My Phone Showed Me I was the Enemy of Boredom (4 Ways to Embrace It)
03 Feb 2026 #miscI can’t remember the last time I stared at the ceiling, wondering “what should I do now?”
Growing up without smartphones or tablets made me a friend of boredom. I lived on a main street of a small city. When bored, I counted passing cars in my front yard. Sometimes, I competed with my uncle and sister. The one who counted more cars of a certain color won. Yellow taxis weren’t allowed.
Years later, with an iPhone, work, and side projects, boredom turned into an enemy. I’ve had to work to bring it back.
What I’m doing to be bored again
The other day, I had so much on my mind that I had to sit and do nothing. That was my wake-up call.
To welcome boredom again:
#1. Less phone time. I’m reducing my phone time. Now my phone is in another room. There are books where I used to put it. And I’m writing this with pen and paper first.
#2. A “do nothing” slot. Apologies for the irony, but I’ve set an alarm in my phone labeled, “Mandalas afternoon.” I used to color mandalas during my lowest emotional season. I need to change that label. It should be “do nothing afternoon” and honor it. Not that coloring mandalas is a bad idea.
#3. Walking outdoors. For my physical and mental health, I go running next to the ocean. I’m planning to buy an analog watch (a classical Casio. Anyone else?) and leave my phone at home or put it inside my bag in silent mode.
#4. An Amish hour. I’ve moved my book reading time to one or two hours before bed, away from screens. One evening, after a coffee with a friend, too much caffeine and late-night writing kept me awake for hours. So no more screens before bed. The next challenge: an Amish afternoon. Or even an Amish day. Why not?! I’ll just need to write my daily post in advance.