Fredrik Härén is one of my house gods right now. I listen to his audiobook, "Idea book" a few times a week just to get fuel and energy. In one chapter he talks about the different B:s. Bars, bathrooms and buses. He wants to add Boring meetings to the list. It's all about places where creative ideas arise. Where ideas are put into play and hopefully put on paper. 

Naturally I get all my ideas when I travel by train or bus. It's all about where I'm not in a rush. I have time to unwind. It happened even before I heard Fredrik's thoughts on the subject and has been with me for over ten years, or more. When I was young it was at night when the whole apartment was quiet and my parents had gone to bed that I got my ideas. 

I love metaphors. So I usually compare the brain to being like a snow globe. Any information we receive from outside, the media, friends talking, we ourselves speaking, sights, sounds and smells. Everything is injected into the brain and into the snow globe and then it swirls around in there. But you can't see the nice Snowman standing there in the middle until you allow the ball to quiet down. When the snow settles and the water becomes clear. Then. Then you can see the lines of the Snowman – the idea. 

I would therefore encourage the boredom. Start every day by daring to be dull. Sit down on your couch after breakfast. Turn off the cell phone, computer and TV. Turn off anything that may can be turned off. Throw it out; wife, children, dogs, parents, and budgies. Sit still for ten minutes and stare at the wall. Try this for a week and see what happens. 

Bonus - Frederik Härén lectures on inspiration http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yH6-ihF2E48