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Comment by pgt | Hacker News Reader

An important aspect of fostering boredom is avoiding gratification like Netflix or Twitter (which I am hugely guilty of).

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Underrated comment. Those things are great, but when your minds' entertainment comes from outside, you never rebuild the creative muscle.

Playing a game or watching a movie feels good — but at the same time, you're living someone elses' dreams. All this dopamine, all this adrenaline will feel so good and make you tired just enough to conveniently forget about your own.

what about reading books? either fiction or non fiction?

the distinguishing benefit of reading, particularly more challenging works (of any genre), is improved reading comprehension and likely improved written ability as well, skills that have immense value in day-to-day life. Arguably video games and movies don’t have the same trickle over benefits. That being said I have an immense respect for the value of film and I imagine video games have certain benefits as well.

Netflix gives me little gratification. And so, it's a great source of relaxation for me. Whereas social media is addictive for me.

Keep in mind, dopamine isn't a "pleasure hormone". It's a reward anticipation hormone, one that drives you to do painful things for a reward that might not happen. It mixes both excitement and anxiety... excitement to get you started, anxiety to force you to finish.

It doesn't trigger in things that are actually relaxing. That's why people who are actually having fun 'procrastinate' less on some sites.

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