Boredom Is the Solution to Your Procrastination Problem

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels

Do you know what's more difficult than getting things done? Doing nothing at all. Yeah, that's right. Doing nothing at all is way more difficult than doing something that might seem like a daunting task at first.

Our brains are so used to external stimulation, that we are more likely to choose physical pain over boredom. There are quite a lot of experiments that prove this. But here is one that's also quite entertaining. And it's a great and informational show overall:

Our brains are used to stimulation

Technology has made the world more connected. We can send and receive messages instantaneously. We can video call someone on the other side of the globe. And we can pull up our favorite movies anytime and anywhere.

Algorithms from tech giants like YouTube, Meta (former Facebook), and TikTok are designed to catch our attention and hold it for as long as possible. And the trend is clear. The focus is moving toward shorter and more stimulating content.

Even long-form content is being affected. There are far more cuts even in longer videos than there used to be in the past. And all of this to keep our attention and keep us entertained.
Something like watching a slow-paced black-and-white movie might seem like a difficult task now when we are used to much more stimulating forms of content. And we can just wonder what the future will bring.

This may lead to unwanted procrastination

With different forms of entertainment and brain stimulation so freely and easily accessible, the choice of doing boring and mundane everyday tasks is getting more difficult.

Would you rather take out the garbage bin or get your mind blown by a new, realistic video game? And although not everyone is into video games. Brain stimulation comes in various forms and affects all of us. Sugary foods, movies, games, TikToks, porn, and even instantaneous messaging can be very distracting and bad for our mental health.

We don't get bored anymore. Who wants to be bored? It's so easy not to get bored. Why should you?

Benefits of boredom

Boredom, what is it good for? For thousands of years of human existence, boredom has been a part of human life. During the last century, the pace of life has become much faster. And the amount of stimulus our brain receive daily has increased exponentially. But evolution is a process that takes a lot of time. And while our brains catch up with the pace of life of today, we still need boredom.

Boredom is for our brains what sleep is for our bodies. If you don't allow yourself to get bored, your brain needs more and more stimulation for you to find satisfaction. But forcing yourself to get bored resets this cycle and you can once again enjoy simpler things.

When you get bored, you are more likely to find enjoyment in tasks you wouldn't even consider doing while you are entertained. You need to find balance.

What you can do

It is all about habits. Small everyday actions change the direction of your life in the long run. Here are some things that help me procrastinate less and be more productive and mindful of my life choices.

1. Design the environment around you

The space you live and work in can have a huge impact on you. Make it easier for yourself to focus on the things you need to focus on.

For example, if you want to quit using your phone while in bed. Start putting your phone someplace you can't easily reach from the bed. For higher success replace the phone with something less distracting like a book or a journal.
Put all the distractions out of sight.

2. Design your digital environment

There are countless options for customization here. But the main principle is the same as with your physical environment. Make distractions more difficult to reach.

What helped me a lot is using some time-limiting tools.

3. Try doing nothing

When you feel unproductive, try doing nothing instead. Force yourself to avoid all the distractions and allow yourself to do something only if it is something you consider productive. I can bet you, that you will be getting to work in less than an hour.

4. Focus on less stimulating forms of media

We need to find the balance between being entertained and being bored. And we need to consume some form of media from time to time. Try to focus more on less stimulating media. Read a book. Listen to a Podcast or a radio show.

5. Create rather than consume

Focus more on creating. You can be entertained in a productive way while also creating value. Create something. Write, make music, do photography, create videos, make art. Your imagination is the limit. Don't become a mindless consumer. Be a creator instead.

6. Make yourself accountable

Take responsibility for your life choices. Start journaling. Share your goals. Make it more difficult for yourself to break promises to yourself. It is your life and it's your responsibility to live it the way you want. No one will do these things for you.

Conclusion

Get bored, get creative, take the direction of your life into your own hands. Desing the environment around you and in turn it will design you. Don't spend your life consuming content created by others. Stimulating your brain inside your room. Get out there. Live your life. Be productive.

Stay curious and stay HungryMinded!

One last thing

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This article was originally posted by me on Medium