In 2014, researchers wanted to understand how people respond to being alone with their thoughts—without phones, books, or any other distractions.
In the study, participants were placed in a room for up to 15 minutes with just their minds for company. They also had the option to give themselves a mild electric shock. Shockingly (pun intended), 67% of men and 25% of women chose to do just that. Why? Because we all get bored—and we really don’t like it.
Boredom is a indicator to heed
Boredom is a threat to perceived meaning in life.
But boredom isn’t just an inconvenience. It has a function. It acts as a psychological signal, momentarily disengaging us from what we’re doing and pushing us to explore other possibilities.
Boredom is often defined by two key ingredients: a lack of attention and a lack of meaning. According to Dr Wijnand Van Tilburg, experimental social psychologist at the University of Essex, “Boredom is a threat to perceived meaning in life.”
That stuck with me.
Boredom can actually be a search for meaning. It shows up when we have to do things that feel misaligned with our goals and we therefore lack autonomy, or sometimes when we have too much autonomy and don’t know what to do next. Either way, it disrupts our attention and forces us to ask: “Is this it?”
On the upside, boredom can lead to curiosity, creativity and exploration. But there’s a downside, too: we can respond in unhealthy ways especially when the task at hand still matters, like work or study. We might reach for quick fixes: scrolling, snacking, bingeing, gambling. These soothe the discomfort, but don’t solve the underlying issue.
It’s a bit like hunger. It can be a powerful motivator that drives innovation—historically, boredom gave us poetry, games and new ideas. But like hunger, we can feed boredom with junk. In a world full of easy dopamine hits, it’s tempting to treat boredom as a pain to be numbed rather than a sign to be heeded.
So, what can we do about boredom?
Start by recognizing boredom for what it is: a signal
We can start by recognizing boredom for what it is: a signal—a flag waving to suggest we are struggling with meaning. We can respond by building more creativity and intentionality into our lives.
For me, getting out into creation helps. I recently bought a step tracker. I like goals, so hitting 10,000 steps a day gets me outside. I’ve also started doing a few more phone calls while walking, instead of defaulting to video.
We can also aim to avoid passive escapes. This one’s harder especially when traveling. I’ve put a daily time limit alert on my social media. I can override it, but it forces me to pause and ask: “Is this really what I need right now?”
What fascinates me most is the growing research linking boredom to the search for meaning. I wonder if the rising interest in spirituality, and Christianity in particular, in the UK is part of this picture. Perhaps we’re collectively fed up with distraction and craving something deeper.
Interestingly, many of the ancient spiritual practices we explore in Being Human offer effective antidotes to boredom: silence, Sabbath, the Examen, digital abstinence. These are not just spiritual disciplines, they’re meaningful ways of reengaging with ourselves, others and God.
Boredom is neutral—what matters is what we do with it.
This reflection was inspired by an episode of What’s Up Docs with twin brothers, Dr.s Chris and Zand van Tulleken. It’s well worth a listen. My main takeaway? Boredom is neutral—what matters is what we do with it. It points to something deeper: a meaning crisis, but also an opportunity; for better conversations, more intentional living, and a deeper spiritual search.
Originally published by the Being Human blog associated with the UK Evangelical Alliance. Republished with permission.
Peter Lynas oversees the advocacy team and the work of the Alliance across the four UK nations. He is passionate about faith in the public square and leads the Being Human project with Jo Frost. He previously worked as a barrister in Belfast before studying theology at Regent College in Vancouver, where he serves on the board. Peter is a regular media commentator, is married to Rose, has two daughters, and loves running.
