Just Be Bored, and You'll Level Up

Lesson: When we are "bored" or "have nothing to do" we often times like to occupy our minds with instant gratification activities that "feel" productive but in reality, are just costing us brain points. Instead, just be bored, and the magic will come.
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(For men on self-development, Level up and Discuss)

[@Carla-wk3mz]

Reducing my screentime is the first step in my self improvement journey. It's a really big shift. It got me so much more free time. So much more time to think and sit with myself. It's trully amazing. To anyone reading this, this is your sign to do it, and keep it up!

[@michaelfricker04]

Literally same here, I started just living life apart from my phone and my whole mentality shifted about life in general. We live so much of our lives on our phone when there’s a whole world to be discovered.

[@abukarmahad4324]

how would u do that if u had alot of screen time on laptop but is the source of all my homework, being productive etc? @@michaelfricker04

[@ZdravNaukKJV]

@@michaelfricker04 Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. (Ephesians 5:14) kzbin.info/www/bejne/hqHcnYh6gNd7m80

[@imapineapple15]

Same! I turned off KZbin notifications and reddit, and I removed the apps from my home screen. They're still there, but that's enough friction for me to not want to use them as much. I know it's ironic I'm here commenting, but it's the first time in days.

[@Layllbroski]

There is no way i could reduce my screen time bruh, i make money with it

[@autonomousrand]

A Lao Tzu quote comes to mind: ‘doing nothing is better than being busy doing nothing’

[@michaelfricker04]

Lao Tzu the goat

[@bullanguages]

3:38 that reminded me of a famous quote, like "All of humanity's problems, stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone."- Blaise Pascal. Great video 🔥

[@ladybird491]

I sit alot in silence and by myself and even walk without my cell and do not talk on my cell, sometimes for weeks and I am very productive.

[@Supinori]

Loved the quote! Gonna write it down

[@nulliverse1891]

​@@ladybird491could you tell about it more, I need externsl inspiration right now 😊

[@lucaswu9580]

“Boredom” is a gift. A moment of peace in between action. Boredom creates action. You are the one that decides what action you use your boredom to take.

[@michaelfricker04]

Boredom is the first step towards your creative mind

[@fabianafelire8779]

Yes! I think doing “nothing” is like being mindful of the present moment. I say to myself “I am bored, what do I want to do NOW?” And eventually I start doing something I care about :) nice tip!

[@comptefreefire4565]

totally true i was doing like this and i always see that im an idiot like there is no one doing like this just beeing boored until i watch this then i figured it out that the brain work like this . the real truth for me about this is when we think a lot abouut what we should to do or what we have , you will do nothing , over thinking=doiing nothing , so you need to be in the real present. so at the end do things that you havnt thought about it and dont think

[@pentree986]

Does nobody else feel anxious or mental distress when bored? Like a drug addict has withdrawal symptoms?

[@paulom630]

this 'getting bored' concept I learned around 2 months ago. Whenever I told someone that getting 'bored' is good for your mental health, they laughed at me. Well its motivating that people are learning that getting bored actually compels you to do things that you generally don't want to do.

[@thelifewithnate]

Getting bored after a while will make you bored "of being bored" and want you to take action which is an interesting theory! Who cares if folks laugh at you, do you mate.

[@paulom630]

@@thelifewithnate that is my sole self motivation nowdays

[@viniciap]

I'm 31 now, and it took me 30 years to realize that what i used to call perfectionism was actually just me giving myself an excuse to not start new habits and improving myself. Something in the lines of "what's the point in doing it if i don't have the perfect setup, if i won't be consistent?'. I was so wrong, the whole point in becoming disciplined is knowing that you will fail and embrace it, and do better the next time until you stop failing. Glad that you realized the same thing at a very young age. Cheers from brazil mate.

[@dreneas1263]

nunca é tarde, 30 anos ta novo demais

[@viniciap]

@@dreneas1263 Com certeza, mas fica um pouco do arrependimento do tempo perdido. Mas segue o baile, é daqui pra frente

[@leisurelinkuser7352]

No such thing as failure, only “practice”

[@advenco344]

This is great advice. I’ve regularly fallen into the trap of conflating my procrastination as “perfectionism”.

[@gojo-zn7du]

Same for me I finally began making notes for an exam and what was holding me back (I feel) was perfectionism. What if I am unable to complete it, what if I won't refer to it at all. And all the things that would make one think like it's not even worth it. But I finally started my notes and it isn't even about the notes. It's about reading new stuff that I found out I liked too. Note taking for me just let's me slow down enough to process what I'm reading and I'm taking notes like my style. No following youtubers, study tubers bloggers whatever. It's me and me studying.

[@Real2Core]

Our brains hate being bored, so if we sit there and become bored instead of scrolling on social media or playing video games, we'll want to do anything but that. W Video my guy!!

[@michaelfricker04]

Thank you bro, we do hate being bored but the reason we don’t do the things we want to do is because there’s always something more stimulating to do. So we pick that. Eliminate those highly stimulating activities and maybe go out and observe nature.

[@Real2Core]

@@michaelfricker04 Absolute facts 💯

[@r3l4xstudy-xo2sf]

I try this and just fall asleep ;-;

[@Luke_Grenoble]

Being bored leads to self-awareness. Great message, brother

[@reihino6347]

Being bored also makes us more creative. We have more time to think and do things we may not have considered before. As kids when we were bored we would come up with crazy and intricate games, activities and ideas that we no longer think of now because at the first sign of boredom we reach for our phones.

[@Skumtomten1]

Very true and probably why people don't have any creativity anymore.

[@chipstealer.-.]

Exactly. I try using this method before but it usually just leads me to getting distracted and creating amazing stories instead of doing important things 😔

[@exosproudmamabear558]

I made my father take my pc when I was trying to study for high school entrance exams. I was so fucking bored that I started to study like a crazy and read books all year. I also started to dance and go out. It was the only year my bipolar disorder depression skipped a year. I had an amazing exam score, got into the best school in my city. I gained a bit of weight, but I lost all of them in the summertime with diet and exercise. Needless to say at the start of the high school I was in the best shape ever after my bipolar disorder came in both mentally. Although it didnt really last long.

[@JenniferGarcia-xk3ue]

How’d u find out you were bipolar?

[@exosproudmamabear558]

@@JenniferGarcia-xk3ue I was having hypomanic episodes wneb taking ritalin for my adhd then I realised the reason my depression went away in the summer is because I was having very light hypomanic episodes after that it started getting worse my hypomanic episodes and depression became very apperant and I got diagnosed. I had no idea in this context tho I didnt even know I was having a depression attack the year prior

[@nigrushka-oasis]

>dipolar depression skipped a year it's literally in your head lol. Stop taking meds and start being bored.

[@exosproudmamabear558]

@@nigrushka-oasis Wtf are you talking about? I have been in and out out of depression for 11 years. What is in my head actually? Depression is a disease not a mood. You do not just feel sad your brain fuctions and anatomy gets wrong and in bipolar your genetics change.Your btain cells rapidly die. So your reign over brain is pretty low in that regard. But yeah I got rid of my drugs since they were fucking my already fucked up system.

[@Loppes_01]

​@@exosproudmamabear558How did you study?

[@Fillup82]

The ability to sit in a room in total silence is the way.

[@inkedsights4929]

I totally agree with you ! I have 1 hour of commute to get to my job and the days where I restrain myself from using my phone (not even listening to music) when I arrive at my job I am so bored that every task I do is really fun and gratifying to do whereas if I scoll on instagram or listen to music in the subway when I arrive at work I feel tired and unmotivated.

[@jinxedskyy]

I had a one hour commute to my first job a couple months ago and I was tired by the time I got there 🤣 that too long of a commute, and gas, wear and tear

[@Madelong0063]

Worse than a hell of boredom is a hell Of leisure

[@anthonysanchez5429]

So true. Once you get bored you either stimulate your brain with entertainment or get tired of being bored and do that dreaded task/habit you want to do. This makes me realize how evil our phones are. They really do suck your life away.

[@cam0987]

THANK YOU FOR NOT ASKING TO SUBSCRIBE, WHEN I HEAR THAT FROM ANY KZbinr , I GET THIS BIG HEADACHE

[@d.hf6]

I recommend this influencer to every teenager who can't take control of his life or is afraid to try or start anything that could change his life

[@ondramach3533]

Haven’t been tracking my habits. You just gave me some motivation to start tracking AND consistently doing them again. Thank you for that brother.

[@michaelfricker04]

Of course, I hope you do well on it

[@heydani6678]

Now stick to it pusy stop waiting to feel motivated

[@chizzysimmons]

you're absolutely right! thanks for this

[@thecatninja]

This is *exactly* the problem I had for quite a long time. Thanks for the help, seriously.

[@MockingFireBird]

I can relate. In the context of free time, boredom is similar to hunger - it's an internal signal that you basically have spare resources: your body isn't exhausted or in pain, and your mind is somewhat fresh. Since boredom is mentally unpleasant, it makes sense that the subconscious mind defaults to instant dopamine hits, it's the same with hunger and snacking when trying to lose weight.

[@WellWithHels]

This is such a good explanation / analogy, thank you! 🙏

[@anonymous._.incognito_1]

Great point, thank you so much ❤ So simple yet so powerful!!!

[@VvelvvetLammb]

Remember that being bored gives you reasons to sit and feel why you don’t want to do something you have to, actually realize why you are procrastinating and change that. Feeling helps you to move on, to change, to evolve and transform. Notice when you think of something and instantly grab a phone and distract yourself. That’s the thoughts you want to focus on first, even if it’s uncomfortable at first. That’s the thoughts that will help you the most

[@angelh1843]

thank you for this video ⭐️ i look forward to the content you’ll be producing!!

[@benrex7775]

Thank you for the insight. I needed this right now.

[@CricketShots6]

Great advice brother, makes so much sense. Thank you!

[@chiefchimchar]

Definitely going to try this. Being mindful of these things is the first step to improvement

[@getush]

I was kind of depressed and unmotivated. after watching your video i decided to just sit doing nothing, my brain guided me on what i really wanted to do. now i am motivated to do anything. thank you man!

[@warmchai]

I’ve seen a lot of self improvement videos lately, but this video really hit it home for me, short and straight to the point. Thank you so much sharing :)

[@Wolfboy-kz2dc]

Thanks man, that was some great advice and a good reminder for those on their journey too

[@myyearofhealing]

So true. For me it's whenever I switch the wifi off on my phone. Suddenly I am doing all the things i've been procrastinating on, because my mind is clear!

[@borar6971]

Thank you 4 taking the time of the day to do this!!! You're loved🐖

[@superbolt4770]

So true! I've been tracking my habits since new year with Notion, and the days I don't have much going on I check all of my habits off, but when I was busy or was using my phone too much I only did half of them. Great video!!

[@NickShawnFX]

I first discovered the concept you’re talking about in this video back in 2019. It’s been instrumental in my life, and allow me to have more satisfaction and progress. Great video, I think your KZbin channel will continue to grow as you create more content like this

[@Big.Al.2000]

This might be some of the best advice I've ever seen, if just because it appeals to the part of me that loves to do nothing at all. I will update with any changes this has caused in the next few days.

[@haru-sama647]

Being intentional about time and the way you spend it has been a way of knowing myself. It has also been a way to change the perception I have about myself and better myself. I have been on and off social media for a few years. It's been 2 months that I'm out of it for good. When I feel like I am missing out, I just remind myself that the people who matter have always been in contact through messages.

[@user-vp4zm1rx3y]

Thank you so much, I don’t know why it bothers me so much, but others don’t ever mention KZbin as a way to procrastinate.

[@jennyk2866]

I felt like this today ( Saturday is my only free time - school Monday to Friday and work on Sunday) I really needed this. I had so much to do but I didn’t do it. But I think this new mind set will help me thank you.

[@OGTennyson]

Great advice. Sitting bored is better than indulging in instant gratification 👍🏾👍🏾 God bless

[@mirzabaig4711]

Good observations bro. Having this understanding of your motivation at a young age will get you far inshallah

[@Bleduke0525]

I find so much pleasure in reading and writing now. I got rid of my smartphone for a flip phone and I filled that time with reading a book in a little over a week and writing in a journal daily.

[@maximomateo2538]

Great video bro. You really got a point there. Thank you.

[@Traindude7777]

Great video, definitely worth hearing and looking into.

[@Mint_Robot]

I agree with the sentiment! Boredom lowers the bar for what entertains us, making us do things that are actually good for us.

[@Yuluckykind]

Thank you, I have been occupying my mind with music, tiktok videos, podcasts all this time without realizing the impacts of instant gratification on me. I am definitely giving this a try

[@mehi5798]

Thank you appreciate it ❤️‍🔥keep going

[@changingmyself1172]

damn dude you don't know how much i needed this ong... I am about to appear the most imp exam of my life in about 20 days and I was not taking even 1% as serious as i should have been.. I just wasnt getting the motivation to start.. This video right here made me start and if i score what i wanna score in this exam, a lot of credit goes to you. I will update this after i get my results after 4 months from now.. THANK YOU SO MUCH YOU JUST EARNED A SUB.

[@michaelfricker04]

I’m glad bro, I hope you do well, don’t forget to tell me the results I’ll be waiting…no pressure.

[@lmntrixmusic]

Bro, good luck!!!!

[@changingmyself1172]

Thanks man! my prep is soo much better now @@lmntrixmusic

[@irondogjourney]

Fantastic message, thanks for posting!

[@michaelfricker04]

Of course

[@saiury]

Thank you so much! You really helped me a lot! ☺

[@polarz3148]

For every thought there’s an opposite opposing thought, conscious or not. I realized this after seeing that statement once and it made me realize that I’m not too tired, it’s that my brain wants the addictive habits rather than the productive ones.

[@JoshBrosenitsch]

I’ve seen this video in my timeline for about a week. Avoided clicking on it. And then today instead of the usual indulgence I just sat and thought. After like 30mins of being bored and asking myself questions this video popped into my mind. Glad I found it! This is definitely a HUGE part of bettering ourselves in today’s world. I started making content this year but this past week I’ve fallen off. And this is exactly why. Thanks for the reminder and I wish you the best on this platform and in life! Keep on keeping on

[@michaelfricker04]

It’s was meant to be brother, glad it helped you out.

[@redd__747]

Dude your so down to earth, you get to the point, and you bring up some really good ideas/tips. I've been in the same situation where I had a really good habit streak and this past week i've had nothing to do, and i haven't been able to realize what was wrong, thanks a lot dude!

[@michaelfricker04]

No problem, boredom can be a gift if we use it wisely.

[@ploobooble1141]

you're saving my life. Thank you, Michael.

[@michaelfricker04]

Of course brother, I’m glad to help.

[@caiopoggers]

Really motivating video man, good stuff

[@Baalerion]

This is so true, found this out for myself too

[@unknown-bu8rg]

Hey Michael, Thank you for this video!! I was in a rut for past one month now and when I think of it I can be nothing but feel disgusted about how I've wasted my time although I think I have a good reason for it which is I and my seven years long best friend parted our ways , and I was so heartbroken as she was one of the most important person of my life, I had no idea how to get out of it then I had a heated argument with my father while I was still healing from that pain.....Trust me, all my motivation n everything just vanished out of nowhere....the fact that I've no friends and literally no one to share my feeling to made it more miserable but now I'm realizing how much time I have wasted cause I've an important exam in like 6 days but ughhh I couldn't help myself with those feelings either.... But your video made me realize that natural is good....I feel less burdened and guilty after watching it!! Thank you sm!! (Sorry about ranting lol but I've seriously no one so I just wrote the whole thing down here...and if anyone read it till here, thank you sm for ur patience haha...have a great/day/afternoon:) )

[@michaelfricker04]

Listen bro I totally understand your situation, my girlfriend/best friend for 3 years left for college and I HAD to break up with her, I felt so alone and I didn’t even know who I was. I get it bro, that pain you feel is only a sign for you to change and become better. We all have so much potential but many few reach theirs. If you need someone to talk to you can always DM me on instagram @fricker04, thank you bro.

[@chetan9533]

Better days will come bro, just keep focusing on self improvement and getting sufficient rest.

[@eman_st]

I think that this video came at the right time and that it is a sign for me to continue what I am doing. As a person who loves filming videos, I thought about opening a channel, but I had to study English as well. I combined them both together and it became very difficult to learn while making videos, but this is my passion and I will not give it up. ❤❤❤

[@Satsui_No_Hado]

I'm way older than you early '40s I have to say this is really good content. I like your message here. I'm going to continue following you cuz I believe you can learn from anyone, You've definitely got some wisdom on you, keep up the good work 👊

[@erosillustrates]

clean vid, message clear, always very authentic with the habit tracking!

[@LifeHackerMax]

Sounds interesting enough to give your idea a try sometime. Thanks for sharing 😊! Good luck 🍀

[@Ridaverse]

man, that's actually a great point, I've noticed too when you're bored asf till you do what you should do, you become the thing you are doing, you reach that flow state. nice video bro keep growing 🙏🙏

[@michaelfricker04]

Also too, the reason we don’t do the work is because we would rather do something else, that something else is more likely than not something that’s instant gratification or something stimulating. Once we are bored and get theses things out, we can then only get dopamine and stimulation from the work we actually need to do. Thank you bro.

[@Ridaverse]

hah congratulation bro, you have figured it out. @@michaelfricker04

[@nmstheront6]

I agree with you, brother. Many people think that sitting and doing nothing is bad, but actually feeling bored can prompt you to tackle a lot of postponed tasks.

[@studydailylikerory]

i really enjoyed while watching and i made my self a list like yours!!

[@BLandBeanz]

This literally happened to me today. I had some extra time in the morning so i just sat down, deciding what to do next. I picked up a book i've been wanting to read and got that natural hit of dopamine. you're right on, man. keep up the good work!!!

[@michaelfricker04]

Thank you, I’m glad the boredom made you productive

[@challelalle]

Great insight and video!

[@mio8767]

THANK YOU. THIS IS A GREAT IDEA. I THINK IT WILL WORK

[@mrrevision9680]

boredom is the real key. Our minds can do so much of the work if we let it. Keep going man and don't get disheartened! Remembering to not beat urself up when you don't get all green and actually enjoy the process of improvement, not just the result. Thats part of the fun of it all :)

[@Tsmooth313]

I'm going to try that! Very inspiring

[@Becksnnc]

This video has been way more eye-opening and helpful to me than hundreds of those productivity videos that these influencers have with a million subcribers lol. Awesome dude, this is very genuine.

[@moroccanathlete]

I NEEDED THAT THANKS BRO

[@bagzhansadvakassov1093]

I wish you the best, young man. Spread the word.

[@michaelfricker04]

Thank you, I will 🙏

[@jyejye1077]

Sounds like you're on your way to finding a true life long passion! You're on a Great Journey trying to Live life Better!!

[@Naescent]

Really good video! I feel like we have the same struggles rn haha. Something I noticed about myself is, after I did all of my habits for two weeks, no misses, no social media, no games, etc, I felt awful. Granted I was also working a part time, which was super draining. But I ended up realizing, that the reason I would leap for instant gratification, social media, games, etc, was because I honestly need them, not just want them. I think the hardest lesson to learn is, everyone needs entertainment, downtime, and just blocks of time where you have no responsibilities. To remedy this, I built my entire schedule around including large amounts of free time. Not insane amounts, but at least a couple hours per day and more on the weekend. After doing this for a few weeks now, I’ve noticed that not only have I gotten all my habits and responsibilities done, consistently, but I’ve also started enjoying playing games again, and reading light novels as well, like you. I noticed how, previously, I would feel guilty while playing games and reading, because I knew I had to be doing other things, but after blocking in mandatory downtime, reading time, and gaming time into into my schedule, it felt super satisfying, like eating a good meal after a hard day of work. I finally felt like I was allowed to enjoy myself and deserved the free time I gave myself. This is ultimately what ended up working out for me, and I hope you or someone else can somehow benefit from this. The only catch is, you need to build decent willpower to be able to stop playing the game, reading, and scrolling social media when your timer goes off at the end of the free time session. It was hard at first, but after a week it was all good.

[@oncetwice1114]

Thanks man, I really needed that advice.

[@michaelfricker04]

Anytime

[@ayeshaa6890]

GREAT VIDEO AND SO TRUE!!! WHEN IM BORED I JUST END UP DOING WHAT IM SUPPOSED TO DO! Thank you for putting this into words for me ❤😂

[@fishuke]

I used to play video games when i feel bored then i realise the day is almost over and i didnt do anything. Totally agree with u.

[@NataliaChiara]

this vid will blow up for sure. loved it

[@UmerbinKhalid264]

Thankyou so much Micheal , it helps alot:) i wrote down everything important you said in my notebook haha. it was good:)

[@vladislavkaras491]

Thanks for the advice, my guy!

[@michaelfricker04]

Of course

[@bhavananomula24]

You have no idea how relatable and motivating this is I’m bhavana from India and I really love the vibe of the channel and it being underrated is probably the best thing because the community folks that follow you are the real ones that truly relate and want to upgrade in a certain way Keep em coming bro In this generation where people say things like oh this genz what ever is getting so hopeless but people like this help in retaining the belief that there are people who care about truly improving themselves 💪💪

[@michaelfricker04]

Yes bro thank you for that, I want to create something new to bring to this generation

[@Vowell.]

Thanks for explaining like a friend! :D

[@easik]

Really liked your viz of green/red blocks! I remember at university our professor told us to make a mark in notebook " feeling sad, etc.", and do nothing is good approach. But this viz really drives the message home and allows to track progress or lack of!

[@michaelfricker04]

Hey I’m glad you got value from it, go and make your habit tracker. 🏃

[@WellWithHels]

Loved this! And now I'm shutting off my laptop for the eve 🙏 Thank you for the inspiration!

[@coldplayer9403]

bro doesn't even ask for a thumbs up or to subscribe. my man 🤙

[@michaelfricker04]

Subscribe and make sure to hit that like button 🫡

[@giovannicompagno_]

amazing message man

[@dersprachenfreak5603]

I really like this video because it tells, that doing nothing ist better than watching pixels and destroy your dopamine. Good video bro 🔥🔥

[@user-ig1ju7qc7p]

My brother this is the exact point I’m noticing right now in my life and seeing your video popping to my recommending page was like a🤯

[@michaelfricker04]

It was meant to be my friend

[@wabi_sabi52]

Thank you for this. I need to allow that natural inspiration for activities to arise in my mind instead of harnessing my attention with my phone and finding something more fun than my responsibilities and goals.

[@michaelfricker04]

You have so much creative power don’t let the internet take that away my friend.

[@randomRyze]

I’m glad this came up in my recommended. Gave me yet another reminder to put my damn phone away and do the tasks I used to enjoy as a kid (like drawing). I feel that my ability to enjoy things has only declined ever since I got a smart phone in 2016.

[@diogosilva8600]

Perfect! It's like Robert Greene also says in his books. I don't know if you've already read it, but if you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend it. Congratulations on the content bro. Hugs from Brazil.

[@Jaafar_Alkhalifa]

I really like this idea. it lowers the difficulty IMMENSLY, but still help you reap most of the reward! Excape to boredom.

[@yukeemusic]

great video bro, keep it up. I like the idea, been doing this a lot too recently

[@ahmedtajelsir3253]

this is extremely helpful. thanks mike.

[@michaelfricker04]

Of course bro

[@alissalorbecki1280]

this really helps brother 👍👍

[@andre-naline]

very well said!

[@rasmikarangarajan3231]

this is such an interesting way to think about productivity! Love the video, will try to be bored more often aha :)

[@TheBinklemNetwork]

This is a great starting point! Most people think they need discipline to start but that creates such a negative mindset. Discipline helps maintain habbits, but actually starting to take action is very different. Boredom certainly is quite the kindling.

[@michaelfricker04]

Boredom is only the beginning my friend

[@rafaelcasa316]

True. Thanks

[@teologic1]

Good vid, great mindset

[@luluz1052]

Definitely, I noticed this too. Whenever I limit my phone use I end up being so productive that day without even having to put in the effort to do it. It just feels natural to want to do the things you have to do like studying working out, reading, journaling, etc. And you would actually enjoyyy doing it. Not to mention that the day would feel soooo looongg, so even when you sit there just being bored for an hour, and you have the time to do just that... you' would still end up being productive and accomplishing a lot of stuff. I still end up scrolling sometimes, and I see how different and more difficult it becomes to be productive on those days. Thank you for sharing I will indeed try to be more bored! :)

[@michaelfricker04]

Hey I'm glad that you're finding this tactic useful, it really does feel like a fresh breath of air when we get away from technology and actually be present with ourselves and our mind. I hope all is well with you. Thank you for the comment.