We’ve never had more ways to entertain ourselves. So why are so many of us more bored than ever?

This week, Grace sits down with Chartered Psychologist Dr Jo Kandola to explore the paradox of modern boredom: how the very devices designed to keep us entertained are rewiring our brains to crave constant stimulation and are ultimately making the problem worse.

From the way social media is fuelling a boredom epidemic, to the point at which scrolling stops being a distraction and starts becoming an addiction, to the impact of boredom on our mental health and wellbeing, this conversation might just change the way you think about reaching for your phone.

Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.

References:

• Dora, J., van Hooff, M., Geurts, S., Kompier, M., & Bijleveld, E. (2020). Fatigue, boredom, and objectively-measured smartphone use at work (preprint). Radboud University. Date taken from manuscript (May 1, 2020).
• Tam, K. Y. Y., & Inzlicht, M. (2024). People are increasingly bored in our digital age. Communications Psychology, 2, 106.
• Tam, K. Y. Y., & Inzlicht, M. (2024). Fast-forward to boredom: How switching behavior on digital media makes people more bored. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.