The Creative Power of Boredom: Why Letting Your Mind Wander Could Be Your Next Big Idea

Photo by Juan Gomez on Unsplash

Have you ever found yourself spacing out in a meeting or staring aimlessly out the window?

While it might seem unproductive, these moments of boredom actually prime our brains for creativity.

The Benefits of an Idle Mind

When our minds wander, our brains toggle into what neuroscientists call the default mode network. This loose collection of brain regions lights up when we daydream, meditate, or let our thoughts drift aimlessly.

Originally dubbed the task negative network since it activates when we are not focused on a specific task, research has shown the default mode is more than just a neural pit stop.

“Our brains are still highly active when we daydream,” says Harvard psychologist Shelley Carson, author of Your Creative Brain.

“But areas linked to executive functions like planning and analyzing shut down a bit, allowing for more abstract connections to occur.”

This inner mental meandering generates flashes of insight and sparks creativity by making space for fringe ideas and unusual associations. Moments of boredom act as a mental…