Bored and Brilliant: ?? Why Doing Nothing Can Do Everything
A good quality yawn is massively underrated.
?It’s mad to think that the magical world of Harry Potter was born out of sheer boredom on a train. J.K. Rowling was on a delayed journey from Manchester to London in 1990 (Kings Cross, obviously), with no pen, no smartphone—just time to kill. Left to the mercy of her wandering mind, she had the moment: a boy wizard, a school called Hogwarts, and the beginnings of a billion-dollar empire. She’s since said that enforced boredom was the spark (lightning bolt ?? ) that lit the flame.
??? Now, I’m no Rowling, but I’ve had my moments of boredom-fuelled genius. Like the time I invented a game where I had to manoeuvre a biscuit from my forehead into my mouth using nothing but facial muscles. I still wonder why my books haven’t exactly reached Hogwarts levels of success, but hey, it was a delicious idea.
??? Turns out, science has my back on this. Boredom isn’t the enemy—it’s your brain’s secret productivity weapon. Neuroscientists say it fires up your default mode network (DMN), the part responsible for introspection, imagination, and problem-solving. Basically, while you look like you’ve checked out or slapped on the resting bitch face, your brain’s actually on the job, quietly assembling brilliance.
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Check this: a 2013 study in Psychological Science found that people who did boring tasks—sorting beans by colour — aced creative thinking exercises afterward. A 2014 study in Mindfulness showed that quiet reflection reduces stress and boosts life satisfaction. And a Harvard Business Review study from 2019 found that employees who embraced boredom were 26% more likely to innovate and 14% more likely to feel satisfied with their jobs.
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Who knew zoning out could be so productive?
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?? The truth is, history’s full of boredom-born brilliance. Einstein? He daydreamed about riding a beam of light and accidentally came up with the theory of relativity (the saucy old sod).
Bill Gates swears by “think weeks,” isolating himself with nothing but books and his thoughts. Eric Clapton wrote “Wonderful Tonight” while waiting for his girlfriend to get ready. Keith Richards? He was bored in a hotel room when he dreamed up the riff for “Satisfaction.” Even “The Lazy Song” by Bruno Mars wouldn’t exist without boredom—and that one’s basically an anthem for doing nothing.
Boredom creates space for your mind to wander, connect dots, and stumble on the next big thing. So next time you catch yourself staring at a blank wall or counting the bricks on your garage (genuinely happened), don’t feel bad. You’re giving your brain the space to cook up something brilliant.
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Maybe you won’t invent a wizarding world, but who knows? You might just come up with the next great idea—or at least find a creative way to eat a biscuit.
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Me on a train. Bored. ??
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?? What Others Know
I met Professor Megan Reitz when we did our Tedx Talks, back in 2022. As she concluded her talk on Speaking Up, we shared a hug back stage knowing that we had just done something pretty significant and left our ideas worth spreading out in the world. Since then, Megan and I have stayed in touch and helped each other out with research and book development. Last year, Megan interviewed me for her work with John Higgins on Spaciousness. It's called - Permission to Pause: Rediscovering Spaciousness at Work.
Theres a meaty version and a mini version option on the link below, so please grab a beverage and settle in for 18 months worth of research on Spaciousness.
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Plus, If you are interested in being involved in the second round of this research, which could mean you’d simply like to access the articles, or be involved in an inquiry group, or indeed run your own research with others on this theme, please contact Megan on meganreitz.com.
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??? Simply Put
"It's a discipline to let yourself daydream."
?J.K Rowling
?? Self Care Club
Just before Christmas the wonderful Nicole and Lauren from The Self Care Club Podcast re-released our episode on minimalism. They've since gone on to launch their first book, break through 2 million downloads and be a top ten charting show. We don't agree but thats what makes it fun.
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?? Want To Work With Me?
Work with me in 2025:
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There are several ways we can collaborate:
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If you're interested in any of these opportunities, please drop me an email at [email protected] or DM me on Linkedin / Instagram