Reading List: How to Be Bored
This deceptively modest little book is an entry in the “School of Life” series of what might be called anti-personal-development books. A writer and scholar, Eva Hoffman takes on the frantic pace of digital life, a common enough theme of contemporary self-improvement books. But she’s not interested in showing how to navigate your inbox or […]
Boredom, it turns out, is good for you. Drawing on history, literature and psychology, Hoffman extols idleness as a necessity for creativity and happiness. She suggests cultivating an appreciation for nature, a taste for literature and art, and an ear for music that’s more sophisticated than what your hear in an elevator. She also recommends keeping a journal to explore hidden thoughts and feelings. The time for these pursuits may come at the expense of productivity, but she notes overwork can be a barrier against self-awareness.
Related: TED Talks: ‘All It Takes Is 10 Mindful Minutes’
How to Be Bored
By Eva Hoffman
January; Picador; $16
This article originally appeared in the January 2017 issue of SUCCESS magazine.
