A new study on boredom prompts a question you should consider: When was the last time you watched a video from start to finish?
If it feels like forever, and all you can remember is a flurry of skipping or clicking away in order to find a more entertaining video, you might be interested to learn that "digital switching" can actually lead to more boredom, not less.
The research, published this week in the Journal of Experimental Psychology, included a series of studies testing whether people thought they'd prevent feeling bored while watching YouTube videos by clicking away from them to view something else, and what happened in different scenarios when they either had or didn't have a choice to switch.
Though the study participants predicted they'd be more bored if they didn't click away, the study's co-author, Dr. Michael Inzlicht, said the researchers found the exact opposite situation occurred. Instead, the participants' boredom increased. They also experienced reduced satisfaction and attention, and found the videos less meaningful.
Inzlicht added that the findings might help explain our modern boredom paradox. While we have far more entertainment options than ever before, surveys suggest that young people are experiencing more boredom than in the past.
"I think we have a deeply held belief that if I'm free to choose…that, in fact, I will enjoy it more," said Inzlicht, professor of psychology at the University of Toronto. "But sometimes too much choice can not only paralyze us in terms of what to choose at any given moment, but it can actually lead to outcomes that are less desirable than if we had fewer choices altogether."
For someone watching videos online, convinced that hopping from clip to clip will ultimately bring more satisfaction, that less desirable outcome could be feeling more bored, and having wasted their time.
So what should you do if you suspect this is happening? Inzlicht has an idea: Immerse yourself in the content.
Inzlicht and his co-authors found that, in most cases, people who had no choice but to watch the video presented to them had more positive experiences than their freely choosing counterparts.
Inzlicht said that people inclined to video-switch to avoid boredom might try a range of other tactics instead. Whatever you choose, the goal is to increase your ability to experience discomfort or even mild distress, and to practice greater acceptance of the current moment.
"Can you cultivate a tolerance for boredom?" Inzlicht said. "Can you sit with those feelings and maybe push through and realize, 'Oh, this video was actually OK.'"
In terms of practical strategies, Inzlicht recommends reducing stimuli that grab your attention outside of the video, so it's harder for you to video-switch.
If you're streaming Netflix on a laptop, for example, expand the screen to full-size and leave your phone in another room, so you're not tempted to switch to TikTok or YouTube or use a second screen while viewing.
When watching short-form videos on platforms like TikTok or YouTube, try to remain mindful of any desire to change what you're viewing and remain curious about why it comes up. If you do skip to another video, reflect on how that made you feel.
Inzlicht said that an app or device or platform feature that lets you restrict access to your internet browser or one of your go-to apps during certain time periods can also foil any attempts to start watching something else.
However, Inzlicht doesn't recommend watching genuinely terrible or boring videos for the sake of it.
He also cautions that his study's findings should be replicated by others in order to fully understand the effect of digital switching on boredom. As Inzlicht and his co-authors found, this behavior may not affect everyone in the same way or apply equally to all forms of content, like written articles.
Alexis Santos, a meditation teacher on the app Ten Percent Happier, said that he's found himself switching from one video to the next to avoid boredom.
In order to respond to this dynamic thoughtfully, Santos recommends both being aware of what you're viewing and also understanding something about yourself in that moment.
Asking yourself things like whether you're on autopilot, laughing or feeling at ease, getting tired, or becoming hooked on scrolling or skipping can help you understand why you feel the urge to change what you're viewing.
"It's natural not to want to feel bored — when we’re bored, we've lost connection with the present moment."
When that urge hits, Santos suggests slowing down, then trying to lift your gaze, look away from the screen, and notice what happens.
"Sometimes this can pause the endless grasping-for-more cycle," Santos wrote in an email. "It's natural not to want to feel bored — when we’re bored, we've lost connection with the present moment."
To ground yourself in the moment, Santos said to check in with your body and its sensations, such as the feeling of a phone in your hand and the temperature of your skin. Consider your mood, too, which may be driving your behavior.
There's no need to judge yourself for getting lost in video-watching, either, Santos said.
Instead, use the experience as a learning opportunity and reflect on what you really want to be doing.
"There’s so much to learn. None of it is wrong," Santos wrote. "But some decisions will make us feel better and return us home."
