01: Does Doing Nothing Need a Purpose?
I’ve noticed how automatically I reach for my phone whenever there’s a spare moment.
Half the time I’m not even looking for anything. I pick it up, scroll, put it down and then find myself doing exactly the same thing a minute later.
Even waiting for the kettle to boil becomes an opportunity to squeeze in another little job.
We’ve become remarkably good at filling every available gap in our day.
I suspect we’ve become so uncomfortable with boredom because we so rarely allow ourselves to experience it.
There’s also something slightly absurd about our relationship with doing nothing. We’re often encouraged to embrace boredom because it might make us more creative, productive or better at solving problems.
But does it really need to do any of those things?
Perhaps we can simply enjoy an unoccupied moment without needing to justify it.
That’s what we’re experimenting with in this week’s Tea Mind. A few minutes doing absolutely nothing while our tea steeps.
p.s. Your pause for tea this week is brought to you by The Balanced Mind - discover more teas here and listen to this week’s podcast to learn more and brew together.
© eteaket, The Balanced Mind white tea
02: Are you over-optimizing your hobbies?
Writer Jenny Odell explores a curious habit: taking something we do for enjoyment and gradually turning it into another thing to achieve or get better at. From hobbies to spare time, how often do we start measuring things that were never meant to be measured? It's a thoughtful conversation about making room for enjoyment without needing a result.
03: Hatred of boredom sparks excessive smartphone use
Researchers at the University of Essex looked at the relationship between boredom and smartphone use, drawing on two studies involving more than 750 participants. They found that people who particularly disliked feeling bored tended to spend more time on their phones. It raises an interesting possibility: perhaps our reaction to boredom matters as much as boredom itself.
Read the University of Essex Article
Thanks for pausing for tea with me today.
If this helped, I’d love a quick comment, a heart, or a share. It genuinely helps this post reach more people who need a calmer next step.
Erica x
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