Reasons to be bored

What appears at first to be a crisis of attention may be a narrowing of the way we interpret its value: an emergency about where—and with what goal—we look.

you can rest assured that whatever kaleidoscope of stimulation (or even intoxication) AI conjures, you will get bored of it; getting bored is what we do, and it turns out to be a rather profound feature of our consciousness

Boredom is good, she argues, because it ignites a network in our brains called the “default mode network.” In short, when we daydream, when we stare blankly out the window, when we perform mindless tasks in which our bodies operate on auto-pilot, our minds start making unexpected connections and solving problems. Some of this kind of sub-conscious ... See more

Research has shown that minds are difficult to control (8, 22), however, and it may be particularly hard to steer our thoughts in pleasant directions and keep them there. This may be why many people seek to gain better control of their thoughts with meditation and other techniques, with clear benefits (23–27). Without such training, people prefer d... See more

The best part of curiosity is knowing when not to persevere. Answer these two questions by taking an honest, objective look. Let go of any emotions that involve your hope for results! •Do you carry on, spending resources and time on the same path, when you are not hitting the mark? •Are you constantly (not occasionally, which is expected) getting n

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