Wondering if there’s any benefit to boredom in business or at work?

As an entrepreneur, you’re probably used to keeping yourself busy all day long, crossing items off your to-do list.

But if you’re looking to give your productivity an unexpected boost, you may want to temporarily embrace an uncomfortable feeling: boredom.

Boredom is one of the most underutilized productivity tools in today’s world.

Boredom will inevitably give you something back in return, be it a solution, a new approach, or a new way of looking at things.

The only trick? You must let yourself be bored.

Here are four key reasons why boredom is good for your productivity.

You remember fleeting, yet important tasks

Boredom has a way of dredging up all those things you’ve been meaning to finish.

Your mind eventually unwinds and relaxes, and a wave of to-dos floods your conscious mind.

And what if no specific tasks come to mind? At the very least, you’ll be inspired to check your aging to-do list for a refresher on what needs to be done.

And in some cases, you may be so bored with boredom that you’ll tackle something, anything, if only to occupy your mind for a while.

Now would be an opportune time to get started on those taxes, file those business trip expenses, or delete files from your computer desktop.

Often, as soon as you begin a task, you’re reminded of a whole slew of other things that need your attention.

And just like that, you’ve found several smart solutions to your boredom.

You can create marvelous new things

You don’t know what your mind can produce when it’s given a chance to lay fallow.

Boredom has birthed all sorts of wonderful things in the world: companies, websites, projects, books, apps, partnerships, expeditions, and beyond.

Face boredom head-on and see where it leads you.

Maybe you’ll be inspired to start that blog you’ve been meaning to write or develop a new way to catalog that fabric.

Perhaps you’ll create a new coffee-based drink that takes the world by storm or automate an existing administrative system in your business.

And maybe you’ll be filled with a revolutionary concept for your next business venture.

You build stronger relationships

Boredom can help strengthen your relationship muscles and grow your network.

How? You’re naturally drawn toward other people.

You want to see what other people are doing at the present moment. Your curiosity is at an all-time high.

You can use this to your advantage by taking time to genuinely connect and reconnect with others from a place of wonder.

Maybe this is a time to schedule a meeting with a client you haven’t spoken to in a long time.

You could reconnect with a colleague or a vendor to see what they’re up to.

Another byproduct of reconnecting with others is that you might just land yourself a new project or assignment that will keep you duly occupied for the next several weeks or months.

You gain perspective in your business

Being bored in and of itself may not seem like an exciting way to spend your time.

Yet boredom allows you to fully engage in the cycle of business and life. It’s a literal hard reset that can give you much-needed information about your current situation.

That is, if you’re willing to fully open your eyes and be honest with yourself.

Boredom will force you to take a hard look at your business as a whole and help you reassess and make future plans.

You can use this reflection time as motivation and inspiration to break free from a business rut.

Think about what you’d like to accomplish in your business in the next 30, 60, and 90 days.

Take a step further and think about what you’d like to see in six to 12 months.

The next step is to roll up your sleeves and get to work.

How about you? What do you think a bit of boredom will help you accomplish? Join the conversation and leave a comment below!