You can't be bored
Where would you put the comma? Many well-known companies, such as Google and Zappos, try to create an environment in the office for recreation and entertainment for employees. From a management perspective, this should help people switch, lift their spirits, and return to work with more enthusiasm. Research shows that learning to relax and have fun in between activities increases stress tolerance, initiative and creativity. But there is a downside to this approach: some find it difficult to return to the work process after games, it is more difficult to concentrate and switch to work communication.
What is boredom
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Boredom is one of the most common emotions considered negative. It is equated with discouragement and is associated with loss of energy, lack of motivation and decreased activity. Scientists do not often undertake the study of this feeling, but some have researched boredom in detail. “When something is constantly in your life, you stop noticing it,” says John Eastwood of York University in Canada. He was one of the first to conduct research on this topic and came to interesting conclusions.
The scientist argues that two specific psychological personality types are subject to the "green yearning". The first are impulsive people, thirsty for new emotions and a change of "picture". Eastwood believes that the insipid flow of life is not able to give such active individuals a sufficient incentive, everything seems boring to them, as soon as it enters a rut. The second type of boredom is the exact opposite of the first: they are individuals who are afraid of literally everything. Their world is full of danger, it is difficult for them to leave their comfort zone. As a result, such people refuse interesting offers, meetings and trips, do not risk taking on a new project and diversifying their lives. Absolute predictability and regularity ultimately lead to boredom and apathy.
Is it bad to be bored?
Boredom can actually escalate into frustration or anger, but when viewed as a separate emotion, the positives become apparent. Researchers at the Australian National University conducted an experiment to study the effect of boredom on a person's creativity. It was attended by 100 people, who were divided into two groups.
The first group spent half an hour sorting two types of beans by color, and this had to be done with one hand. The second group received a creative task - to make an application on a Whatman paper on a given theme, using beans and glue. Then people from both groups took part in the joint generation of creative ideas, and independent experts assessed the thoughts of each of them. The researchers concluded that boredom increased the productivity of those surveyed. The respondents from the first group came up with more original answers compared to those who did creative work in the previous half hour.
Dangerous boredom
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Learning to be bored makes people go out of their way and discover new concepts. In the experiment, scientists from the University of Texas volunteers were locked in an empty room for 15 minutes, where there was nothing to do. But there was a button, pressing which people received a small electric shock. The functionality of the button became apparent after the first press. Nevertheless, most of the study participants preferred to receive an electric shock at least once - out of curiosity and in order to somehow entertain themselves. For similar reasons, a person is able to acquire bad habits from boredom: to get involved in gambling, start smoking and drinking alcohol, but if this feeling is used correctly, you can achieve greater productivity and inventiveness.
Is it good for everyone to be bored
The experiment specifically indicates that boredom increased the creative potential of those who were distinguished by intellectual curiosity, a desire to learn new things. That is, the ability to be bored can push you to innovative ideas and active work, but the degree of influence of this feeling depends on the characteristics of the person's character. It is important to observe how the work process is going and to look for your optimal schedule, taking into account breaks and active work, depending on biorhythms and desires. Boredom and fun do not always contradict each other: both feelings can motivate, you just need to figure out which stimuli and how much are right for you.>