We have all done it: In the grocery store check-out line, we flip out our smartphones to entertain ourselves for the few minutes it takes to wait our turn.

During long runs we can listen to podcasts. During short waits at the doctor’s office, we now have the world to entertain us — just on a small screen, with potential data fees to apply.

Basically, we don’t need to be bored anymore.

But some researchers say that might not be a good thing. United Kingdom scientists asked a group of 40 study participants to copy telephone numbers out of a phone book for 15 minutes. A second group of 40 people were asked to perform a creative task. Then, both groups were asked to come up with as many different uses for a white foam cup as possible.

The group that came up with more uses for the cup? The group initially bored by copying numbers out of a telephone book.

The researchers followed up this study with a second study including 90 participants. This group was split into three groups: two groups performing boring tasks and a control group. The results were similar: People who undertook the boring tasks came up with more uses for the foam cup than the control group.

The scientists speculate that the boring activities free up parts of your brain to daydream, even forcing your brain to focus on new ways to carry out a boring task in order to make it more interesting.

In this way, the researchers say, daydreaming can be a very important tool. If the mind is sufficiently bored — or occupied with a menial task — it can explore solutions to problems hanging around in the subconscious.

The people who say that your best ideas come in the shower can now back up their conviction scientifically. Might be time to invest in one of those waterproof notepads.