Introduction
Being bored of Netflix is more common than you’d imagine! Especially when it’s all some people do all day.
As they say, variety is the spice of life. And binge-watching TV shows all day can easily rob you of that opportunity to spice it up.
For this reason, we want to help you understand why you’re bored of Netflix. As well as give you some suggestions of what you could replace it with, or at least incorporate alongside it.
Why You’re Bored of Netflix
Netflix boredom is a rather easy conundrum to solve. You’re simply watching too much of it and have become overexposed to something that used to bring you joy.
After all, our brains are pattern recognition machines. Meaning it is easy to see between the lines of what’s happening in a show before it happens. Basically, you need to do different things instead of watching TV to allow yourself to become sensitive to that type of stimuli again.
However, looking deeper at the problem also reveals that most TV shows and even movies for that matter, typically follow a specific formula that is exciting at first. But the formula quickly becomes learned and thus, underwhelming after your fiftieth episode.
So, instead of ditching the habit altogether, we suggest either taking a break from it for a little while. Or perhaps, trying a new activity to sink your teeth into to help bring more variety into your life.
Luckily, if you keep scrolling, we have a few suggestions that might act as a great replacement for your TV-watching habits. Let’s take a look!
Netflix Boredom? 6 Activities You Can Try Instead (Break Your Binge-Watching Habit)
Reading
If you’ve never been much into reading before then it can require a little discipline at first to play ball and follow along with intent or focus.
Given enough time, reading can easily become one of the most pleasurable activities to indulge in after a hard day’s work of studying or grinding out the 9-5.
Unlike watching Netflix, reading doesn’t give you the same immediate bombardment of stimuli that you’re probably used to. In a way, this actually works to its advantage as being a hobby that remains healthy. As well as, free of cyclical ups and downs that are associated with more addicting activities.
We believe this is because reading requires more effort on your part to imagine and take in the words. Whereas Netflix doesn’t require much effort at all.
It’s also because books are easier to disengage once you’ve had your fill. Unlike shows or movies that are designed to keep you watching, even when you know you shouldn’t.
Basically, what makes binge-watching TV shows so exciting is also what makes them become boring much faster than healthier activities such as reading.
Plus, the joy of reading a book is knowing that it’ll take you on a journey. A journey that often culminates into a sense of spiritual development. Things you read will often stay with you much longer than what you’d see in a movie or on a television show.
Play/learn an Instrument
Learning to play an instrument is a great way to express feelings and emotions that are hard to put into words.
One of the reasons we feel so bored of some activities such as watching Netflix, is that they don’t allow us to carry out anything meaningful. They also don’t allow us to grow spiritually and emotionally.
Basically, Netflix is a hands-off activity that requires no unique input from us. It quickly becomes boring once you realize the hollow prospect of what watching an episode of that next Kardashian episode would really mean.
It means being a backseat passenger to a life which is constantly passing us by. A gambit that often leads to an insignificant life of wasted potential.
Music is woven into the soul of humans! It’s something we respond to immeasurably and is something that even in its simplest form, can bring joy into a person’s life again.
Whether you learn the piano or take up some type of percussion, music will be the conduit for your experimentation and creativity. It is something tangible and something you can see yourself getting better at every day.
Video Games
This next activity is a little more interactive than watching Netflix. Though, should still be treated with some caution as it can also lead to addictive behaviors.
With that said, video games can really help break up the monotony and boredom of daily living! Mainly because they allow us to live out our fantasies of things that couldn’t be achieved in real life.
Better yet, they give us a sense of community. Especially when played with friends or family in person or over the internet.
When kept in check, there’s nothing more fun than loading up a couple of games to play in the day. You can compete against others and try to get those hard achievements to show off to your mates! It’s likely you’ll be forgetting about Netflix boredom in no time.
Traveling
Whether you fly to Europe or drive ten miles down the road, traveling is a great way to escape your Netflix boredom or any boredom for that matter!
It’s easy to become complacent where we simply exist within our own microcosm version of life. Such as at home, work, and the occasional weekend stint at our local bar, never venturing further than a few mile radii.
This leads to an almost Groundhog Day-like effect that becomes harder to shake off the longer we exist within it. It’s a familiar blanket that permeates our existence and makes us feel comfortable. But we also never spirited or truly excited about what lies ahead.
To use an analogy, it’s kind of like Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit. He’d forgotten that childlike wonder that made him want to venture further afield and had become complacent to the magic of the world. Given the right push, he soon realized what he’d been missing in the way of meeting new people and experiencing new landscapes.
This is exactly the same as traveling in real life! You’ll be able to meet new people, make new friends, and get to see everything that our wonderful planet has to offer!
Gardening
There’s no better way to escape your boredom on a sunny day than going outside and enjoying the bliss of a perfectly crafted garden.
Heck, even without a dedicated space for gardening, you can still get creative and make the most of pots and other containers to grow herbs or flowers in. Hydroponics systems are another good option for those wanting something a little more sci-fi or with less space!
Plus, gardening is a very forgiving process. Meaning, even a novice can feel like they’re achieving something profound within their endeavors. Whether that be growing a single flower or bringing a withered plant back to life.
When boredom strikes, it’s often more paced and wholesome activities that help revive the energy with you, sort of like a spiritual fountain.
Meet Up with Friends and Family
Last, but certainly not least, meeting up with friends and family is probably one of the most important parts of living a healthy life.
They’re there for us when we’re down, up, or sideways, or keeled over from too much beer.
They are the people who accept us for who we are without judgment. The people who’ll listen to what we have to say even in the most trying moments. And when we don’t have much to say, they’ll sit with us anyway because they like being around us and appreciate the company. That is the power of comradeship and community.
Certainly, when it comes to boredom, our friends and family will always be the ones who help shift our perspective and re-energize our spirits.
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