Embracing the Lull – Training our Minds to Create and Grow
Why boredom just isn’t the right word for the state of letting our minds wander
The state of letting our mind wander is generally known as boredom, and its effects can be felt just moments before our fingertips reach for the phone in our pockets.
Deep work, necessary for a lot of tasks in our everyday lives, is only possible with less of the omnipresent distractions. That said, we don’t need to start a “digital detox” to realize that it’s hard to completely disengage from the virtual world.
Long ago, when Internet was a short walk away (the computer room; the dial-up line; the power button) it required energy to go to a place away from the couch. No phone at our fingertips, back then. The content involved wasn’t really as addicting anyway—the 90’s and early 00’s websites didn’t have infinite scrolling and other military-grade distraction tools at their disposal.
Have our minds become dependent to the pull of the screen? Better yet, the real question is : should we strive to retrain our minds to be bored, and give the state of boredom its badge of honour once again?
On lulls, and the etymology of bored
Before even considering this debate, let’s dive into the origins of the word “boredom”. To be bored means to have a disinterest in one’s surroundings. The lack of excitement. Literally the opposite of what this conversation aims to achieve.
Can’t we think of a better word?
I came up with a synonym: lull. Isn’t that even a bit more soothing?
Lulls in nature
It’s often said, but we need to remind ourselves: boredom is not the enemy of a good life. A lull in our activities is in fact the solution to avoid a monotonous life, and that’s because it makes room for creativity and curiosity.
Now, take that reality and apply it to the outdoors. When’s the last time you went outside and were truly bored?
Did you see more things than if you had stayed for a lesser amount of time?
To be fair, probably. Something can be said about slowing down, surrounded by elements of nature.
But here comes the “ping” on your device, and you’re reminded you need to re-enter society. And you’re there again, out here, deep in the park, yet on your phone. Catching up with all your responsibilities.
What if that just didn’t need to happen?
imagine going outside in the spring.
You look at the sky, it’s blue.
The sun shines yellow. a welcome break from the white screen.
you indulge in the moment, a few minutes. birds are singing, you feel warmth on your shoulders... and now you feel a weird sensation in your belly.
you feel boredom showing its face.
you’re so used to the pull of the web, that you can’t imagine yourself standing there doing nothing.
in the back of your mind, a thought comes up:“how can I capture this fleeting moment to keep it forever?”
Let’s re-train ourselves to bring some lulls into our lives! Hopefully, our days will be more exciting with a greater capacity to create and share.