Learning to be bored

I recently bought a new phone and it tells me exactly how much time I spend on each app, how many times I unlock my phone and a few other stats.

Turns out I spend very little time on my phone doing useful stuff. It’s one thing knowing you waste time on your phone but seeing the exact amount in a bar chart and colour coded pie chart is a whole other story.

I like many others pick up my phone habitually, unconsciously even. It’s not just the fact that I do it but also when I do it.

I pick up my phone just before I’m about to be bored, it’s a habit that has developed since I first got a mobile phone 10 years ago.

At first it was talk, text, games and the radio. But as time has passed the capabilities of phones have grown to the point where even cameras and laptops have become unnecessary.

With so many possibilities from a single device it can be hard to put it down and do nothing.

In years gone by it was much easier to find that you had nothing to do. And in order to get that back it has to be conscious. Set time aside to do nothing. Don’t set a timer, give yourself freedom.

Perhaps you spend 8 minutes lying with your head hanging off the bed and allow random thoughts to flow through your mind, you might also find yourself feeling restless and fidgety because you’re so used to doing it.

Make it a regular practice and see if you notice any changes. I’d be surprised if you don’t at least find yourself feeling more refreshed and relaxed.