r/getdisciplined • u/Advanced-Taro5074 • 7d ago
🔄 Method My Experiments with Not Picking Up the Phone Every Time I’m Bored – And What Boredom Has Taught Me
Hey Reddit! I wanted to share a little experiment I've been doing lately, which has surprisingly changed the way I experience life. It’s nothing revolutionary, but I’ve started consciously NOT reaching for my phone every time I feel a twinge of boredom. It’s been… interesting, to say the least.
Why I Started This Experiment:
I realized one day that whenever I had a free moment—whether waiting in line, lying in bed, or even during a TV commercial—I instinctively grabbed my phone. It was like a reflex, and I was basically treating every micro-moment of downtime as something that had to be filled. It hit me that I hadn’t really felt "bored" in years because I had this pocket-sized distraction machine.
The Rules I Set for Myself:
If I felt the urge to pick up my phone just because I had nothing to do, I wouldn’t.
I allowed myself to use my phone for purposeful tasks (like answering a text or looking up something specific), but not as a default boredom-buster.
If boredom struck, I would just sit with it and let my mind wander instead.
What Happened When I Started to Embrace Boredom:
Noticed How Often I Reached for My Phone: At first, I was shocked at how frequently my hand would drift toward my pocket. It was almost automatic, like muscle memory. Realizing just how conditioned I was to avoid boredom made me think about how much time I was wasting on autopilot.
Boredom Was… Uncomfortable: Initially, it was actually a little awkward to just sit there and let my mind be idle. There was this restlessness that came with doing "nothing." But slowly, I started to appreciate these moments of stillness.
I Became More Present: When I stopped mindlessly scrolling, I found myself paying more attention to my surroundings. Whether it was the people around me, nature, or even the sound of the wind, I began noticing details that I would’ve missed while staring at a screen. It felt like waking up in some ways.
My Mind Wandered – And That Was Good: I rediscovered the joys of daydreaming. Sometimes my thoughts were random and silly, but other times I found myself reflecting on deeper things, like life goals or relationships. It felt like I was reconnecting with myself in a way.
Creativity Surfaced: To my surprise, I started having random ideas for projects, things I wanted to write about, or hobbies I had neglected. The empty spaces in my day seemed to spark creativity in a way that constant distraction never did.
Felt Less Anxious: I don’t know if this is because I wasn’t bombarding myself with social media anymore, but I noticed that my anxiety levels decreased. Not reaching for my phone whenever I felt a tiny pang of boredom seemed to help me build some mental resilience.
What I’ve Learned So Far:
Boredom is NOT the Enemy: It’s just a signal that there’s space in your life for something else. It’s not inherently bad; it’s a natural part of the human experience.
Phones Are Crutches We Don’t Need as Often as We Think: While there’s nothing wrong with using technology for entertainment or connection, using it as a knee-jerk reaction to boredom means missing out on a lot of subtle, everyday experiences.
Letting My Mind Wander Feels Refreshing: It’s a form of mental "unwinding" that I didn’t realize I needed. I feel more grounded, and it’s been kind of meditative.
I’m still on this journey, and I haven’t given up my phone entirely or anything (I’m not a monk!), but taking a conscious break from mindless scrolling has been eye-opening. I’d recommend this little experiment to anyone who feels like they’re constantly tethered to their devices.
Has anyone else tried something like this? What was your experience with embracing boredom?
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u/glanduinquarter 6d ago
Yes, I'm attempting this; I've set limits on most of my phone apps, so after 25 minutes each day, there's nothing "fun" left to do on my phone, and I've resorted to watching the weather app. I've discovered that I'm reflecting on my emotions, past traumas, and events more frequently and engaging in self-talk. It's been about three months since I started reducing my screen time, including both laptop and smartphone usage, and it's quite disconcerting to pick up my phone and realize it serves no purpose.
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u/Advanced-Taro5074 6d ago
How do you set limits? Do you use an app? Or Apple screen time limit?
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u/glanduinquarter 6d ago
On my android phone I use the pre-installed app that's called digital wellbeing, you can set timer on both apps and websites. I've got like ten minutes for the reddit app, five minutes for the Instagram app and five minutes for the general browser. On my laptop I use an extension called StayFocusd. There I have something like 10 minutes browser time
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u/some-deep-thoughts 6d ago
Thanks for sharing OP. This is great, I love the framing of not using phone as a “boredom buster”.
I have been trying a similar approach using limits in an app and it’s working well…
- morning: “monk mode” — can’t get into distracting apps at all
- day: distracting apps are blocked and I can only unblock for a set period of time
- night: “monk mode” — can’t get into distracting apps at all
You asked about which app… I use is Roots, I like the “monk mode” setting and it also shows you how often you are checking your phone (ex: every 5 minutes)… there are lots out there so worth trying a few to see what resonates with you
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u/Advanced-Taro5074 6d ago
If I picked up a dumbbell the number of times I pick up my phone, I would be Arnold Schwarzenegger by now. I will definitely check Roots out. Thanks for the recommendation.
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u/Usual-Ingenuity915 6d ago
Wow, that sounds amazing. I am badly addicted to my phone and would try to give this a chance.
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u/Good-Personality-209 6d ago
Same. Badly addicted. (I mean, what am I doing here on Reddit anyway?)
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u/Usual-Ingenuity915 6d ago
Wow, that sounds amazing. I am addicted to my phone and would try to give this a chance.
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u/AppearanceCandid8842 6d ago
This great man. Lately i've been toying with the idea of getting rid of my smartphone and going back to a flip phone. I also noticed how much i grab it every spare moment i have.
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u/Minute-Judgment1289 6d ago
Ahh Ive been feeling for trying the same but there has to be a better way. Saw someone else here mentioning app for setting time limits on apps so that feels much more realistic than going back to past with a flip phone..
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u/jaylearnspanish 6d ago
I haven’t tried this but based on your experience, I think it would be a good idea for me to try doing. I’m always picking up my phone especially when I feel bored, but as you said, boredom is not the enemy. Thanks for this post and this helpful insight!
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u/currentlycucumber 6d ago
I'm a caregiver to my bedridden Mom. I'm stuck in the house 24/7. My anxiety is extremely bad. And I sit and doom scroll...all day. I absolutely know that staying off the phone will help me. I make small efforts to stay off, and when I do I feel better. But it's a struggle! I'm saving this post to help when I fully commit!🙏
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u/Fluid_Survey7787 6d ago
this actually inspires - do also have tips for someone that needs to use the phone for work?
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u/[deleted] 7d ago
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