How can I journal about boredom as a “disease” without beating myself up?

Try a compassionate diagnosis. 1) Symptoms: “What does boredom feel like in my body and thoughts?” 2) Triggers: “When does it flare up—after meetings, at night, when I’m alone?” 3) Contagion: “How does it spread—scrolling, procrastination, negative self-talk?” 4) Immunity: “What helps—curiosity, movement, novelty, focus?” 5) Treatment plan: “What small, kind experiment could I try today?” Keep the tone nonjudgmental—boredom is a signal, not a flaw. In Stoic, treat today’s entry as a brief case note: name the trigger, notice the urge, and choose one gentle experiment to explore, then reflect on what you learned—not whether you ‘fixed’ it.

I’m bored at work and it’s turning into anxiety. How do I use this prompt to find direction instead of spiraling?

Use the dichotomy of control to organize your entry. 1) Not in control: “Project timing, others’ decisions.” 2) In control: “How I frame the task, my next step.” Then write: “If boredom is a disease, what is it protecting me from or pointing me toward?” Maybe it signals underused strengths, unclear goals, or fatigue. Close with a values check: “Which value (learning, service, craftsmanship) could I express in the next 20 minutes?” Pick one tiny, values-aligned action to explore. You’re not solving your career—just testing an antidote today and noting its effect in Stoic.

When boredom leads me to overthink and doomscroll, how can I stop it from ‘spreading’ through my day?

Try a 4-line interrupt in your journal: 1) Body: “Right now I feel…” (name sensations). 2) Story: “The mind is telling me…” (one sentence). 3) Choice: “If I reduce the spread by 1%, I might…” (one micro-action: sip water, step outside, tidy one item, read one page). 4) Boundary: “For the next 10 minutes I’m choosing…” (state a single focus). This turns boredom into a cue for presence rather than escape. Use Stoic as your mental health companion to capture these quick interrupts during the day and to reflect on which micro-actions helped most.

Journaling Idea - On Boredom as Disease.

If you came down with a case of boredom, how would you try to stop it from spreading?

Would you seek a cure, or would you take a step back and find space to recuperate on your own?

Journal in Stoic

Written by

Zach Beauvais

Published on

Feb 23, 2023

Journal in Stoic

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Zach Beauvais

Writing & User Experience

Zach helps stoic design experiences for mental and emotional wellness, creating guided meditations, mindful walks, and journaling prompts rooted in Stoic philosophy. He also serves as Marketing Director at Cornell’s ILR School, where he helps leaders clarify their purpose and turn ideas into content that engages students, faculty, and collaborators. With over 15 years of experience in storytelling, community building, and content strategy, Zach brings both creativity and clarity to his work. Outside of writing and strategy, he enjoys photography, making coffee, and carving spoons, bowls, and cups from green wood.

If you came down with a case of boredom, how would you try to stop it from spreading?

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