We’re never bored anymore, because we’ve always got a cell phones in our pockets. But maybe that’s not always a good thing. Here are four ways being bored is GOOD for you, according to science.
1. It makes you more creative. Because it forces your mind to wander. A study in 2014 gave people random tasks, and then a creativity test. And the group with the most boring task of reading a phone book ended up scoring highest on the creativity test.
2. It makes you more goal-oriented. A 2011 study found that when you daydream, you’re more likely to think about the future than the past. And you do something called “autobiographical planning,” where you think about stuff you have to take care of.
3. It can make you more productive. A study last year found that daydreaming actually made people perform BETTER at tasks. Again, it’s because it stimulates part of your brain associated with free-thinking.
4. It makes you more generous. Researchers in Ireland found that being bored made people more likely to engage in “pro-social behaviors,” like donating to charity.
