The Importance of Boredom & Solitude in a World That Fears Both

A series of thoughts on the dangers of stimulation overload

As I sit here in this cafe, I briefly look up from my book and observe my surroundings. I start counting. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6… every single person in my line of vision is distracted by a small, shiny screen in the palm of their hand. Even the ones out for breakfast with their friends and family. 

I smile to myself. Oh, the irony. 

The book I am currently reading is called ‘Digital Minimalism’. 

People are so incredibly unaware how little control they have over their smartphones. How addictive it is. Even myself, someone who is acutely aware of the detrimental impacts these small devices have on our wellbeing, still struggles to keep this addiction at bay.

Addiction (definition)

a compulsive, chronic, physiological or psychological need for a habit-forming substance, behaviour, or activity having harmful physical, psychological, or social effects and typically causing well-defined symptoms (such as anxiety, irritability, tremors, or nausea) upon withdrawal or abstinence

Reader, I would like to ask you a few questions.

‘Compulsive, chronic, physiological or psychological need for a habit-forming substance, behaviour or activity’’  – Have you experienced an irresistible urge to recurrently check your phone whenever boredom strikes; or to see how many likes/comments/shares you have on a post; or to see if that person responded to you yet; or to check what someone is doing (FOMO)?

‘Having harmful physical and psychological effects” – Have you experienced distress, fear or anxiety when you forget your phone or didn’t know where it was?

‘Having harmful social effects’ – Have you spent more time socialising online, and experienced an increase in social anxiety or loneliness? Have you gone out to coffee with a friend or family member and noticed their phone on the table, perhaps distracting them or even disrupting the conversation to check their phone? 

‘Causing well-defined symptoms (anxiety, irritability, tremors, or nausea) upon withdrawal or abstinence’ – Again, have you experienced anxiety or irritability when you do not know where your phone is? Or, have you seen another person experience anxiety or irritability when they cannot find their phone?

I am sure that by now, I do not need to convince you that social media is addictive. It is estimated that over 100 million people watched ‘The Social Dilemma’. 

Why, then, do so many people fall prey to these services?

Firstly, it is one thing to have the knowledge and another thing entirely to implement strategies that help you use your phone with purpose and intention. 

You see, the main problem is the overly stimulating nature of social media. Most people cannot bear being bored, even though there are benefits to experiencing boredom. 

In an interview, Cal Newport argues that boredom is not so dissimilar to feelings of thirst or hunger. We experience these sensations because our body is trying to tell us that we need something. Boredom is an important mental que that stimulates motivation; it is an uncomfortable sensation that encourages us to be curious and productive.

Now we have these devices that quite literally compete for our attention. Any sign of boredom is quickly dissipated by picking up that shiny device in our pocket. Essentially, we never have to feel bored again! Hooray! 

So, what does it mean to have an object that constantly stimulates us? Is the death of boredom a good thing?

Whilst boredom regarding your life is not good per say, an inability to experience short-term boredom is harmful for deep work, creativity and mental breakthroughs. 

You see, boredom may encourage someone to reflect on certain aspects of their life. Perhaps there is a question you are trying to find the answer for, or maybe there is no question at all. Either way, boredom can foster both creative ideas and problem-solving. 

I would argue one of the best ways to combat boredom is to embrace solitude instead. If you are bored of a certain task or experiencing a mental block, go for a walk. If you are bored waiting for a train or coffee, observe your surroundings. This will garner more productivity than scrolling on your phone because solitude inspires reflection. Unfortunately nowadays, boredom is solitude's enemy. But, if one can use them synergistically in this modern world, it may be what differentiates good from great. It’s a pretty low bar, when you think about it.

An interesting study on boredom was conducted where people were sat in a room with nothing but an electric buzzer. Unsurprisingly, most elected to press the buzzer which sent a brief sensation of pain through their body. The reason for this was because it was the only way to break up the tedious nature of the experiment. This may explain why people often resort to unhealthy habits (drugs, alcohol, gambling, comfort eating, phone) to distract themselves from experiencing boredom. But the positive side of this is that, if used wisely, can encourage innovation, creativity and productivity. This is why I encourage embracing solitude instead and going for a walk or spending time in a cafe – ultimately change your surroundings.

Boredom is a sign of a repetitive life. It is also a sign that you want to experience new ideas and activities. Perspective matters here.

The sad drunk at the pub is likely distracting himself from the fact he hates his tedious routine, and so escapes this reality by numbing himself. If he instead embraced solitude, and spent some time self-reflecting, he may find a solution to his problem. 

Our phones have just become another form of escapism from an unhappy life. Like alcohol, drugs, gambling. It’s all the same. 

We are afraid of embracing both boredom and solitude, and this is perhaps where most of society’s problems lie. 

There is a famous quote by Blase Pascal “All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone”. That was in the 1600’s. Perhaps Pascal predicted the future here. Our inability to sit quietly in a room alone, combined with our unique cognitive capacity, found a solution to this problem. The smartphone. A never ending distraction from ourselves.

But, what are we missing out on by being constantly stimulated? 

Who knows. All I know is that many great people were able to work deeply on tasks. Boredom motivated them, and solitude inspired them. When you take both of these away from us, you take away motivation and inspiration, along with many other benefits such as self-reflection, productivity and curiosity.

Have you ever wondered how great you could be if it weren’t for the multitude of distractions that surround us in our home? What would you do when boredom struck if you had nothing in your home but a pen and paper. What greatness is the world missing out on because you, like so many others (including myself), cannot sit down for a few hours and work on one task with one goal?

What incredible conversations are you missing out on because you use your phone to avoid making eye contact with people?

What beautiful life experiences have you missed out on because you were staring at your phone, instead of looking up in front of you?

What life-changing revelations are you missing out on learning because you are too afraid to spend more than 10-minutes alone with your thoughts?

What knowledge are you missing out on because you cannot focus on a book for more than 20-minutes and always opt for an easier, low-cognitive activity? 

Who knows. Perhaps you will never know either. And that’s the sad truth.

I believe with knowledge comes the ability to grow and evolve. Self-awareness always wins.

As always, please touch some grass today.