Top tips: What happens when boredom disappears?

Top Tips is a weekly column where we highlight what's trending in the tech world and share practical ways to stay ahead. This week, let's look at what happens when we fill every spare moment with digital content, why a little boredom might be useful, and how to make room for it in our screen-filled lives.

Imagine you're waiting for your coffee. It's going to take three minutes, so you reach for your phone.

It probably happens more than you realize: You're waiting for a friend and open Instagram. You're eating lunch alone, so you play a video on your phone. There's nothing unusual about any of that, and most of us do it without thinking. Our phones make it incredibly easy to fill the smallest gaps in our day with something to watch, read, or listen to.

But here's an interesting question: What happens when we stop giving ourselves the chance to be bored?

Boredom isn't always pleasant. It can make us restless and send us looking for something more interesting to do. But that urge to seek something new may be useful, too.

A 2026 study from the University of Essex offers an interesting perspective on our relationship with boredom. Researchers analysing data from more than 750 participants found that people with a stronger aversion to boredom were more likely to engage in excessive smartphone use.

The findings suggest that the issue may not be boredom itself, but how uncomfortable we feel when there's nothing to occupy our attention. Reaching for our phones can become an automatic response, potentially reinforcing the very habit we're trying to satisfy.

That doesn't mean boredom automatically makes us creative. However,it does suggest that constantly occupying our attention isn't necessarily the best use of every moment.

And in a world where entertainment is always a tap away, a little unoccupied time might be worth protecting.

Here are a few ways to make that happen.

1. Stop reaching for your phone at every pause  

Think about how often you unlock your phone without a specific reason. The problem isn't checking your phone; it's doing it so automatically so you never consider whether you actually want to.

Try this: The next time you find yourself waiting, leave your phone in your pocket for a few minutes.

2. Let your brain wander before looking for inspiration  

When you're trying to solve a problem or come up with an idea, it's tempting to search for examples immediately. You open a browser, scroll through social media, and look at what everyone else is doing. That can be useful, but it isn't the only way to get ideas.

Sometimes, stepping away from a problem and doing something undemanding gives your mind room to make connections you hadn't considered. Research on creative incubation suggests that these breaks can sometimes help us return to a problem with fresh ideas.

3. Stop treating every quiet moment as a content opportunity  

There's always another video to watch, another podcast to play, or another post to scroll through. Even activities that don't require much attention can become opportunities to consume more content.

But not every moment needs background entertainment. Sometimes, paying attention to your surroundings or simply sitting with your thoughts can be more valuable than adding another stream of information.

4. Give yourself a little space before switching tasks  

Finished a meeting? You open social media. Completed a task? You check messages. Hit a difficult point in your work? You switch to something easier or automatic.

Frequent digital interruptions can make it harder to give a task your full attention, and constantly switching between activities leaves less room for uninterrupted thinking.

5. Make room for curiosity that doesn't have an immediate purpose  

Not every interesting thought needs to become a search query, a saved post, or a new item on your to-do list.

You might wonder why the sky changes colour at sunset, imagine an alternative ending to a film, or think about a conversation you had earlier. These little detours don't have to lead anywhere. Curiosity is valuable even when it doesn't produce an immediate result. Giving your thoughts room to move beyond what you're currently consuming can help you explore ideas in your own way.

So, should we be trying to get bored more often?  

Not exactly. Boredom can be uncomfortable, and having nothing to do doesn't guarantee a brilliant idea. Technology isn't the enemy, either. It gives us access to knowledge, entertainment, and people we might never otherwise encounter. The point is to be a little more intentional about how we use it.

When every empty moment becomes an opportunity to consume something, we may miss the chance to notice what's around us, reflect on what we've experienced, or follow a thought somewhere unexpected.The next time you find yourself reaching for your phone simply because there's nothing else to do, try waiting a little longer and pay attention to that habitual action.

You might discover that an empty moment isn't so empty after all.