You Need to Be Bored. Here’s Why.

When was the last time you were bored? If your like many, it has been a while. The lack of boredom is, in my opinion, one of the biggest impacts that mobile devices and constant access to the Internet has given us. Before that cigarettes were one of people's best escape hatches from boredom. I’m not bored, I’m just looking at my phone. I’m not bored, I’m just having a cigarette. More similarities than we may like in those two statements. People hate boredom and we now carry a device that can stop it at any moment, but that deprives us of a feedback loop that is important.

I meditate most every day which gives a wonderful opportunity to observe your brain, but it still is an activity and is not boredom. Boredom today is like being lost — something that we can choose to never be. But "Being bored can lead you to ask big questions."

I like Brooks recommendations:

Break Your Phone Addiction

• No devices after a certain point in day
• No devices during meals
• Regular device cleanses or fasts

I loved his comment on emergencies — "Here's something that's not an emergency — what's going on on Twitter?" 🤣

So yeah, put down the phone. And for bonus points, go and get lost someplace. 🗺️