The world has evolved so drastically over the past century. The way technology and
urban life has advanced has been a huge benefit to the world, but it has also caused many
drawbacks. Because things are made and used so quickly, it has made life a race against time.
Our lives are filled with constant engagement twenty-four-seven, and when there is a break,
thanks to the creation of social media, it’s filled with continual entertainment. We, as a society,
have lost the ability to live in the moment, to take time to breathe, to just be. We have also
conditioned our brains to think of boredom as a bad thing, but it can actually better you in so
many ways.
Back in colonial times, people had responsibilities and purpose, but it was simple. They
kept to their one thing. They worked hard, but they had the ability to plow fields for hours on end
or tend to their livestock with no interruptions. They kept it simple and could sit with their own
thoughts. As the Industrial Revolution evolved and urbanization advanced, machinery and
technology took over the need for that intense but simple labor. Machines could make goods in
an instant compared to the hours needed to when making it by hand. Everything sped up, and
civilization turned their priorities to much more fast-paced and mentally stimulating jobs. Our
world has made it seem like we always have to be productive. There is no time for breaks!
Which is just so wrong. This switch has also made us accustomed to needing instant gratification
and stimulation and made us lose the ability to be bored.
Not only has the day-to-day life become more so busy and rushed, but our time seems to
just as stimulation for the brain. As soon, as there is a quiet moment, we pull out our phones and
start scrolling. One-hundredth and fifty years ago, if someone had a moment to relax, they would
read, have a nice conversation, sit with their own thoughts, etc. Nowadays, if there is any
downtime at all, we do not know what to do with ourselves, and again, we whip out that phone.
We instantly see all these brightly colored, fast-moving, purposefully engaging pictures and
videos. It seems the only time we ever give our brain a break is when we sleep.
Our brains are constantly working and thinking. Even when you don’t realize it, it’s
coming up with solutions, making decisions, and possessing things. The brain is a devoted and
complex organ, but it has its limits. Think of your mind like a car; if you never pressed the brake
and kept the gas pumping, you would eventually run out of gas and overload the engine. The
same applies to us. We need to give our minds time to regenerate and calm. Or else it will not be
able to do these unnoticed but extremely important things.
With our fast-pumping society, it feels impossible to take time to stop, but it can actually
spark creativity and make more productivity to help with later tasks. A Neuroscientist, Alicia
Walf, states, “Boredom can actually foster creative ideas, refilling your dwindling reservoir,
replenishing your work mojo, and providing an incubation period for embryonic work ideas to
hatch. In those moments that might seem boring, empty, and needless, strategies and solutions
that have been there all along in some embryonic form are given space and come to life.”
An article by Heal Your Nerves system states, “Overstimulation can absolutely cause
stress, anxiety, and/or burnout. When our brains are constantly bombarded with sensory
information or have to process too much complex information, we can become overwhelmed and
exhausted. This can lead to feelings of stress, tension, irritability, and exhaustion.” So, not only
is it healing for your brain to take breaks, but it can also be dangerous if you don’t. We are
delicate creatures, both physically and mentally. It is important to take care of your mind.
Alongside things like burnout, constant stimulation has collectively shortened our
society’s attention span. With the creation of platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reals, and
YouTube Shorts, our brains are becoming accustomed to short entertainment. These short-form
videos have so much stimulation within a few short seconds; you swipe up, and boom, another
extremely engaging video. There is so much stimulation happening over and over. Which then
affects us in our daily lives. We have lost the ability to do things like eat food, do laundry, and
go on walks without a video, podcast, or music playing in the background.
Now you know it’s time to change, but how do you do it? It is simple, really; just start
small. Start by doing one task without your phone a day. Once that gets easy, start adding more
“away from the phone time.” It will get easier over time, and then you can start incorporating
time to just be. Sit outside and just sit. Do a ten to twenty-minute meditation. Take a shower with
no music! Once you break it down its a simple thing to accomplish. You might even start to see
changes in your life. Your anxiety might start to silence, your brain fog might start to clear, and
you may even come up with fun new ideas, or at least better processes the ones you already have.
Our world has changed and evolved so much over the years, but we cannot let ourselves
get too caught up in this chaotic world. Think about how things used to be and know you can
keep that same mindset with a little effort. Remember that it is okay to be bored sometimes. It is
even a good thing! It can be dangerous to let yourself be so overstimulated, and you do not want
it to lead to burnout. So, do not let yourself give boredom a bad rap, and start incorporating it
into your busy everyday life. It will make you and the world a better place.
An article by Heal Your Nerves system states, “Overstimulation can absolutely cause
stress, anxiety, and/or burnout. When our brains are constantly bombarded with sensory
information or have to process too much complex information, we can become overwhelmed and
exhausted. This can lead to feelings of stress, tension, irritability, and exhaustion.” So, not only
is it healing for your brain to take breaks, but it can also be dangerous if you don’t. We are
delicate creatures, both physically and mentally. It is important to take care of your mind.
Alongside things like burnout, constant stimulation has collectively shortened our
society’s attention span. With the creation of platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reals, and
YouTube Shorts, our brains are becoming accustomed to short entertainment. These short-form
videos have so much stimulation within a few short seconds; you swipe up, and boom, another
extremely engaging video. There is so much stimulation happening over and over. Which then
affects us in our daily lives. We have lost the ability to do things like eat food, do laundry, and
go on walks without a video, podcast, or music playing in the background.
Now you know it’s time to change, but how do you do it? It is simple, really; just start
small. Start by doing one task without your phone a day. Once that gets easy, start adding more
“away from the phone time.” It will get easier over time, and then you can start incorporating
time to just be. Sit outside and just sit. Do a ten to twenty-minute meditation. Take a shower with
no music! Once you break it down its a simple thing to accomplish. You might even start to see
changes in your life. Your anxiety might start to silence, your brain fog might start to clear, and
you may even come up with fun new ideas, or at least better processes the ones you already have.
Our world has changed and evolved so much over the years, but we cannot let ourselves
get too caught up in this chaotic world. Think about how things used to be and know you can
keep that same mindset with a little effort. Remember that it is okay to be bored sometimes. It is
even a good thing! It can be dangerous to let yourself be so overstimulated, and you do not want
it to lead to burnout. So, do not let yourself give boredom a bad rap, and start incorporating it
into your busy everyday life. It will make you and the world a better place.
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