Prateek Tanmay
4 min readNew DelhiJul 27, 2026 10:32 AM IST
Novak Djokovic believes boredom can be one of the most valuable experiences for a child. In a world filled with constant screens, notifications, and entertainment, kids rarely have time to simply sit with their thoughts. During a recent conversation on the podcast On Purpose with Jay Shetty, the tennis legend argued that boredom often sparks creativity because it forces children to invent games, explore ideas, and use their imagination.
“Being bored is good. My son is ten, and we were recently at my parents’ at the countryside. We were playing ping pong, kayaking in the lake. We played some football and kept quite active the first few hours of the day. And then I was doing something else. He comes up to me and goes, ‘Daddy, I’m bored.’ Then I had to sit him down and said, ‘Son, it’s okay to be bored sometimes. You had a great, active morning. And second of all, if you are bored, it does not mean you have to take up a book or screen immediately. You need to learn to be with your thoughts,” he shared with the host.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to.
“I really want my kids to want to learn to be bored because that’s the time you are the most creative. That’s when you can manage your own thoughts — the ones you’ve been suppressing with the phone,” he further added.
Instead of viewing boredom as a problem to solve, he encourages parents to see it as an opportunity for growth, independence, and creative thinking.
Psychologist Rasshi Gurnani tells indianexpress.com, “Excessive screen time during early childhood can affect multiple areas of development because the brain is still in a highly sensitive neurodevelopmental stage.
“Young children learn through face-to-face interaction, sensory play, movement, observation, and emotional connection. When screens replace these experiences for long periods, it can interfere with language development, attention regulation, emotional processing, and social learning,” she explains.
Gurnani says that too much screen time can result in a “shorter attention span, impulsivity, irritability, sleep disturbances”, as well as delayed executive functioning, which includes skills like “self-control, focus, and emotional regulation”.
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The value of boredom
Agreeing, Dr Ruhi Satija, a Mumbai-based consultant psychiatrist and psychotherapist, says that being bored is not so bad after all. According to her, the lack of stimulation allows you to spend time with yourself and be comfortable with understanding your choices, likes and dislikes. “You will become closer to knowing why you behave a certain way,” she says. According to her, here are some other underrated benefits of boredom:
Creativity: Creativity is a great tool to maintain mental health. Spending time on a hobby and using your mind to create something is a great way to feel good; this requires solitude and time, which is difficult to find if you are surrounded by people all the time.
Social energy: Sometimes you don’t want to live in someone else’s mess. When you live alone, go out to eat alone, or spend time with yourself, you’re in control of everything you do. There won’t be anyone judging you, telling you what to do, or getting on your nerves. Less negativity leads to more positivity, which enhances mood and general disposition.
Productivity: Your productivity increases multifold when you are not worried about what others are doing, or how they are judging you.
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Sense of empowerment: Let your newfound independence empower you. Learn about staying safe when you’re alone to help you relax and embrace your new freedom.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to.
