Sometimes, doing nothing is exactly what you need.
Let’s Talk About That Itch…
You know the one.
That feeling when you’re in the back seat of a taxi, standing in line at the store, or even just sitting in your room with no immediate task in front of you.
Your hand moves before you even think.
You unlock your phone.
You open Instagram.
Maybe it’s “TikTok”, maybe “X” or even “WhatsApp status” just to see what’s new.
Before you know, you are already spending 1 hour doing that but you didn’t plan to scroll. You were just… bored.
How Did We Get Here?
There was a time when boredom had a purpose. It was the space where ideas were born. The moments where thoughts had time to breathe.
Now, boredom makes us uncomfortable. So we avoid it.
And because social media is right there in our pocket, on our home screen, always one swipe away, we reach for it without even thinking.
It’s become our knee-jerk reaction.
We use it to fill the silence, to pass time, to distract ourselves.
And at first glance, that seems harmless.
After all, what’s the big deal?
Here’s the Catch.
The problem isn’t social media itself.
Social media can be inspiring. It connects us. It makes us laugh. Sometimes, it even teaches us.
The issue is when it becomes our first option… every single time we feel bored. That’s when something subtle starts to shift.
Let me explain.
1. It Steals Our Attention, Bit by Bit
Have you ever opened your phone to check one quick thing…
…and 1 hour 30 minutes later, you’ve watched several videos, liked twenty posts, and now you’re halfway through someone else’s vacation photos?
That moment, the one where you forget why you picked up your phone in the first place is how attention fades. Not all at once, but in small, invisible moments.
2. You Start Living in Other People’s Lives
The more time you spend scrolling, the less time you spend noticing your life.
You start to feel like a spectator; watching others succeed, travel, create, shine while you sit there, phone in hand, just watching.
And sometimes, you forget that what you’re seeing is carefully edited. It’s the highlight reel. Not real life.
3. It Blocks the Power of Real Boredom
We don’t give boredom enough credit.
When you sit with it… just for a while… something beautiful can happen.
You might suddenly remember a goal you had.
Or get a creative idea.
Or notice something lovely around you that you normally miss.
But if we never let ourselves pause, we won’t get there.
We’re too busy scrolling past our own thoughts.
Let Me Share a Personal Experience
The other day, I was waiting for the bus and it was taking too long. I decided to reach for my phone like I always do but I stopped. This time, I took a breath and just stood there doing nothing. No headphones. No screen.
In that moment, I noticed a bakery across the road I’d never seen before. I watched two kids giggle as they shared a pastry.
I felt the wind. I felt present. And all of that came from five quiet minutes of just being present in that moment.
It’s amazing what we can notice or do when we try to pause and be present in our moment of boredom.
Things To Do When You are Bored
Don’t pick up your phone right away the next time you feel that way.
Instead, you could:
Look out the window and observe the things around.
Jot down whatever comes to your mind.
Stretch or take a short walk.
Start a small task you’ve been putting off.
Or simply… sit still. Let your mind wander.
Give your thoughts space to breathe.
You might be surprised where they lead you.
Boredom isn’t always a bad thing.
In fact, it can be the doorway back to yourself.
Let it teach you. Let it slow you down.
Let it remind you that you’re allowed to be present, even when nothing exciting is happening.
Because sometimes, doing nothing is exactly what we need.
Yhem Speaks 
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