The Art of Taking It Easy: How to Cope with Bears, Traffic, and the Rest of Life's Stressors

by Brian King

Worry is one way that the brain can generate its own activity. Yes, worry relieves boredom. And I believe this is why most worrying occurs. Think about it. If you are a worrier, when do you worry? You probably don’t worry when your brain is actively engaged in some task. You probably don’t worry when you are focused on an activity, deep in thought, or being thoroughly entertained. More than likely, you worry when you have time on your hands or when your brain is not otherwise occupied. You worry to relieve boredom, which should be no surprise, as boredom already motivates a lot of behavior that people would prefer to change. People eat when they are bored. People drink when they are bored. Some people smoke to give their brains and hands something to do. Some people pick fights, get angry, or just stir things up. And some people worry. In other words, you worry to give your brain something to do.