging, buzzing, or chirping, and you have absolutely, gloriously nothing to do.

Now, I know that sounds a little crazy in today’s world. We’re so used to filling every minute. If there’s a spare moment, we pull out a phone, scroll, tap, refresh. The very thought of sitting still for five minutes without stimulation sends some folks into a tailspin. But here's the thing: we have confused stimulation with satisfaction. They are not the same thing. One is a sugar rush. The other is a slow Sunday supper. And boredom, as it turns out, is the doorway between the two.

So why are we so scared of being bored? Part of it, I think, is because boredom has gotten a bad reputation. It gets lumped in with laziness, with not being productive, with wasting time. We wear "busy" like a badge of honor and treat boredom like a personal failure. If you're not constantly doing something, you must be doing something wrong. But the truth is, boredom is not the enemy. In fact, it might be one of the most powerful tools we have for reconnecting with ourselves, our thoughts, and our creativity.

Let’s break it down. Why do we even feel bored in the first place? Well, it often shows up when our brains aren’t being fed the usual tidal wave of information or activity. And instead of leaning into that pause, we immediately try to fill it. Boredom is like a blinking cursor on an empty page—waiting for us to type something, but instead we panic and close the laptop. What if, instead, we saw that empty page as potential? Not something to run from, but something to explore?

Here’s a little story for you. When I was younger, summers seemed to stretch on forever. You remember those? No school, no schedules, no smartphones. Just long days with stretches of what we called "nothing to do." I would wander the backyard, dig around in the dirt, sit under the tree and stare at clouds until my imagination took over. Suddenly, that cloud looked like a pirate ship, and I was off on an adventure. One summer, in a fit of boredom, I taught myself how to make friendship bracelets out of string and some beads I found in an old box. Not because I had to. Not because someone told me to. But because there was nothing else going on, and my brain said, “Let’s do this.”

That’s the magic of boredom. It gives your brain a chance to breathe. To roam. To come up with something new. When we constantly fill every second, our thoughts get no wiggle room. But when we get bored, we start thinking differently. Creatively. We connect dots that didn’t seem connected before. Boredom makes space for new ideas, because it quiets the noise long enough for those ideas to speak up.

And here's another benefit: reflection. When we're not distracted, we begin to notice things. We process. We reflect. It's in those quiet, unplugged moments that we often remember the conversation we need to have, the dream we've pushed to the side, or find clarity for the decision we've been avoiding. A little boredom can stir up old hopes that have been lying dormant, just waiting for us to remember them.

Now I know what you’re thinking. That all sounds poetic, but how do you just let yourself be bored? Isn’t that... well, boring? And isn’t it a little counterintuitive to intentionally do nothing?

Sure it is. At first. Like any habit, it feels uncomfortable in the beginning. We fidget. We reach for our phones. We look around for something – anything - to do. But if you can get past those first few minutes, you start to notice the oddest things: your breathing slows. Your shoulders drop. Your mind begins to wander in the best possible way. And before you know it, you’re thinking about that idea you had last month. Or that thing you loved to do before life got loud.

Boredom isn’t really about doing nothing. It’s about leaving enough space for something real to come in.

Sometimes, I think our best ideas come when we’re elbow-deep in dishwater or sitting on the porch without a plan. Our brains finally get a break from performing and reacting, and they start to create. That’s the secret. Not every lightbulb moment comes in the shower, y’all—some of them happen while you’re staring at the ceiling fan or watching a bug crawl across the patio. And it’s not silly. It’s sacred.

You want to know what else boredom builds? Resilience. Patience. The ability to just be. We don't have to constantly chase something to prove we're alive. Sometimes, we just have to sit still long enough to remember it.

And can I be honest for a second? Some of our smartest thinkers, artists, and inventors in history came up with their best stuff during boring moments. They had margin in their lives. They had quiet, and stillness, and space to let thoughts grow. These days, we fill up our margins like we’re afraid of the white space. But white space is where the story breathes.

I’m not suggesting we all become monks or throw our phones in the creek. I like my phone. I like technology. It’s the way I make a living, and without it, we wouldn’t have books, wonderful podcasts and websites where we can learn even more. But I also like giving my mind a chance to wander. 

You can look at boredom as the raft drifting down a lazy river. It’s a great place to just float a little. To drag your fingers in the water and listen to the gentle waves as they lap over the sides. It’s on that raft, at least for me, where I meet some of the characters in my books. For you, there may be clarity, creativity, or a solution to a problem drifting by on that slow moving river of boredom. 

So maybe this week, give yourself permission and allow yourself to be bored. On purpose. It doesn’t have to be forever - just for a few minutes, or even an hour or so. Sit down without a screen, a book, or a to-do list. Stare out a window. Lay on the floor. Count ceiling tiles. Watch the clouds. Let your thoughts go wherever they want. No judgment, no goals, no expectations. Just quiet curiosity.

You might be surprised at what comes up. You might suddenly remember a dream you had five years ago. Or find yourself humming a tune you haven’t heard since childhood. Or come up with a solution to a problem that’s been driving you bananas for weeks. Or maybe - just maybe - you’ll finally remember where you put that list from last week.

The truth is, boredom isn’t a waste of time. It’s the compost pile of the mind. It looks like nothing’s happening, but give it a little time, and it becomes fertile ground for ideas, clarity, and connection. And best of all? It’s free. No subscriptions. No equipment. Just a few moments of your time and a willingness to let the silence speak.

So go ahead. Be bored. Embrace it like an old friend. Sit with it. See where it takes you. And when it drops you off somewhere wonderful, creative, or just plain peaceful, don’t forget to wave and say thank you.

Who knew doing nothing could lead to so much?

Until next time - may your boredom be fruitful, your thoughts be free, and may you always remember that sometimes the best way to reconnect... is to simply sit still and listen.

If you’re enjoying listening to these podcasts, I hope you’ll consider supporting the show by clicking the SUPPORT button in the show notes. When you do, you’ll be helping me continue bringing you fun and helpful ideas for living the Simple Life you love!

If you want to learn more about living a Simple Life, just visit my website at www.thefarmwife.com/ . Or, you can check out my books on Amazon!

 And be sure to subscribe – you don’t want to miss a single conversation. I'll be sitting on the porch every Monday morning waiting for your visit!

Thanks again for stopping in. I will see you next week on Living a Simple Life with a Back Porch View. And while you are waiting for the next episode, grab that glass of refreshment, pull up a rocker, and sit back for a while. It’s time to relax and enjoy.