Boredom is an emotion that is usually judged negatively. Widespread among other animals besides humans, boredom is extensively feared and was experienced intensely during the recent pandemic lockdowns. Is it possible to “learn” a better way to be bored? Is being afraid of boredom a wake-up call? Are some people more vulnerable to boredom than others? Should one make an effort to avoid boredom? Besides addressing many questions such as these, this book shows readers how boredom varies across different life stages and how to manage this emotion, experience it in a mindful manner, and even exploit it to achieve benefits and well-being. The time of boredom is also the time that allows us to connect with what we carry deep inside ourselves and identify with whom we are, not just with what we do.

Anna Silvia Bombi formerly taught Developmental and Educational Psychology at the Sapienza University in Rome.

Daniele Malaguti, a work and organizational psychologist and a psychotherapist, teaches Psychological and Social Fundamentals of Social Services at the University of Trento.