henry copeland:

Looking at how the brain reacts to boredom could help people cope -- ScienceDaily

There are several ways that people cope positively with boredom, Perone said. They seek out a book or something to read. They create a grocery list or think about what they're going to make for dinner, for example. "We had one person in the experiment who reported mentally rehearsing Christmas songs for an upcoming concert. They did the peg turning exercise to the beat of the music in their head," Perone said. "Doing things that keep you engaged rather than focusing on how bored you are is really helpful."
- www.sciencedaily.com