Despite it being something we constantly avoid, we need boredom. Boredom is a problem that leads to a solution – creativity, ingenuity, productivity.
In his book The Tech-Wise Family, Andy Crouch writes that boredom is a relatively new phenomenon. Yet, this upward trend has occurred not coincidentally with the simultaneous rise of technology and social media. This seems to suggest that though screens solve boredom in the short-term, they exacerbate it in the long run. It’s like the relief of itching poison ivy only to spread it and make it worse.
Boredom, similar to a painful symptom in our body, is an indicator that something needs to change. It’s a God-given motivator to action, but to what action? When people, and kids especially, are constantly given screens or other cheap forms of entertainment as a solution for boredom it can inhibit their ability to use their mind and creativity to assuage the problem. Lacking these opportunities, the creative muscles will weaken. Screens are an easy fix to boredom but in taking that short cut we miss out. You can choose to always take the shortest route on the highway, but often times you miss things worth seeing. This is why William Powers argues “to lead happy, productive lives in a connected world, we need to master the art of disconnecting.”
Our family recently went on a road trip. We stopped in Idaho Falls, Idaho and were planning to go to the Grand Tetons and then on to Yellowstone. We noticed on the map that if we skipped the Tetons and went straight to Yellowstone it would be much quicker, but we decided to go the long way and it paid off. It ended up snowing and was one of the most magical and memorable parts of the trip.
If you or your kids are bored, don’t reach for the easy fix. Think more intentionally about how you could assuage the problem of boredom. Be thoughtful and creative about how to fill your time. Meditate on Scripture. Write a song. Work on a project. The possibilities are endless. As Cal Newport wrote, “Doing nothing is overrated.”
Jesus told us to work the works of God while it is day; night is coming. When we let boredom push us to better solutions than screens then we will be less bored, and more importantly we will be better stewards of our time which will serve others and please the Lord.
Mike McGregor
Mike McGregor (MDiv, Reformed Theological Seminary) is Director of College Ministry at First Baptist Church in Durham, N.C. You can follow him on Twitter at @m5mcgregor.
Great article Mike, I couldn’t agree more that we need to intentionally step away from the screens. It definitely takes a conscious effort, but we must lead this by example with our kids. Your trip looked amazing btw…brought back so many memories of our trip in 2007, my first sabbatical.