It's 11:30 pm, you're in bed, trying to sleep. Your mind starts racing. Ideas come flooding in. They are making you restless. All of a sudden you are coming up with the most creative ideas you’ve had in months. You get out of bed, write them down. If you're lucky they stop so you can sleep, but do you want them to?
We have all had a moment like this. We are in the shower, on a walk, in bed, meandering around the house at 6 am getting ready for work – when thoughts, ideas, and creativity start flooding in. You weren't expecting it, you weren't trying, this is not the time for it – so why now? Simple, you were bored.
There was a time in my life when creative ideas wouldn't stop flooding in. It was after I quit my day job. I had free time for the first time in years. I wasn't running between conference rooms, I wasn't on Zoom calls all day, I wasn't commuting for 45 minutes in each direction. I had a simple routine that I controlled. Every day, like clockwork, the ideas flooded in. I filled my backlog of content and every few days I made things. Most of it was written, but some of it was photo and video too. That time is the reason why this newsletter moved to a faster cadence. I had more ideas than my posting schedule allowed for.
Why boredom
Boredom is a thing that most adults do not strive for. Most of us think that it is a concept for children. We have too many things to do, too many responsibilities to be bored. If this were really true, we wouldn't need social media and the endless forms of mind-numbing content we spoon-feed into our brains daily.
We clearly have downtime, but do not allow ourselves to indulge in it. When we finally do, while washing dishes or showering, our minds turn on. We unknowingly give ourselves the agency to think.
Boredom lets the mind wander, imagine, and grow. How can we foster it?
Do nothing
That might seem obvious and also scary to some. Most of us do not feel comfortable being alone in our heads. Our thoughts, insecurities, and anxieties take over. So we fill it with TV, social media, and shitty news articles. Being alone with yourself can and should be ok. There will be times of discomfort, but that is a good thing. Let your mind express what it is feeling.
Make boredom part of your routine
Simply making time throughout your day might not work for some. You might need some guard rails. I set 30-90 minutes every morning aside for free-flowing thought. This is when this newsletter is ideated and written. When my wife wakes up and comes into the living area, my time is up. If I am really in the zone, I might keep writing or capturing my thoughts. Be cognizant of the people around you, but let them know you need a few more minutes to yourself.
Limit friction
When you are on your walk, taking your hour of solitude, washing your dishes, or in the bathroom and the idea hits you – make sure that you have a way to capture it. Keep something with you that will work for capturing your thoughts.
For me, this has changed a lot over the years, but lately, that is Obsidian. Because it is markdown and can be used offline, I can access it from any device at any time. I pair that up with Siri reminders if my hands are full and I cannot type something out. For you, this might look like a notebook, sticky notes, the notes app on your phone, or a voice recorder. The voice notes app on Apple Watch is a solid option too.
The best combo for me is opening Obsidian every morning, during my scheduled time. As the thoughts flow I can capture them on the spot.
Some of you might be thinking I don't need to be creative, I am not a writer or other form of creator. I don't need to make time to come up with a billion-dollar idea. I just want to do mindless things between my daily obligations.
While I understand that and also make time for those moments, we are creative beings. You don't have to be a creator to need to express your thoughts. You don't have to share anything that comes out of these sessions. You can archive your notebooks or pile your sticky notes. The simple act of getting these thoughts out of your mind will clear up space and make you feel fulfilled. You don't want your mind racing at 11 pm or while you are driving to pick up your child, right?
Pour a hot beverage, hide your distractions, and get your capture tool out. Doing this a few times a week will make you feel different. If you are a creative, you will have a backlog of ideas and creations waiting to be capitalized upon. If you are not, your mind will feel lighter and ready to take on anything. Boredom doesn't only allow creativity, it is the spark of it.