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You Need to Be Bored. Here's Why.

Harvard Business Review · explainer · Watch on YouTube

Neuroscience & the brainProductivity & self-improvementPsychology & human behavior

What it is

Harvard professor Arthur Brooks explains why boredom is useful rather than something to avoid. He describes how a wandering mind engages the brain's default mode network, which supports creativity and curiosity, and suggests it may protect against depression.

Why Hacker News recommends it

Commenters cite it when arguing for less phone time and more idle, undistracted thinking.

  • 2 people recommended it
  • 1 different months
  • 0 strong recommendations
  • first 2025, last 2026

What HN commenters said

  1. “I get quite a lot of clarity with this exercise.”

    Why boredom matters and how doing nothing brings clarity.

    mixermachine, 2025-09 · Recommendation · in “iPhone dumbphone”

  2. “less app time and more boredom”

    Case for embracing boredom and less app time.

    davelacy, 2025-09 · Recommendation · in “Kagi News”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: boredom, default mode network, creativity, phone use, wellbeing

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