05/29/2026
I recently heard Harvard professor Arthur Brooks talk about an unusual assignment: be bored.
At first, it sounded silly. Then I started thinking about my own kids, the students I taught for 30 years, and even myself.
We’ve become so good at filling every quiet moment. We scroll while waiting, listen while walking, watch while eating. The second boredom appears, we reach for a screen.
But what if boredom isn’t the problem?
What if it’s the doorway?
The best ideas, the deepest creativity, and the clearest understanding of who we are often show up when we stop distracting ourselves long enough to listen.
Maybe we don’t need more content.
Maybe we need a little more quiet.
