Do you often feel like you’re on a treadmill, scrolling endlessly, binge-watching shows, or pursuing the next trend, all while feeling void inside? I remember having days as a freelance writer where I would endlessly refresh social media just to find something to do. In 2025, the Western world’s economy, solving most of our problems due to constant material improvement, has brought us a new formidable foe: boredom. Drawing inspiration from Stuart Whatley’s New Statesman article, let’s inquire why ennui stalks our society and how we can achieve meaning in times of relentless affluence.
The Problem of Too Much Comfort
Arthur Schopenhauer considered life to oscillate between pain and boredom. With the advancement of technology, which includes, but is not limited to, pain relief medications, fast food, and Netflix, the modern world has reduced physical suffering and slow mental ease. In simple terms, the world does not find joy in what it has. He gives the example where someone spent an entire weekend watching shows. All of us have fallen into this trap because of the excess availability of almost everything, what Schopenhauer called “vacuity of the soul.” Thus, bringing us back to the unfilled craving for stimulation.
The Problem of Leisure
The improvement of technology has resulted in an increase in free time; for the average white-collar worker, this has decreased to under 1,800 Controlio working hours a year. Yet too much of it can be counterproductive. I began utilizing the Controlio app as a work hour tracker, and to my surprise, I found an additional 20 hours a week. Unfortunately, I was spending it on pointless scrolling. Societies used to dread idle time, such as through Roman-era “bread and circuses” and the work ethic stemming from Protestantism, which tried to keep people busy. As Alfred H. Lloyd mentioned back in the 1920s, unstructured leisure can lead to discontent and make us susceptible to harmful distractions, convoluted ideologies, or worse, infighting.
The Politics of Boredom
Boredom doesn’t solely empty our minds; it has the potential to create instability. Whatley highlights that boredom fuels nihilistic politics, prompting people to seek thrills from hucksters and demagogues. A study by the University of Glasgow in 2024 associates UK austerity measures with 300,000 excess deaths—yet we conveniently shift blame to “others” like migrants, sidestepping complex socio-political systems because it’s too hard to tackle abstract problems. I’ve witnessed friends diving into rabbit holes online as they’re drawn to polarizing figures that promise a sense of purpose. During meaning-deficient leisure, it becomes effortless to buy into narratives fueled by revenge, from “anti-woke” outbursts to conspiracy theories.
Rediscovering Meaning in the Age of Ennui
How do we resolve this? Everything begins with intention. For me, that looked like setting small goals, such as reading a book every week or sketching for 30 minutes every day to use my free time more productively. Here are some ways to alleviate boredom:
- Engage Your Creativity: Joyful hobbies like painting, writing, or gardening can be deeply rewarding. For instance, I used to doodle and now design logos, giving my evenings more meaning.
- Get Involved: Volunteering or participating in local clubs fosters social interaction and engagement. For example, I joined a book club and not only gained new friends but also fresh perspectives.
- Informative Platforms: Websites such as Coursera offer short, informative courses that are easily digestible. For instance, I picked up some basic coding, which helped me augment my freelance work in 10-minute bursts.
- Reduce Digital Overload: Freedom is a tool that helps block distracting sites. For me, reducing social media by an hour daily provided more time to pursue my hobbies.
As highlighted by the Journal of Positive Psychology, engaging in purposeful activities, especially volunteering, was shown to reduce feelings of emptiness by 22% in a 2024 study. Clearly, structured leisure activities are not only entertaining but also protect against boredom.
The Functions of Mindful and Purposeful Work
Apps and tools designed to help allocate time to tasks can greatly assist in budgeting time more strategically. For example, the Controlio app not only tracks work but also personal tasks. It helps analyze how much time is spent on meaningful activities compared to distractions. With this, I have been able to halve my idle browsing time, which in turn adds hours to valuable work projects. Utilizing technology with intention—whether it’s setting timers for concentrated activities or designating periods for ‘play’—transforms leisure from a burden into a gift.
Final Note: Choose Meaning Over Monotony
In 2025, the West’s ennui isn’t a death sentence—it’s a call to arms. With reduced working hours, there is more spare time to mold our existence into one filled with deep and abiding purpose. My journey from aimless scrolling to meaningful pastimes has demonstrated to me that the blissful state of ennui can be broken through small, deliberate actions. Implement one tip from this list: perhaps a new hobby or a digital detox, and see where it leads you. How will you make your hours count? Tell me in the comments below; I can’t wait to read your plans!