A meditation on boredom: re-appraising its value through introspective phenomenology

ABSTRACT

Boredom is almost universally regarded as a dysphoric mental state, characterised by features such as disengagement and low arousal. However, in certain quarters (e.g., Zen Buddhism), boredom is seen as potentially having great value and even importance. The current study sought to explore boredom through a case study involving introspective phenomenology. The author created conditions in which he would experience boredom for an hour and recorded his experience in real-time using a variant of the Experiencing Sampling Method. The data were analysed using an adaptation of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The results indicated that the state of boredom contained three main sources of value: altered perception of time, awakened curiosity about the environment, and exploration of self. Consequently, the article offers a re-appraisal of boredom, suggesting that rather than necessarily being a negative state, if engaged with, boredom has the potential to be a positive and rewarding experience.

KEYWORDS:

• Boredom
• introspection
• meditation
• phenomenology
• wellbeing

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Tim Lomas

Dr. Tim Lomas is a lecturer at the University of East London, where he is the associate programme leader for the MSc in Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology. Tim completed his PhD at the University of Westminster in 2012, focusing on the impact of meditation on men’s mental health. He is the author of numerous books and papers, covering topics including mindfulness, Buddhism, gender, linguistics, cross-cultural psychology, and neuroscience. His latest book, The Positive Power of Negative Emotions, will be published by Piatkus in fall 2016.