All I want for Christmas is to be bored
Dear Santa, all I want for Christmas is to be bored. And inbox zero, please, if you're feeling generous.
Boredom is a luxury and most of the time I can't afford it. Work, homeschool, errands on loop.....it's just like Groundhog Day. All you moms and/or business owners reading this, I'm pretty sure you know what I'm talking about. Our calendars should have time slots for letting our brains rest and wander. Take note that this should be separate from another non-negotiable -- the most sought after me time.
It's when I'm bored that I end up doing something out of character. Or I come up with answers out of the blue to questions that I mull over for months on end.
When the world paused in March 2020, Robert Alejandro offered free online art classes to entertain kids. I thought it was a perfect way to kill time while sheltering in place and I figured no one will mind having a 41 y/o Tita join a kiddie class since it's virtual anyway. When I realized that my first try wasn't so bad, I started exploring other types of sketches and eventually found myself drawing mandalas and Zentangles. I felt guilty though for asking someone else to do my art projects back in grade school (oops) because now I know that I can actually do it! I may not be the next hot young artist (I am neither hot nor young) but I am happy with how my journal looks like now.
I get some of my brightest ideas when I'm in the shower or in the wee hours of the morning. My brain is always on trying to deal with decisions and stressors and I am amazed at what it can do when it gets a break. Case in point — I've been trying to revamp our company's website since mid-2020. I tried piecing my thoughts together while juggling all the other things that went on during a regular day. But it was during kid 2's 2021 summer break when I finally got into the flow. With no schoolwork to check, my brain found some extra time to relax and it resulted in an aha moment. I wrote the content in a matter of days during my morning coffee and while the rest of the household was asleep. It's so easy for the ideas to flow when you're not interrupted by questions like what to cook for dinner or notifications from couriers getting lost. While it's definitely a struggle for me to achieve this on a daily basis, I know that it's not impossible.
If you don't believe a regular Jane like me, look at Steve Jobs. He was once quoted, “I’m a big believer in boredom. Boredom allows one to indulge in curiosity.” And where does curiosity lead? To bigger and greater things. To creating something fun to beat the sh*t out of boredom. To using your imagination.
Do a quick Google search and type "Why is boredom good for you?" You'll find a lot of studies that talk about the advantages of resting your brain and letting it daydream.
Some people fear boredom like kids fear naps. What I would give to have both on a daily basis! Are you paying attention, Santa?