Boredom can be good for people.
Bored people shouldn't scroll on their phones
Neuroscientist Professor James Danckert argues that the emotion should be seen as a positive "call to action" and be channelled into learning new skills rather than just scrolling on the phone.
Professor Danckert, of the University of Waterloo in Canada, told the BBC podcast Instant Genius: "Boredom is useful because it's a call to action. It's pushing you to find something to engage in that's meaningful and valuable.
"If you're bored and you just turn to your phone, you're not responding very well to the signal of boredom."
The expert explained that music icon Jimi Hendrix used boredom to transform from an ordinary musician into a "guitar genius".
Danckert suggests that people should use boredom to think about "small goals" such as forming relationships and acquiring new skills.
Although he did warn that the feeling can cause "problematic" behaviour for some, including gambling and social media addiction.
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