Pete Alexander2x TEDx Speaker and best-selling author helping transform burned out workers into engaged colleagues.

Stress Relief Tool - Allow Yourself To Be Bored

8 May 2019 · 2 min

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1:42

In this short self‑help monologue, the speaker—who identifies as an overachiever—advocates deliberately allowing oneself to experience boredom for brief periods (up to an hour). The premise is that modern anxiety and mental fatigue stem from a constantly active mind that constantly seeks the next task. By resisting the urge to fill idle moments with work and instead embracing stillness—such as sipping a hot beverage and simply thinking—the mind can reset, reducing pressure and fostering inner peace. With practice, these boredom intervals train the brain to tolerate uncertainty, leading to sharper focus, heightened creativity, and overall mental resilience. The speaker frames boredom as a purposeful tool rather than a discomfort, offering concrete guidance on how to incorporate it into a busy schedule.

Chapters

This tip is a difficult one if you're an overachiever like me. But who doesn't like a challenge? Allow yourself to be bored, even if it's for an hour or less. If you don't fight it, the feelings of boredom will be replaced with inner peace. And after a little practice, you will learn to relax. Much of our anxiety and inner struggles stem from our busy, overactive minds, always needing something to focus on and always wondering what's next. The beauty of doing nothing is that it teaches you to clear your mind and relax. It allows your mind the freedom to not know for a brief period of time. Just like your body, your mind needs an occasional break from the hectic routine. When you allow your mind to take a break, it comes back stronger, sharper, more focused, and creative. If you allow yourself to be bored, it takes an enormous amount of pressure off of you to be performing and doing something every second. Of the day. When a slot in your busy schedule unexpectedly opens up, resist the temptation of filling it with other work or chores. Instead, pour yourself a hot beverage and relax with your own thoughts, even if it's just a few minutes. Your mind needs a break from sprinting, just like your body would.