NEWS COPY
Boredom in Britain is at an all-time low – due to our SMARTPHONES.
A survey of 2,000 Brits over 35 found that eight in 10 are rarely or never bored, because with their phone nearby there’s always something to do.
Twenty per cent of Brits say they are “never” without their phones, and three quarters reckon their lives are better because of it.
Greg Tatton-Brown, spokesman for online gaming site Casumo.com, who commissioned the survey through OnePoll, said: “In the last 20 years or so we’ve seen this explosion in mobile phones, with smartphones a vital part of everyday life in the 21st century.
“With this much stimulation, it can be difficult to focus on tasks at hand, especially if they’re not necessarily fun – like at work, or jobs at home that need doing.
“Our survey found that people today are bored far less often than they were 20 years ago, which is clearly linked with smartphones and the internet.”
In fact, 63 per cent of respondents said that they’re less bored today than they were 20 years ago, and attribute that directly to having a smartphone.
And just six per cent think they’re bored more often today than they were in decades past.
On average, people unlock their phones, stare at the screen and then put them away again without accomplishing anything more than 10 times a day.
And in the morning, checking the phone comes ahead of brushing teeth, eating breakfast and even giving a partner a hug or a kiss.
Staring at a phone is also one of Brits’ top ways of combating boredom, with 45 per cent picking it out as their top choice.
Watching TV unsurprisingly topped the list, with seven in 10 saying it’s their best boredom-buster.
Forty-four per cent spend their down-time browsing the internet or playing games on a computer or laptop.
And two thirds of the country believe they’re simply too busy to be bored, with the average time that an adult can “switch off” from chores and errands being 5:40pm.
While their levels of stimulation may have never been higher, many Brits’ attention spans are shortening.
When reading an article online, it takes an average of just 47 seconds for attention to start to drift.
And Brits admit to checking their phone 18 minutes after waking up, 28 minutes into a work meeting, 32 minutes on a date and 29 minutes after sex.
Greg Tatton-Brown said: “It’s great to see that the country is less bored than ever before, and that many people have their smartphones or computers to thank.
“With any luck, in another 20 years boredom may be gone completely. Find more at https://www.casumo.com/en-gb/blog/”
THE TOP 10 WAYS TO BATTLE BOREDOM
- Watch TV
2. Read a book
3. Look at phone
4. Go on a computer/laptop
5. Listen to music
6. Go for a walk
7. Watch a film
8. Use a tablet
9. Complete a puzzle
10. Take a nap
ENDS
