What Neil Gaiman Can Teach You About The Power of Boredom
Let me ask you a question: do you like to be bored? The answer is probably a resounding “NO!” And I can relate; I don’t like to be bored either. But did you know that boredom can be a powerful tool for creativity?
Neil Gaiman knows about the power of boredom. He leverages it for creativity and motivation. In this article, we’ll talk about his rule and how we can apply it to our lives.
Neil Gaiman: Write, or do nothing
Here’s a rule Neil Gaiman follows when writing: “You can sit here and write, or you can sit here and do nothing, but you can’t sit here and do anything else.”
He explained it on The Tim Ferris Show: “Yeah, you don’t have to write. You have permission to not write. But you don’t have permission to do anything else.”
So, during his work hours, he doesn’t force himself to write. He allows himself to do nothing. But, he can’t do something. He can’t browse the news on his phone, read a book, or talk to a friend.
There are two benefits of this rule. It gives him space to think about his writing, which can lead to new ideas. Plus, after doing nothing for a while, it may also motivate him to start working again.
Get a notebook
I’ve adopted Gaiman’s rule into my daily routine, but I’ve made one slight modification to it. When I’m doing nothing, I also allow myself to write in a notebook.
Not a phone, because that’s a distraction. A notebook doesn’t have WiFi. It won’t notify me of new messages nor update me about what’s happening in my city. It’s just for writing, that’s it.
So, when I am not working, I sometimes open my notebook and start writing my thoughts and goals. It’s an excellent way to develop new ideas and get motivated.
Conclusion
All in all, following Neil Gaiman’s rule makes you understand something important: amidst a world of constant distraction, embracing moments of stillness can be beneficial for thinking and creativity.
So, the next time you find yourself feeling demotivated while working, don’t reach for your phone. Instead, do nothing. Eventually, you’ll come up with ideas for your work and get the motivation to begin working again.
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