In a world obsessed with screens and endless scrolling, Harvard professor Arthur C. Brooks has a simple yet powerful message - “you need to be bored.” Brooks explains that boredom activates a part of the brain called the default mode network, which helps people find meaning, creativity, and self-reflection. But with constant smartphone use, our minds rarely get the chance to wander.

He warns that our addiction to stimulation - checking phones while waiting in lines or lifts - prevents emotional growth. The human brain, he says, needs silence and stillness to process feelings and discover purpose. Without boredom, people end up feeling anxious, distracted, and disconnected from real happiness.

Brooks believes embracing boredom isn’t laziness - it’s a mental reset that allows genuine joy and creativity to flourish. His message serves as a wake-up call for the digital generation that has forgotten how to “do nothing.”