Ever wonder why some of our best ideas come to us when we are not consciously thinking about them or actively problem-solving? We might be out for a walk or tossing a ball around with the kids, then — wham! It hits you. The idea, not the ball. It is because our brain was always working on the problem, and that period of apparent inactivity led to the creation of new neural connections in the brain.

According to investigative journalist and author of the book Bored and Brilliant, Manoush Zomoradi, boredom is critical for living our happiest, most productive, and most creative lives. Essentially, boredom allows our brains to go on a sort of autopilot and work on things without the distraction of conscious thought. In a Ted Talk, Zomoradi mentioned that she was stuck on finding a way to increase her audience in a significant way. She ultimately came up with a solution to her business problem, but when she reflected on when she actually came up with it, she realized it was when she was out walking her baby in a stroller for the bazillionth mile. On those long walks with her baby, she discovered that she wasn’t on her cell phone talking, texting, or checking Twitter or Facebook. She was simply bored, and that was a good thing. Zomoradi goes on to say that when you are bored, you activate a network in your brain called default mode, and we connect seemingly unrelated ideas. We also do something called autobiographical planning, where we are able to look back upon our experiences and use them to set future goals, including steps to achieve those goals.

The problem, however, is that people seldom have a chance to become bored anymore. With the invention of the handheld supercomputers that we all keep in our pockets, a.k.a cell phones, 1,000 cable channels, and 24-hour news cycles how could anyone ever become bored? We are drowning in a sea of information. It used to be that when we waited in line, which equates to about six months of our lives, we were bored. Now people are on their phones checking social media or emails or watching cat videos — all important stuff, of course. Go to any restaurant, and instead of talking, people are, you guessed it, looking at their phones. I actually saw a sign somewhere for a restaurant that will knock 10% off your bill if you put your phone away.

The idea that boredom or some mindless activity leads to great things is not new. Often, as a writer, I would read articles about writer’s block. These articles recommended stepping away from the computer and going for a walk or tossing around a football to generate ideas. Often, when searching for a solution to a problem, whether it is for work or personal, we try to force the thought process. This usually leads to frustration. Rather, we should be letting our minds wander. I have found that taking a long walk in nature, on a country road, or, ideally, on a sandy beach leads to my most creative ideas. Thought without restriction or distraction breaks down the dam and lets our minds flow smoothly. Ideas come rapidly. Some are good and some bad, but all of them are valuable, able to be sorted and ranked as possible solutions to what we need most.

A couple of years ago, when I was off of work following surgery, I spent much of my time walking a scenic route of the countryside near my home. At first, it was simply rehab. Over time, however, I realized I was getting great ideas for a fiction novel I had been tinkering with for years. In a few months, I was able to write more of my book than in all of the previous time I had spent working on it simply because I had nothing else to distract me. My routine was to go for a walk and let my mind wander. Maybe I would even pose a question to myself, such as what a specific character in my book does in a certain situation. I would then let go of the thought and let my subconscious work on it. By the time my walk ended, I would have my answer. I’m still tinkering on the book mostly because it seems to be one of those never-ending projects, but I am never short on ideas. The same process can be used for anything. Simply take time on a regular basis away from the distractions of life and technology. Let your mind wander and allow yourself to be a little bored. You will be amazed and the ideas your mind will come up with and how positively they will affect your life.