2023 update: I ended up writing Introspect in part because of my obsession with this question. I feel like I have a good handle on it now; I haven’t had the thought “I’m bored” in years. There’s always something to do. That was always true, but I used to obscure that from myself. The obscuring happens in part because of fear and other unresolved issues, which always sounds a little crazy to bring up. But basically it’s easier to admit boredom than any of the less pleasant emotions, so we use boredom as a kind of shield.
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“I have nothing to do / wear / watch / read” is a bug we encounter when…
1- a tired mind
2- attempts to find an optimal solution
3- in a cluttered space
4- with options that have poorly-defined utility-values.
The solution, then, is to…
- rest
- satisfice
- declutter
- define your utility-values more precisely
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Contemplating the phenomenon of clutter from a data/information perspective. Begin with the common refrain "I have nothing to wear/read/do."
— Visakan Veerasamy (@visakanv) December 26, 2015
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In studies of binge-eating, for example, boredom is one of the most frequent triggers, along with feelings of depression and anxiety1, 2. In a study of distractibility using a driving simulator, people prone to boredom typically drove at higher speeds than other participants, took longer to respond to unexpected hazards and drifted more frequently over the centre line3. And in a 2003 survey, US teenagers who said that they were often bored were 50% more likely than their less-frequently bored peers to later take up smoking, drinking and illegal drugs.
– http://www.nature.com/news/why-boredom-is-anything-but-boring-1.19140