For more insights on leadership, success, and workplace well-being, explore Arthur's new book, "The Happiness Files", a curated selection of essays from his popular column in The Atlantic: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F4MFQ6VN

I watched this video precisely to avoid getting bored

Vsauce really created a future version of himself to talk to us about boredom and thought we wouldn't notice

This speaks to my soul. But I’m a little conflicted because I only discovered this channel because of my phone 😂.

I used to fill every silence with noise, every pause with distraction. Thought I was being productive, staying connected. But there's something terrifying about sitting with nothing, isn't there? Just you and the questions you've been avoiding. I remember reading something that made me put my phone down mid-scroll: "In the space between thoughts, you'll find what you've been searching for in all the wrong places." It was from What the Silence Tried to Say by Alira Sennel. Made me realize I'd been running from the very emptiness that might actually hold my answers. Now I try to sit with the boredom, let it wash over me. And you know what? Those uncomfortable questions it brings up - they're not trying to hurt me. They're trying to show me who I really am underneath all the noise.

He's right. I went through a period where I completely quit all forms of dopamine/distractions. Social media, video games, listening to music on my walks, etc. I was bored a lot and remarkably had so much more time in the day. It was uncomfortable because I was now confronted with something I didn't want to confront: my career path. I'm currently back to being addicted and not bored, and it's not healthy. I will try to be bored more.

This is why I love swimming for exercise. No distractions at all.

Literally drove to work this morning in quiet. No music, no radio. Nothing. It was almost like meditating. The universe pulled me to this video. Now let me put the phone down.

Boredom is unappreciated serenity.

I walk each day between 1 to 2 hours. No music, no phone, no nothing. Just a quiet stroll through a very pleasant neighborhood. I don't know that I'm 'bored', but very self reflective and self evaluating. I make an effort to go for walks at night in the dark, it's very peaceful.

Holly damn. That’s why when we look back at 2000s people more friendly and patient and nice . They could be happy even with small things . My god we really need bordem.

I love how plain this video is. No background music, no fancy special effects and CGI, just a professor sitting there giving you practical information.

How dystopian a world we are living that boredom is now a skill that needs to be learned

I work at 3: 30 a.m.. everyday I wake up 45 minutes before work. My commute is 4 minutes long. I sit in total silence for 30 minutes every morning before work without any electronics. The experience is surreal and wonderful.

The way he talks.... BRILLIANT.

I ride my motorcycle for hours without any headphones or entertainment, or screen it is literally just the sounds of the road, nature, and riding the bike. Doing that’s like therapy and it’s one of my most treasured activities.

he is 10000% right, few months ago i quited every social media and got a flip phone, now i feel more happy, less bored about the reality, more able to think crtically. i wish everyone a meaningful life.

In 90s I've never thought that boredom would save me from panic attacks and depression on my adulthood. Thanks, Professor.

Living alone, it used to drive me crazy when I was bored. It wasn’t until I accepted a little bit of boredom that it morphed into this wonderful thing—peace and quiet.

Being able to sit in silence with your thoughts can be such a great way to reflect on why you need to be preoccupied with social media and "busy-ness." The more I gave myself time to just think, the more clarity I had for myself in who I wanted to be and what I wanted to do.