Bore Yourself

Yes, you read that right.

You wake up, pick up your phone, and end up getting yourself updated with what's happening in your friends' lives, read world news, politics — or you just doom-scroll.

Congrats, you just put garbage into your brain! Well, you're not alone. I used to be that person too.

I used to start my day with Twitter scrolling. I thought I was keeping myself updated with the latest information, staying relevant in the world.

I was wrong. What I was actually doing was feeding my mind with all sorts of emotions — without even realizing it.

- A news about a match win – Happy

- A celebrity gossip – Curious

- Slander between two groups – Furious

- Drug use rising – Worried

- Local infrastructure failing – Frustrated

I could go on. And I did all this to my brain within the first 30 minutes of waking up. Again, I truly believed I had to stay on top of all this to be relevant in my peer group.

Eventually, I trained my mind to look for this stuff — and bam! I was spending 5–7 hours on my phone every single day.

Now, check your phone. If your social media usage is more than 1 hour a day, this piece might be for you. If it’s not, you can skip this — or stick around and see if my practical approach helps you become a better version of yourself.

The Problem: Why You're Hooked

You might think this is the new normal. Tech’s everywhere, right? It’s hard not to use it. So we drown in reels, shorts, and infinite feeds.

I didn’t even realize it was a problem until I tried to stop. I read a book — Dopamine Detox by Thibaut Meurisse — that explained the connection between dopamine and our day-to-day motivation beautifully.

In short:

- Dopamine is a neurotransmitter — it drives your motivation, focus, and pleasure.

- It spikes when you expect a reward

- But it also gets triggered by easy rewards — like getting likes, messages, or new content.

- You flood your system with it so often, you build tolerance. That leads to low motivation for real-life tasks.

His solution? Go full cold turkey on digital stimulation.

And guess what? I did it.

What Happened When I Quit:

Day 1 & 2: Serious withdrawal

Day 3 & 4: Mild withdrawal

During this period:

- I bored myself with just office work — and weirdly, did it with laser focus.

- I realized social media didn’t matter much.

- And most importantly — nobody cared if I wasn’t online.

Day 5? I relapsed. Not because I missed it, but because I was confident I could stop again whenever I wanted.

Classic addict mindset (lol).

Why Boredom?

Boredom used to be normal. You sat with it. Now? It’s replaced instantly — by phones.

We use our phones while we:

- Eat

- Talk

- Walk

- Poop

… and where not?

Fasting helps your physical health. Boredom helps your mental health.

Starving your brain or body from constant stimulation — even briefly — is powerful.

Just Google “benefits of boredom”. You’ll find loads.

The Practical Approach:

Ironically, I got bored while writing this piece. If it bored you, that’s okay. It’s probably good for you too.

If you’re the all-or-nothing type, go cold turkey. If not, here’s what worked for me:

Step 1: Cessation

Don’t scroll first thing in bed. That’s all.

Just delay it by 30 minutes. Replace the first half hour with:

- Brushing

- Stretching

- Drinking water

- A quick bath

After that? If you still want to use your phone, go ahead.

Do this for a week. You’ll find the urge fades in the morning.

Step 2: The Replacement

Now that mornings are screen-free, fill the time with non-digital activities:

- Read a book

- Walk or jog

- Talk to someone

- Cook something

I intentionally skipped “newspaper” — it can trigger the same emotional hijack social media does.

Try this for a week.

Step 3: True Boredom

If you’ve done step 1 & 2 for 2 weeks, here comes the real game:

Do absolutely nothing — for 10 minutes a day.

Options:

- Meditate (just sit and watch your breath)

- Stare at a wall

- Practice mindfulness

There’s no max limit here. If you can bore yourself for longer, do it.

You can always fall back on the activities from Step 2 if you need a break — as long as they’re screen-free.

What About Work?

Of course, if you need your phone and laptop for work, that’s fine — just be intentional. Check what’s needed and leave. Don’t look into reels or the news.

Final Word: Try Being Bored

Start with one change.

Skip the scroll tomorrow morning. Let yourself be bored. You might be surprised what your mind gives back.