Why you need to be bored: A video-based ESL lesson

In this lesson, students explore a thought-provoking talk by Arthur Brooks. We live in an age of constant digital stimulation, but what happens when we let our minds wander? This lesson focuses on the intersection of technology, mental health, and the surprising benefits of boredom.

Lesson overview

• Level: Intermediate to upper-intermediate
• Topic: Psychology, technology, and mental health
• Objectives: To understand the “default mode network,” discuss digital habits, and master vocabulary related to emotional well-being.
• Video:

Recommended readings:

• How to Break Up with Your Phone: The 30-Day Plan to Take Back Your Life by Catherine Price
• Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World by Cal Newport

Warm-up discussion (10 minutes)

Start the class by tapping into the students’ daily habits regarding their devices.

• Do you ever feel bored? What is your immediate reaction when you have nothing to do?
• Think about the last time you were waiting for a bus or standing in line. Did you reach for your phone? Why or why not?
• The big question: Is boredom a “waste of time” or a “resource”?

Key vocabulary (15 minutes)

Before watching the video, review these essential terms found in the transcript.

Teacher’s tip: Have students practice the pronunciation of existential (/ˌɛɡ.zɪˈstɛn.ʃəl/) and anxiety (/æŋˈzaɪ.ə.ti/) as these are often tricky for intermediate learners.

Vocabulary for extension

• Dopamine: A chemical in the brain that sends signals of pleasure and reward.
  Example: “Checking for likes on social media gives the brain a quick hit of dopamine.”
• Doom loop: A cycle where a person continuously consumes negative news, leading to increased anxiety and more searching for news.
  Example: “I fell into a doom loop last night reading about the economy and couldn’t sleep.”
• Digital fast: A period of time during which a person refrains from using electronic devices such as smartphones or computers.
  Example: “Our teacher suggested a weekend digital fast to help us reconnect with our hobbies.”
• Cognitively: In a way that relates to the mental processes of perception, memory, judgment, and reasoning.
  Example: “Multitasking on a phone is cognitively draining and makes it harder to focus.”
• Remedy: A successful way of curing an illness or solving a problem.
  Example: “Spending time in nature is often the best remedy for a stressful work week.”
• Prone: Likely or liable to suffer from, do, or experience something (typically something regrettable).
  Example: “People who never experience boredom may be more prone to burnout.”
• Pathologies: In a social or psychological context, these are behaviors or conditions that are considered abnormal or harmful.
  Example: “The speaker discusses various social pathologies caused by constant connectivity.”
• Coherence: The quality of being logical, consistent, and forming a unified whole.
  Example: “Taking time to think helps give our life story more coherence and meaning.”
• Significance: The quality of being worthy of attention; importance or meaning.
  Example: “Small, quiet moments often hold more significance than the busy ones.”
• Stimulus: Something that arouses activity or energy in someone or something; a spur or incentive.
  Example: “Our brains are so used to constant stimulus that silence feels uncomfortable.”

Video & listening comprehension (20 minutes)

Watch the video (or read the transcript) and answer the following questions:

1. The main message: What is the primary reason the speaker believes we should embrace boredom?
2. The brain: What happens to our “default mode network” when we are constantly distracted by phones?
3. The experiment: Describe the experiment involving electric shocks. What does it reveal about our fear of being alone with our thoughts?

Vocabulary expansion: mental health & habits

Beyond the transcript, these words help students discuss the broader implications of the digital age.

• Dopamine: A brain chemical linked to reward. (“Social media gives us a quick dopamine hit.”)
• Doom loop: A cycle of consuming negative news that leads to more worry.
• Digital fast: A period of time where one abstains from using electronic devices.
• Cognitively: Related to the process of thinking and mental processing.
• Remedy: A way of solving a problem or curing an illness.

Practice & critical thinking (20 minutes)

Break the students into small groups to discuss the following:

• The debate: Do you agree that boredom is necessary for creativity? Or is it just an outdated concept in a fast-paced world?
• The challenge: What specific protocols could you implement this week to reduce your screen time?
• Role-play: * Student A: Arthur Brooks, offering advice on mental clarity.
  • Student B: A person addicted to their phone who feels anxious without it.

Wrap-up & homework

Summary: Boredom isn’t the enemy; it’s a tool that activates the brain’s creative centers and helps us find meaning.

Homework task: Perform a “15-minute boredom challenge.” Sit for 15 minutes with no phone, no music, and no books. Write a short reflection (5–7 sentences) describing the experience. Was it difficult? Where did your mind wander?

If you enjoyed this lesson on modern psychology, check out our other lessons on psychology.

Appendix

Worksheet: Why you need to be bored

Name: ____________________________ Date: _________________

Part 1: Vocabulary match

Match the terms on the left with the correct definitions on the right.

1. Default mode network ____
2. Existential ____
3. Mind wanders ____
4. Hollowness ____
5. Protocols ____

A. Relating to deep questions about the meaning of life.

B. A set of rules or a specific plan for how to act.

C. The brain state used for internal reflection and creativity.

D. When your thoughts move aimlessly from one thing to another.

E. An empty or meaningless feeling inside.

Part 2: Video comprehension

Answer the following questions based on the talk by Arthur Brooks.

1. According to the speaker, what is the connection between the “default mode network” and boredom?

2. Why did people in the experiment choose to give themselves electric shocks? What does this say about modern habits?

3. List one “protocol” mentioned in the video that can help a person reintroduce boredom into their life.

Part 3: Group discussion

Discuss these questions with a partner and take notes on your answers.

• Digital habits: On average, how many hours a day do you spend on your phone? Does this time make you feel “full” or “hollow”?
• The challenge: Arthur Brooks suggests that we are “losing our souls” to our devices. Do you think this is an exaggeration, or is there truth to it?
• Action plan: If you had to give up your phone for 24 hours, what is the first thing you would do to occupy your mind?

Worksheet: Mental health and the digital age (Expansion)

Instructions: Fill in the blanks using the words from the box below. You may need to change the form of the word (e.g., making it plural) to fit the sentence correctly.

Dopamine | Doom loop | Digital fast | Cognitively | Remedy | Prone | Pathologies | Coherence | Significance | Stimulus

1. Many young people are __________ to feeling anxious if they leave their house without their smartphone.
2. The psychologist argued that social media addiction is one of the most common __________ of the modern era.
3. Every time we receive a notification, our brain releases a small amount of __________, making the habit hard to break.
4. If you feel overwhelmed by technology, the best __________ is often to spend a few hours outdoors away from screens.
5. It is __________ demanding to switch between multiple apps while trying to complete a difficult work task.
6. To improve his mental health, Mark decided to go on a three-day __________ during his vacation.
7. Without moments of quiet reflection, our life stories can lack __________ and feel like a series of random events.
8. Constant digital __________ prevents the brain from entering the “rest” state needed for creative thinking.
9. Reading negative news for hours is a dangerous __________ that can lead to feelings of hopelessness.
10. We often ignore the __________ of small, everyday moments because we are too busy looking at our phones.

Answer key (For teacher use)

1. Prone
2. Pathologies
3. Dopamine
4. Remedy
5. Cognitively
6. Digital fast
7. Coherence
8. Stimulus
9. Doom loop
10. Significance