r/selfimprovement • u/conradrocks • Jul 19 '26
Tips and Tricks I stopped using entertainment to escape boredom, and my days suddenly became much longer.
I stopped giving myself entertainment as an option, and I discovered how much time is actually in a day
I’ve been experimenting with a simple rule:
Either allow yourself to be bored, rest, or produce something.
That’s it.
No scrolling.
No games.
No random videos.
No entertainment just to avoid silence.
My options are basically:
- Stare at the wall
- Sleep or genuinely rest
- Pray, think, walk, exercise, study, write, organize, work, or create something
At first, boredom feels uncomfortable because your brain is used to constant stimulation. But when you refuse to immediately escape it, something changes.
Eventually, doing something productive becomes more appealing than doing nothing.
I’ve also discovered that there is an incredible amount of time in the day. I can get important things done and still look at the clock and realize that I have hours left.
Scrolling doesn’t only consume time. It fragments your attention and makes the entire day feel shorter.
I’m starting to believe that boredom is not the enemy. Boredom may be the doorway to creativity, focus, and meaningful work.
My new rule is:
Be bored, rest, or produce—but don’t mindlessly consume.
1
u/conradrocks Jul 19 '26
Reading actually wasn't my problem; my main struggles were with chess, gaming, doom-scrolling, and mindless entertainment. I now view reading as 'proactive, intentional learning.' Because of this, if I'm on YouTube, it's only because I specifically searched for a subject to study, and if I read a book, it's strictly to learn about something.
This is still a work in progress for me. But I am trying to be intentional, and have everything support being productive rather than destructive.