Originally found at CBS News by Victoria Albert

Boredom is feared by everyone, from adults in the workplace to kids home on their summer break. But a recent Academy of Management study finds boredom can have positive outcomes such as generating new ideas.

The concept has some support from famously creative thinkers. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs said that “boredom allows one to indulge in curiosity,” and author J.R.R. Tolkien created “The Hobbit” when he was a professor bored of grading papers.

“That’s because boredom is “our brain’s way of searching for an interesting, stimulating activity,” according to psychiatrist Dr. Sue Varma, “and if we can’t find it in the external environment, we are going to create it.”

Continue reading original article at CBS News.

Learn more about the AOM Scholars and explore their work:

• Guihyun Park, The Australian National University
• Beng-Chong Lim, Nanyang Technological University Singapore
• Hui Si Oh, Singapore Management University