Analysis: contrary to popular belief, boredom actually does not spark creativity and is far from ideal for creative endeavours
Popular media is rife with claims about how boredom can 'spark creativity'. A quick Google search will pull up many news articles and blog posts about this topic, but very few peer-reviewed research articles have substantiated these claims to date.
In fact, research often finds no relationship between creativity and boredom and, at times, even demonstrates that boredom hinders creativity. A study from 2018 examining task-related boredom and creative performance found that boredom negatively impacted creative performance, while a study from 2016 found that boredom, as a personality trait, had no association with creativity.
Most recently, researchers at the University of Waterloo conducted two experiments on boredom and creativity. Neither experiment demonstrated a positive effect of boredom on creativity. Boredom was actually associated with poorer performance on a creativity task and lower levels of everyday creative pursuits. There is one research article that found that boring activities increased creativity, but these studies did not have enough participants to make concrete conclusions and subsequent studies have failed to replicate their effects.
From RTÉ Radio 1's The Business, should we try to incorporate boredom into our everyday lives if we have the time?
Evidently, the current research on boredom and creativity is mixed at best. So why is there such a popular belief nonetheless that boredom makes us more creative? Perhaps the discrepancy lies in misunderstandings about what boredom is (and is not). Boredom is not simply a state of idleness or inactivity. People can sit alone with their thoughts and find great pleasure in that. Similarly, people can be very busy with work but still find their work incredibly boring. Most people enjoy ‘doing nothing’ now and then. That’s different from boredom.
Boredom is defined as an aversive feeling of wanting, but being unable, to engage in satisfying activity. The experience of boredom is unpleasant and accompanied by feelings of low perceived challenge and meaning and a strong desire to pursue more satisfying activities. Boredom is evoked by a subjectively meaningless activity that makes the individual unwilling or unable to allocate their attention to the task at hand.
The belief that boredom leads to creativity may also stem from a desire to put a positive spin on adverse experiences. It may be comforting to think that boredom ‘is a good thing’. Yet the research resoundingly demonstrates that boredom isn’t an emotion we should strive to experience if we want to feel good.
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From RTÉ Radio 1's Ray D'Arcy Show, Dr Tim Lomas on his book the Positive Power of Negative Emotions about the necessity of sadness, anxiety, envy and boredom
Research tends to mostly focus on two types of boredom: boredom proneness and state boredom. Boredom proneness is a personality trait reflecting a tendency to feel bored frequently and intensely. Boredom proneness is associated with an array of negative mental health outcomes such as higher levels of depression, aggression, and behavioural addictions. Similarly, momentary experiences of boredom can elicit problematic outcomes such as overeating, heightened feelings of loneliness, and greater risk-taking.
Boredom merely signals to the individual that their current task is unsatisfactory, either in terms of cognitive demands or perceived value. It does not promise positive solutions or mean that creativity is bound to ensue. If anything, under the aversive feeling of boredom, we are less likely to select desirable action choices. For instance, when we are bored we are more likely to seek out negative experiences than to continue being bored, even when there are more positive alternatives present.
Given the strong link between boredom and negative well-being outcomes, our research at the University of Limerick focused on strategies to cope with boredom, namely by targeting perceptions of meaning. When perceptions of meaning are low, boredom is more likely to occur. Certain positive emotions and personality traits can promote feelings of meaning and thus reduce the likelihood of boredom experiences.
From RTÉ Radio 1's Ray D'Arcy Show, lecturer in Psychology at the University of Central Lancashire Dr Sandi Mann on her book The Upside of Downtime –Why Boredom is Good
For instance, we found that practicing gratitude predicts less boredom proneness and state boredom by boosting perceptions of meaning in life. Fostering positive emotions through journaling and meditation techniques may be a promising strategy for coping with boredom. Indeed, developing creative skills may also be an effective strategy to prevent the onset of boredom.
While boredom proneness is a generally dysfunctional personality trait, not all responses to state boredom need to be bad. How an individual will respond to boredom largely depends on individual factors and the resources available. There may be circumstances where an individual can harness their boredom into creativity. However, the research shows that boredom is difficult to reconcile and is more often associated with negative health and behavioural consequences.
Developing creative skills may actually be an effective strategy to prevent the onset of boredom
People often say, "I wish I had time to be bored!". We lead busy lives, and at times, creative pursuits may feel like a luxury. Finding time to unwind is important and may help boost creativity. People frequently report having their best ideas in the shower and while out for a walk. This isn’t because they’re bored in these situations. It’s more likely because they have a clear mind, which is incongruent with the experience of boredom.
There are a variety of pathways we can take to overcome boredom. Boredom may, in some circumstances and for some individuals, lead to creativity. However, the evidence suggests this is not often the case. Boredom, an unpleasant state characterised by attentional difficulties, provides far from optimal conditions for creative endeavours.
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The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
