Brendan O'Connor "Don't get all your stimulation from work"
Aug 16, 2025
Leisha Redmond McGrath, a Chartered Work and Coaching Psychologist, dives into the surprising advantages of boredom, urging listeners to embrace it as a spark for creativity instead of shunning it. She discusses how personality traits shape our need for stimulation and the societal pressures that push us toward constant busyness. Leisha emphasizes the importance of downtime for children's creativity and offers practical strategies for integrating breaks into our workdays, advocating for a healthier balance between productivity and mental well-being.
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Boredom Is Sometimes Healthy
- Boredom sits on a spectrum from normal attention lapses to clinical signs like burnout or depression.
- A little boredom is healthy and counters the cultural push for constant productivity.
Personality And Upbringing Shape Boredom
- Personality and upbringing shape how quickly someone feels bored and craves stimulation.
- Becoming addicted to constant stimulation prevents the nervous system returning to calm homeostasis.
Let Children Solve Boredom Themselves
- When kids say "I'm bored," resist immediately rescuing them and let them problem-solve creatively.
- Give children unstructured time to daydream, invent games, and build autonomy.