What a great reflection on the effects of limiting socials. I completely agree that we don't know how to be bored anymore because we're constantly occupied with our phones. I try not to look at my phone while waiting for a coffee or on a walk and it's been so soothing to actually observe and absorb what's going on around me.
That's a good way to describe being present and observing and absorbing - it is soothing. I find the constantly shifting from one thing to the other has the opposite effect, it is jarring. It's nice to be mindful of when you're using your phone and maybe one day the boredom will come back and you'll see how it feels and where it might lead you!
I am finding myself in a similar place to you currently. I use Instagram. When I find myself scrolling, it's only for a minute or two and then I get bored and come off it.
I loved this statement you made - Maybe those uncomfortable situations we now lack because we can simply reach for our phone were the things teaching us how to deal with uncomfortable emotions and situations? - could not agree more! We seem to fear discomfort so much and do what we can to avoid it that we don't learn the skills to sit with it.
It's interesting that we're having this similar reaction - we find it bored. I think it's shocking since the apps are designed to be addictive. What do you think makes you feel bored, is the algorithm not suggesting things of interest, too many ads or maybe something else?
Yes! I think it's basic human nature to avoid discomfort but we've never had as many tools that allow us to avoid discomfort available to us as we do now. If we are bored - pick up our phone. If we want to buy something, one click and it'll be delivered to our doorstep. While these things can be great, especially for people with disabilities, they have huge costs (like that of the community, small business and our own ability to deal with things). Maybe I'll have to write some more about this because I could go on with what I think the increased pace of life is doing to us!
I've been thinking a lot since you asked me about what makes me feel bored.
I'm a psychology student, and in my learning I realised that our brain processes everything! Literally everything, even the things we don't really see, our brain makes a mental note of it and files it away. And the more I was doom scrolling Instagram, I realised my brain is taking in and spending time of this 'crap'. Instagram for me has just become a platform of advertisement - and that's not including Meta's adverts.
And I kept thinking as I was scrolling 'do I want to spend my brains capacity on processing this' and the answer was no. I would find myself on Instagram because of muscle memory. I would go on for about 30 seconds and think 'this is not what I want' and would come off.
I also felt like I was searching for something. I follow a lot of 'wellness' people - yoga instructors, breathwork facilitators, spiritually minded people. At the same time realising I don't want to spend my brains energy on wading through the chaff, I also realised that whatever I am searching for was not going to be on that platform.
I also found that when I would post things, I didn't get anything from it.
So in short, TLDR; I find Instagram boring because it doesn't fulfil me, and I think it's worth the mental investment.
I’ve thought about that too - how the brain consciously or unconsciously takes everything in. It’s got me considering what I watch and consume. Like graphic crime shows and things. Perhaps you know as a psychology student - but the brain can’t tell the difference between what’s real and what’s imagined right?
The muscle memory rings true - how many of us reach for our phones simply out of habit? But a lot of what’s on there is ‘crap’ (not to mention contradictory, factually incorrect, rage inciting, and AI generated fake stuff) and it’s taking up our own mental bandwidth and energy. Energy that we could otherwise direct towards pursuits that are meaningful and serve our like, interests and passions.
I think we’re both in similar places. We’re not going to find what we’re looking for on IG. Thanks for sharing!
What a great reflection on the effects of limiting socials. I completely agree that we don't know how to be bored anymore because we're constantly occupied with our phones. I try not to look at my phone while waiting for a coffee or on a walk and it's been so soothing to actually observe and absorb what's going on around me.
That's a good way to describe being present and observing and absorbing - it is soothing. I find the constantly shifting from one thing to the other has the opposite effect, it is jarring. It's nice to be mindful of when you're using your phone and maybe one day the boredom will come back and you'll see how it feels and where it might lead you!
I am finding myself in a similar place to you currently. I use Instagram. When I find myself scrolling, it's only for a minute or two and then I get bored and come off it.
I loved this statement you made - Maybe those uncomfortable situations we now lack because we can simply reach for our phone were the things teaching us how to deal with uncomfortable emotions and situations? - could not agree more! We seem to fear discomfort so much and do what we can to avoid it that we don't learn the skills to sit with it.
It's interesting that we're having this similar reaction - we find it bored. I think it's shocking since the apps are designed to be addictive. What do you think makes you feel bored, is the algorithm not suggesting things of interest, too many ads or maybe something else?
Yes! I think it's basic human nature to avoid discomfort but we've never had as many tools that allow us to avoid discomfort available to us as we do now. If we are bored - pick up our phone. If we want to buy something, one click and it'll be delivered to our doorstep. While these things can be great, especially for people with disabilities, they have huge costs (like that of the community, small business and our own ability to deal with things). Maybe I'll have to write some more about this because I could go on with what I think the increased pace of life is doing to us!
I've been thinking a lot since you asked me about what makes me feel bored.
I'm a psychology student, and in my learning I realised that our brain processes everything! Literally everything, even the things we don't really see, our brain makes a mental note of it and files it away. And the more I was doom scrolling Instagram, I realised my brain is taking in and spending time of this 'crap'. Instagram for me has just become a platform of advertisement - and that's not including Meta's adverts.
And I kept thinking as I was scrolling 'do I want to spend my brains capacity on processing this' and the answer was no. I would find myself on Instagram because of muscle memory. I would go on for about 30 seconds and think 'this is not what I want' and would come off.
I also felt like I was searching for something. I follow a lot of 'wellness' people - yoga instructors, breathwork facilitators, spiritually minded people. At the same time realising I don't want to spend my brains energy on wading through the chaff, I also realised that whatever I am searching for was not going to be on that platform.
I also found that when I would post things, I didn't get anything from it.
So in short, TLDR; I find Instagram boring because it doesn't fulfil me, and I think it's worth the mental investment.
*not worth the investment
I’ve thought about that too - how the brain consciously or unconsciously takes everything in. It’s got me considering what I watch and consume. Like graphic crime shows and things. Perhaps you know as a psychology student - but the brain can’t tell the difference between what’s real and what’s imagined right?
The muscle memory rings true - how many of us reach for our phones simply out of habit? But a lot of what’s on there is ‘crap’ (not to mention contradictory, factually incorrect, rage inciting, and AI generated fake stuff) and it’s taking up our own mental bandwidth and energy. Energy that we could otherwise direct towards pursuits that are meaningful and serve our like, interests and passions.
I think we’re both in similar places. We’re not going to find what we’re looking for on IG. Thanks for sharing!