How to Embrace Boredom This Holiday to Supercharge Your Learning in 2026

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Hi, this is Ray,

And yes, I'm writing this while staring at a wall because I've officially run out of things to scroll. My phone's at 2%, my dopamine receptors are exhausted, and somehow... I feel weirdly okay about it.

Which got me thinking: What if boredom isn't the enemy? What if it's actually the secret weapon your brain needs to level up for next year?

So naturally, I went full research mode. Spoiler: Science says your overstimulated brain is begging you to be bored.

Here's what I found.

The Problem: Your Brain Is Running on Fumes

Let's be honest. By the time the holidays roll around, your brain has been in overdrive for months. Classes, deadlines, social obligations, doomscrolling through three different apps at once while pretending to listen to a podcast.

Your neural circuits are fried. And when you finally get a break, what do most of us do?

Fill every second with more stimulation. Binge-watching. TikTok marathons. "Productive" side projects that turn into stress projects.

But here's the thing: your brain doesn't learn during constant input. It learns during the downtime.

Neuroscientists call this the "default mode network" (DMN): a brain state that activates when you're doing absolutely nothing. And it turns out, this is when your brain consolidates memories, makes connections between ideas, and basically does all the behind-the-scenes processing that makes learning stick.

A study from the University of California found that students who took breaks with no stimulation performed significantly better on memory tests than those who stayed constantly engaged with tasks. The break group's brains had time to replay and strengthen what they'd learned.

Translation: Staring at the ceiling isn't laziness. It's maintenance.

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Why Boredom Is Actually a Creativity Superpower

Remember being a kid and getting bored in the backseat during long car rides? You'd invent entire universes with your action figures or narrate an imaginary documentary about passing cows.

That wasn't wasted time. That was your brain in full creative mode.

Research from the University of Central Lancashire showed that people who completed boring tasks before a creativity test came up with more creative ideas than those who jumped straight in. Boredom forces your brain to wander, and when it wanders, it stumbles onto unexpected connections.

Think about it: How many of your best ideas came while you were actively "trying" to have them? Probably zero. They came in the shower. On a walk. While waiting for your coffee to brew.

Boredom is where ideas go to incubate.

So this holiday, when you catch yourself reaching for your phone out of reflex boredom, pause. Let your mind wander. See where it goes. You might just solve that problem you've been stuck on since October.

The Attention Restoration Theory: Why Nature + Boredom = Brain Gold

Here's a combo move: boredom in nature.

Scientists at the University of Michigan developed something called Attention Restoration Theory, which basically says that natural environments let your brain rest in a way that urban settings can't. Nature doesn't demand your attention… it gently holds it while your mind recharges.

When you combine that with unstructured time (a.k.a. boredom), your brain gets the ultimate reset. Studies show that people who spend time in nature without distractions return with improved focus, better mood, and enhanced cognitive function.

So yeah, go sit under a tree and do absolutely nothing. It's not slacking. It's strategic brain maintenance.

Leave your phone at home. Seriously. If you bring it, you'll check it. If you check it, the spell is broken.

How to Actually Embrace Boredom (Without Losing Your Mind)

Okay, so boredom is good for you. Great. But how do you actually do it when your brain has been trained to panic at the first sign of understimulation?

Here's the game plan:

1. Schedule "Nothing Time"

I know, it sounds ridiculous. But if you don't block out time for boredom, it won't happen. Put it on your calendar: "Tuesday 2-3pm: Absolutely Nothing."

Sit somewhere. No phone. No book. No task. Just you and your thoughts. It'll feel uncomfortable at first (your brain might literally scream at you), but stick with it. After 10-15 minutes, something shifts. Your mind starts to wander productively instead of anxiously.

2. Take Walks Without Entertainment

No podcast. No music. No phone call with your friend who always has drama.

Just walk. Notice stuff. Let your thoughts drift. Research from Stanford University found that walking significantly boosts creative thinking, but only when you're not multitasking.

If you absolutely can't resist bringing your phone, put it on airplane mode and leave it in your pocket. It's your emergency device, not your entertainment system.

3. Embrace the Awkward Wait

Standing in line? Don't pull out your phone. Waiting for your coffee? Just wait. Sitting in a waiting room? Wait... without scrolling.

These tiny pockets of boredom throughout your day are gold. They're micro-doses of brain rest that add up over time.

4. Try a Boring Hobby

Knitting. Coloring. Watching birds (yes, really). These activities occupy your hands but free up your mind to wander. A study in the Journal of Positive Psychology found that people who engaged in simple, repetitive creative activities experienced increased positive mood and reduced anxiety.

Plus, you might end up with a scarf. Or a bird journal. Or whatever.

The "Boredom Journal" Hack

Here's something I started doing: keeping a boredom journal.

It's not a diary. It's not gratitude logging. It's literally just writing down whatever random thoughts pop up when you're bored.

Why? Because your brain in boredom mode surfaces things that busy-brain ignores. Insights. Connections. Ideas you didn't know you had.

Keep a small notebook nearby during your "nothing time" sessions. When a thought pops up, jot it down. Don't force it. Just catch whatever floats by.

You'll be shocked at what comes up when you're not trying.

What This Has to Do With Learning (Everything, Actually)

You might be thinking, "Ray, this is nice and all, but I thought this was about learning?"

It is.

See, learning isn't just about input. It's about integration. Your brain needs time to process, connect, and consolidate what you've learned. That happens during rest, during boredom, during those moments when you're not actively "doing" anything.

Studies on memory consolidation show that the brain continues to work on problems and strengthen neural pathways during rest periods: including sleep, but also during wakeful rest when you're not engaged in any particular task.

So when you spend your entire holiday grinding through courses or "getting ahead," you're skipping the integration phase. You're all input, no processing.

This holiday, give your brain permission to be bored. Let it sort through the mental files from the past year. Let it make connections. Let it rest so it can come back stronger in January.

A Warning: Boredom vs. Scrolling

Quick PSA: Scrolling is not boredom.

Yes, it feels passive. Yes, your body is still. But your brain is in constant reaction mode… micro-hits of dopamine every few seconds, attention scattered across a thousand different stimuli.

Real boredom is uncomfortable because nothing is happening. That discomfort is the point. That's when your brain shifts gears and starts doing its deep work.

Don't confuse numbing out with tuning in.

Final Thoughts (From Someone Who's Trying)

Look, I'm not going to pretend I'm some zen master of boredom. I still reach for my phone when I'm waiting for the microwave. I still panic when I have an empty afternoon with no plans.

But I'm learning that the moments when I resist that urge… when I just sit there and let my brain be bored, are the moments when I feel most like myself. Most creative. Most ready to tackle what's next.

This holiday, don't just rest your body. Rest your brain. Let it be bored. Let it wander. Let it integrate everything you've learned this year so you can show up in 2026 sharper, clearer, and ready to learn even more.

To Recap:

• Boredom activates your brain's default mode network = memory consolidation + creativity boost

• Nature + boredom = ultimate brain reset

• Schedule nothing time = give your brain space to process

• Walks without entertainment = creative thinking unlocked

• Embrace awkward waits = micro-doses of mental rest

• Keep a boredom journal = catch those random brilliant thoughts

• Scrolling ≠ boredom = don't confuse numbing with resting

Go forth and be gloriously, productively bored.

Your future self will thank you.

Catch you on the other side of the break,

Ray