The following is an excerpt from Hannah Ubl's latest blog on how to avoid burnout, and stay creative. Hannah is sought after for her bold take on building workplaces that prioritize the human experience while simultaneously increasing the bottom line. Hannah’s dedicated the past decade to researching people at work - not just top talent and leadership - but everyone in between. She’s discovered a strangely well-kept secret for recruiting and retaining the workforce of the future: the best recipe for organizational success is rooted in mindfulness, empathy, and kindness.

As a child, I remember complaining to my parents, “I’m borrrredddddd.” They'd kindly respond, through what I assume were clenched teeth, “Sweetheart, find something to do.” And I did. I made obstacle courses outside, wrote fantasy books (no, they don’t still exist 😅), and tried to clip my hair like Cher in Clueless. I always found something to do.

As an adult, it’s hard for me to remember the last time I uttered “I’m bored.” My brain’s fear mongrels tell me: if you’re bored, you’re lazy. My schedule shows me: there’s no way you can be bored with all those meetings and yoga classes. My iPhone beckons me: you can’t be bored when I’m around.

Boredom is hard to come by today. Not only is the modern working world pressuring us to be part of the hustle culture where we’re busy all the time and proud of it, but we also have the internet, and our phones, to provide constant stimulation. When we don’t feel stimulated, we feel bored. Back in the day, we may have picked up a magazine and read the latest about J. Lo and George Clooney or started writing chapter one of our fantasy novel, but now we reach for what’s comfortable (and easy): our phones. Look at anyone in line at Target, waiting for the subway, or sitting in a doctor’s office – chances are they’re all scrolling on their phones, avoiding the terror of boredom.

But here’s the somewhat uncomfortable truth… research is finding that boredom avoidance is bad. Like, really bad. Because boredom is actually good, and even essential, in today’s over-connected world. It could be the antidote to many serious workplace issues like burnout, discontentedness, and creative block. Why? Boredom gives us the sweet, sweet space for our brains to do what it so rarely can: wander.

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