Boredom: «I have no idea what to do»

«Why don't you ask Sarah?»

My problem is that since this summer I'm almost always bored. I used to play and do handicrafts a lot. But now I'm too old for that. I'd prefer to keep myself busy on my mobile phone, but my mum doesn't always let me do that. I've already racked my brains, but I really don't have a single idea of what I could do.
Roxana, 12 years old

Dear Roxana
Firstly, the good news: it's not your fault that you're bored. Because it has to do with your age. As you rightly say yourself, you are now too old for all the things you enjoyed as a child: playing, crafting, looking at books or other things.

Since this summer, none of this interests you anymore. Because you have made a leap in your development and entered the adolescent phase. You are now a teenager and no longer a child.

The fact that your leisure activities are no longer the same is largely controlled by your brain. This is because the change from child to teenager involves a reorganisation in your brain - almost like when you rebuild a house and redo parts of it. You have a building site in your head, so to speak. And this building site then causes a few other things besides boredom. But don't worry: it's the same for every girl and every boy and you'll all do great!

The bad news: unfortunately, there is no cure for boredom. Of course, you can write down lots of ideas on how you could pass the time instead of being on your mobile phone. But I think you've probably already done that. I'm sure you've thought of all sorts of hobbies - and still haven't found one that suits you. And I also assume that your mum and dad have already come up with ideas to help you.

Allowing boredom to set in

But did you know that boredom can also have a positive effect? Namely when you get really empty in your head. You then have no ideas or desire for anything and actually no energy. It's quite possible that you'll get really angry because you're simply not motivated to do anything.

So as soon as you get into this state, I advise you to let it happen! Maybe go to your room, lie down on the bed or sit in a comfortable armchair. And then wait. Wait until something happens. Because it will - sooner or later. It may take some time ... but at some point something will come to mind that you feel like doing.

Many young people tell me that they suddenly start thinking back to their childhood. Suddenly they remember objects from the past that they haven't taken out for ages. This could be a toy, a friend's book, a musical instrument or whatever. They then look for it and enjoy the memories it brings back. And some then look at it again.

Others tell me that they came up with the idea of trying something new that they had heard from other young people of the same age. One girl, for example, started baking cakes that she decorated elaborately. A football cake for a school friend's birthday was so difficult that it took her more than half a day. But the result was great and the boy was delighted.

Sometimes our brain is completely overloaded with impressions and experiences. Then nothing works.

In your case, your boredom has to do with the onset of puberty. You now have to and are allowed to occupy yourself with completely new things. But boredom is a phenomenon that affects everyone at every age. Whether children, teenagers, adults or older people - everyone experiences boredom from time to time. Because it's part of our lives.

But what actually happens when we are bored? Sometimes our brain is completely overloaded with impressions and experiences. It is so full that nothing else works. We process these impressions while we sleep and are ready to take in new things again in the morning.

Boredom is healthy

But that doesn't always work. Sometimes it is necessary for our brain to be empty. And because we are not used to this at all, it feels uncomfortable. In other words, we almost can't stand not doing anything and not feeling like doing anything. And that's why we think boredom is stupid. But in reality, it's an important thing to give our brains some breathing space from time to time.

And something else is interesting: no artist would be so creative if they were not sometimes in a state of mental emptiness. It is often only from the feeling of emptiness that something new and creative can emerge. That's why they say that boredom is healthy.