Bored Maker
August 21, 2024
My favorite way of introducing myself when presenting to a room full of creatives has always been and still is: Hi, my name is Seyi, and I love boredom. Creative people have restless minds, so we loathe the mention or thought of feeling bored. To many, it is an indication of an inactive imagination. A waste of time and the gift of making.
I respectfully disagree with the sentiment of avoiding boredom by all means, which is the preference of most creatives. The majority of us have such an active imagination, and if I were to draw a visual comparison, we exist like a person trapped in a skyscraper on fire. There is so much chaos, apprehension, and anxiety about the next move.
A much better comparison and summation comes from ancient Buddhist monks who define this state of existence as Kapacitta (The monkey mind),
`Just as a monkey swinging through the trees grabs one branch and lets it go only to seize another, so too, that which is called thought, mind or consciousness arises and disappears continually both day and night.'
If we observe our state of being (our minds), there are so many similarities between the branch-swinging and our consciousness to avoid being present.
The lockdown of 2020 was one of the most apparent moments in time when the power of boredom was harnessed and deployed by many. Innovation was through the roof, as many more people got to sit in with their consciousness for the first time. They had the rare opportunity to quiet their monkey minds and stop the tree-branch-swinging that robbed them of deliberate and extensive design/expression.
Before the pandemic of 2020, I had my fair share of understanding the power of boredom. I had a cumulative four-hour commute to and from the office every day. Same cityscape, same faces (somewhat), same endless routine. It was the kind of monotony that could drive anyone to mindlessly scroll through social media, but I decided to do something different. Instead of fighting the boredom, I leaned into it. What if this boredom could be the springboard of my creativity?
At first, it was just an experiment. With only my mobile phone and an open mind, I began teaching myself to create illustrations and animations on my phone. The first few weeks were tough—clumsy attempts to make something out of nothing. But as I sat through those long, seemingly endless hours, something started to shift. I realized that the stillness, the very thing that I initially resisted, was exactly what I needed to let my imagination roam free.
What began as a way to pass the time soon became a ritual. The more I created, the more I found myself craving those quiet moments. I wasn't just filling the hours; I was transforming them. Piece by piece, I built a body of work—over a thousand illustrations and animations—each one a little milestone on this unexpected journey. Each one capturing the news, moments observed, or conversations had.
I didn't censor myself or overthink the process. I just created and shared with vulnerability. To my surprise, people noticed and were inspired, too. I even got the invitation to be a part of a Pixite documentary for creators. My body of work even got shortlisted in the illustration category at the prestigious Communication Arts awards. That recognition was incredible (for someone who isn't a designer), but what mattered more was what I learned about myself through the process.
The truth is, boredom became my greatest ally. In a world that pushes us to constantly move and always seek the next big thing, I discovered immense power in sitting still. In those hours of quiet, I found clarity and creativity that I never knew I had.
So, to any fellow creative reading this, I urge you to embrace boredom. Let yourself sit with it. Resist the urge to fill every empty moment with distractions. You might just find that those moments of stillness are where your best ideas will come to life. I did, and it's been one of the most rewarding creative journey I've ever experienced.
Here's one compilation of illustrations and animations all made on my mobile phone, all thanks to boredom:
If you made it this far, you are a really curious one. So I have got this Ted Talk by Manoush Zomorodi to give you all of the science & experience backed bits:
