The benefits of boredom - 6 Minute English

Having nothing to do, or doing the same task again and again, can be demotivating. But it doesn't have to be always that way. Neil and Sam talk about the positive side of boredom and teach you related vocabulary.
This week's question
A survey by British newspaper The Mirror, found Peter Willis to be ‘the most boring man in Britain’. What ‘boring’ hobby did he have that earned him that title?
a) Collecting train numbers - that’s train spotting,
b) Taking photos of letterboxes, or
c) Driving around roundabouts of the UK.
Listen to the programme to find out the answer.
Vocabulary
boredom
the state of feeling little excitement or enthusiasm
die of boredom
be extremely bored
upside
a positive side to a bad situation
stimulation
activates or enriches the mind
novelty
new, unusual or different.
connotation
an emotion connected to a word
To download the audio and a transcript, go to our webpage at: www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish...
[Cover: Getty Images]
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#learnenglish #boring #6minuteenglish

[@tiagonocaminho1]

Boredom is necessary for us because We need time to relax and to organize our mind.

[@silviacapetillo4059]

Your lessons are never boring. They are always interesting and useful. Thanks a lot!

[@bbclearningenglish]

You're welcome, Silvia. We are glad you like our videos.☺️

[@khach3488]

Exactly what I want to say ☺️☺️

[@apekshabholnekar1153]

This channel is so gripping. Thanks a million for helping me out in improving my grammer in addition to this BBC's channel is exactly what i was looking for. I would try by best to improve my vocabulary too for which i need to keep eye on ball. I appritiate your hard work and lots of love from India. Keep motivating young generation and stay healthy and happy. May god bless these pure helping souls.

[@wagnarok4162]

I didn´t get used to staying home for reading and studying. I was like to go to the library so much and yeah, it´s been a boredom period these days. I need to see an upside and novelty to serve as a stimulation to me.

[@NgocanhNguyen-pc4nd]

Hi BBC, thank you guys so much! So much love and gratitude from Vietnam:>>>

[@faruqshaonkhan4968]

Always love to hear Neil & Sam, you guys are never boring to anyone I believe. Appreciate your good work.

[@tranghoangthi6337]

Some things I have learnt from this video: - I haven’t done much or been anywhere. It’s been a bit boring. You know just sitting around, relaxing, doing nothing and kicking back. - die of boredom: I might die of boredom learning long lists of new words/ He might die of boredom doing all the same tasks every day./ i might die of boredom following all the rules in new company. - “some of us might find some thing boring, others might find it fascinating” some of us might find learning English fun but others might find it painful. -Demotivating :(a) I am demotivated whenever I get to do things over and over again -“it’s a real upside to it.” - Being bored allows our mind to wander, allows us to daydream - swipe and scroll st away: I think swipe and scroll sweets away from my healthy diet can do wonders for my physical health. - “We have got so many to entertain us” on Weekends, I’ve got so many to entertain us. Shopping, cooking and so forth. - get addicted to st: I really get addicted to chocolate

[@user-tl5vb6yv8f]

Thanks for the lesson! You're totally right...I remember that in childhood and in teenage years I used to be bored quite often. But now with the smartphone this feeling is so rare...As for Peter, come on... talking photos of letter box is way more exciting than driving along all roundabouts...😉

[@claudiavalente7230]

It seems you read my mind,i feel too much bored these days ,good to know the positive side ,but It takes effort and dedication and i don't feel Like that.😟😟😟😟

[@roz8750]

Never ever boring, you're lessons always 💯 amazing and helpful Thank you. 😊

[@Vivi-mr2ld]

Take time to be bored. One time I heard a coworker say, “When I get busy, I get stupid.” Ain’t that the truth. Creative people need time to just sit around and do nothing. I get some of my best ideas when I’m bored, which is why I never take my shirts to the cleaners. I love ironing my shirts-it’s so boring, I almost always get good ideas. If you’re out of ideas, wash the dishes. Take a really long walk. Stare at a spot on the wall for as long as you can. As the artist Maira Kalman says, “Avoiding work is the way to focus my mind.” Take time to mess around. Get lost. Wander. You never know where it’s going to lead you. (From Steal like an artist)💕

[@mohammadchowdhury3778]

This is really good stuff for us to move with English!!! Thank you!

[@kimsejeongkpop2507]

Excellent 😊👍🏻😊 !! Always Thank You 💟BBC 💜

[@mahbubhossainshamol9362]

Found his hobby so fascinating!

[@myathinzarwin5619]

I have never thought that boredom could be a creative topic.

[@annatyrie8905]

Interesting lesson, thank you.

[@sobidodo4980]

Thanks for all these fruitful videos that are never make us feel boredom.😍

[@lucutes2936]

It cleanses your mind

[@fahimehbarghishirazi178]

Thank so much

[@aishaaisha2194]

My English language has improved a lot since I started following this amazing channel and I always recommend my friends and students to follow it. Much obliged❤❤❤❤

[@bbclearningenglish]

Great to hear!

[@newt2120]

just listen to podcasts, and watch english tv shows

[@jorgeisaiaslugodeleon3862]

Interesting topic, if you don't get bored it means that you aren't creative.

[@matiullahabid9117]

Thanks that was awesome and useful for me

[@gabrielgunakabelen9220]

Many thanks Dear.

[@almaz1433]

Thank you very much for your interesting videos

[@user-vl6fq6ib5m]

The channel is terrefic at all.I can learn a lot by your every new videos I just love it

[@Moon_Queen_8]

Man ! I'm never going to get bored now 😁😁🤣🤣 by the way I love your lessons

[@maggie2191]

I won't criticize my husband doing nothing anymore when he's spacing out after watching this video.😅 I'd better not destroy his creativity. 😁

[@paviterjeetjeet8265]

Awesome 👍👍👍

[@winstonfraser7784]

Hi our teachers I am Winston, thank you for daily grammar to make sure improve life ❤❤❤

[@fobo_z5160]

Thanks 👍🙏

[@franciscojose6496]

I like it watching this amanzing channel congratulation

[@liliguo3680]

Really enjoy the programme, thank you very much. Is it possible to make the English subtitle a little bigger?

[@user-br5nu8gi1s]

Tnanks for video, usefull content

[@brandonjosephzapatavargas2739]

I always have a good time when watch your videos BBC I really feel grateful to you ♥

[@teresaoregel7150]

Interesting and useful. Thank you so much.

[@yigitcanbaysal824]

Hi teresa. I'm looking for a speaking or writing buddy to practice and improve my English speaking skills I wonder if you are interested in

[@tgchan]

Thank you.

[@ngocvan3127]

I often surf the Internet whenever I'm bored, it's maybe a bad habit.

[@achanyatae571]

Nice✨

[@tammytsang3487]

Your podcasts can remove our boredom instantly.🎉

[@joyyyy777]

It wasn't boring! I enjoy listening to BBC learning podcast. I also enjoy boring times since I can focus on only myself and thinking my future. I used to think when I take a public transportation. I love thinking alone

[@sher5411]

Useful podcats 🎉❤

[@yeetingchan4637]

This is my first time to listen this , hope I can improve my English 💪🏻

[@bbclearningenglish]

Hi Chan. The series 6 Minute English is very popular. You learn something about an interesting topic, and some vocabulary too.

[@shebnemkerimova4384]

Definitely

[@nadirkhan5209]

Very nice conversation sir

[@gabrielayala1672]

In my opinion being bored isn't happen to me often, so I have so many things to do, for example, studying. Also the concept of the word "boredom" depends of the personality of every person. For someone take pictures, learning to play an instrument could be boring, but for others amazing!

[@mukeshbundelkhandi4959]

👌👌

[@claricepenhagarcia7591]

👌

[@sayedatik8498]

I am a big fan of these programme just 6 m quite amazing but sometimes added different accent diff voice

[@Vikram_Kushwaha_33]

👌👌👍

[@gloriousboy7550]

👍

[@HaroldoTajra]

One might say I have a very boring hobby: I like to collect all BBC Learning English vocabulary boxes! :) Up to now my collection have almost 23 thousands words and frases from about 3.900 episodes from all shows and courses.

[@mylinhphung1853]

Crazy!!! Is that true?

[@HaroldoTajra]

@@mylinhphung1853 Yes, it's true 🙂

[@thaothu862]

@@HaroldoTajra May I know where do you store this amount of vocabs? notebook or any app?

[@HaroldoTajra]

@@thaothu862 It's an Excel spreadsheet. If you want a copy, just send me your email!

[@alamgirhusen2191]

Please keep English writing from Bangladesh 🇧🇩🇧🇩.

[@huajie666liu8]

If we pass through the very boring phase, we might get to a place where boredom can excite us, which is the upside of boredom. I think about a rock and roll song titled 'boredom' by a British band I could not think of now. But the song was fascinating for me then.

[@abdulrahmanalniema7182]

Accent 🤤❤🎶🎵

[@user-vt4lo3vc5z]

❤

[@monomono9140]

boredom is beneficial sometimes

[@felipeariasura]

🤠👍

[@lka8735]

I am dying of boredom at the moment. I know that boredom has upside and i shoud embrace it rather than keeping away from it. It is beneficial for evoking creativity and problem-solving. I has exprecienced these astounding benefits. However, no matter how many times I acknowledge this idea, despite buying into this theory, i still can’t help swiping and scrolling my phone to seek unhealthy stimulation and novelty. I can’t let myself deadly bored for any moments. Ironically, this bad state always didn’t last for long time as anytime i woke up, enjoying the new day, i then forgot everything about my yesterday boredom. Sometimes, waiting for time going is the best way to feel better. Anyway, the benefits of boredom isn’t something new to me. I have been accustomed to this subject for quite long time. But the ideo which impressed me most is that actually there are many words that aren’t negative at all, but because of its negative connotation. It’s extremely difficult to describe exactly what i feel as usual. But it strikes me that writing this comment expressing my thoughts is a relatively unexpected way to reduce boredom but also improving my English skills.

[@lka8735]

I am dying of boredom at the moment. I know that boredom has upside (boredom has an upside) and I should embrace it rather than keeping away from it. It is beneficial for evoking creativity and problem-solving. I has (have) experienced these astounding benefits. However, no matter how many times I acknowledge this idea, despite buying into this theory, I still can’t help swiping and scrolling my phone to seek unhealthy stimulation and novelty. I can’t let myself deadly (be deadly) bored for any moments. Ironically, this bad state always (doesn't always) last for long time (a long time). Every time I wake up, enjoying the new day, I then forget everything about my yesterday's boredom. Sometimes, waiting for time ~~~going~~ (to pass) is the best way to feel better. Anyway, the benefits of boredom isn’t (aren't) something new to me. I have been accustomed to this subject for quite long time (a long time). But the ideo (idea) which impressed me most is that there are many words that aren’t (aren't) negative at all, but because of its (their) negative connotation. It's extremely difficult to describe exactly what I feel as usual. But it strikes me that writing this comment, expressing my thoughts, is a relatively unexpected way to reduce boredom but also (and also) improve my English skills."

[@bbclearningenglish]

Great use of the vocabulary, well done 💪

[@vishwamithran8853]

anyone please explain what is the hobby of taking photos of letterboxes, and collecting trains no ?

[@jarjeesmohammed3667]

great

[@tranghoangthi6337]

Die of boredom: extremely bored Upside: (n) advantage, a positive side to a bad situation Stimulation: (n) activate and enrich our mind Wander: walk freely without thinking about the destination Swipe and scroll st away: wipe st out, eliminate st Novel: (a) unique and new-> novelty: (n) Pass through: get through Connotation: is an emotion connected to a word

[@nsj175]

😉

[@georgeabraham6550]

I feel you should have mentioned " to be bored stiff " and " a crashing bore " .

[@annchow2108]

My sentences: 1.The meeting has been overrun for an hour. Everybody is going to die of boredom. 2. Living creature likes novelty which would stimulation our sensation. 3. Upsides and downsides resemble two sides of the same coin.

[@sorayabaabud1217]

the stimulations which means activates or enriches the mind and novelty which describes something that is new, unusual or different

[@sihembouaoud8226]

Sometimes I die of boredom even though I have a lot to do

[@estekharahamad8510]

I want learn English but can't speak English properly

[@bbclearningenglish]

Keep going! With practice you will get there! 👍🏼

[@MinhLe-ou5pp]

Xanh lá cây chỉ hợp với núi rừng châu phi . Lâu nay xanh lá cây bị Nga c - TC làm nhái rồi . Màu xanh lá cây khô cực , vat vả lém

[@user-ow347]

Where is joergy🥲