The bored and the beautiful: How the smartphone killed boredom

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Share Newly-launched Apple iPhone 18 Pros stand on display at the Apple store on Fifth Avenue, Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)f Social media. Streaming. Swiping. Today, it's normal to reach for our phones when we're bored. But researchers say passive boredom like scrolling is not the kind of boredom that sparks creativity. How can we reclaim boredom in the digital age?

Sandi Mann , licensed psychologist and lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire. Author of "The Science of Boredom: Why Boredom is Good."

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