The Science of Boredom The Upside and Downside of Downtime The Upside (and Downside) of Downtime

A fascinating exploration into the causes and consequences of boredom in the fast-paced twenty-first century.

A fascinating exploration of the causes and consequences of boredom in the fast-paced twenty-first century

In the current information age, we are constantly connected to technology, and have so many ways to spend our leisure time that we should all surely never know what boredom feels like. Yet, boredom appears to be on the rise; it seems the more we have to stimulate us, the more stimulation we crave. In an environment characterised by change, speed and novelty, we are losing the ability to tolerate the routine and repetition of everyday life.

In The Science of Boredom, Sandi Mann uses ground-breaking research to tell the story of how we act, react and cope when we are bored. She explores the idea that there is a positive side to boredom and that it can be a catalyst for humour, fun, reflection, creativity and inspiration. She argues that the radical solution to the 'boredom problem' is to harness it rather than try to avoid it; allowing yourself time away from constant stimuli can enrich your life - we should all embrace our boredom and see the upside of our downtime.

Dr Sandi Mann is a Senior Psychology Lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire. She is an experienced workplace consultant, an expert on boredom, has her own private clinic and is the author of more than fifteen popular psychology books. Sandi blogs for the Huffington Post and is a columnist for Counselling at Work journal.

Are we living in an age where we are more boredom-prone?
Or are other people boring us?
Or could we be that boring person?!

In our current information age, we are constantly connected to technology, and have so many varied ways to spend our leisure time that we should all surely never know what boredom feels like. Yet, boredom appears to be on the rise; it seems that the more we have to stimulate us, the more stimulation we crave.

In a quest to relieve our boredom, we engage in dangerous risk-taking - from extreme sports to drugs to gambling to anti-social behaviour, or we overindulge in shopping or eating.

The Science of Boredom explores the causes and consequences of boredom in the fast-paced twenty-first century. Parents are desperate to keep their children entertained during every waking moment, the education system is geared towards interactivity, and attention spans are dropping as we use multiple devices at all times. But the world of work can be increasingly repetitive and routine, and we are losing the ability to tolerate this everyday tedium.

Using Sandi Mann's own ground-breaking research into boredom, this book tells the story of how we act, react and cope when we are bored, and argues that there is a positive side to boredom. It can be a catalyst for humour, fun, reflection, creativity and inspiration. The radical solution to the 'boredom problem' is to harness it rather than try to avoid it. Allowing yourself time away from constant stimuli can enrich your life. We should all embrace our boredom and see the upside of our downtime.