Equally unsurprising was the second finding: The more tired we are, the more likely we are to reach for our phones. The real kicker was the final finding. While we look to our phones to relieve fatigue and boredom, screen time seemed to modestly increase feelings of boredom.
"Participants actually reported higher levels of boredom after having used their smartphones," notes BPS.
Take a better break
The research team speculated why this might be so. Switching from work to your phone and back may end up being more mentally tiring than stimulating. In other words, that baby goat video was nice, but not worth the cost to your brain in effort and concentration. Alternately, picking up your phone might serve as a reminder of all the things out there you could be doing if you didn't have to fill out paperwork.
This one study can't definitively say if either of these explanations is right, but the takeaway is clear. You think a glance at your phone is going to make you feel less bored, but it's actually going to make your brain feel more fired.
What should you do instead?
- Take a walk
- Doodle or draw
- Call someone. Connection is the best mood booster out there
- Read a book
Info Cloud
Internet meme 網路迷因
Ha... that's so cute. Oh ... hi, everyone. It's time for Info Cloud. Ha, ha, ha.
Yes. Rex, we've already started filming.
What were you looking at, anyway?
It was a video about a puppy. Do you want to see it?
Maybe after the show. But right now we're talking about Internet memes.
Exactly. I was just doing some research. Sure you were.
So can you tell us what a meme is, Rex?
A meme is defined as an element of culture or behavior that is passed on to others.
Internet memes are passed around a lot.
Yes. An Internet meme is often a humorous image with a funny caption.
Maybe a picture of a crying baby or a woman yelling at a cat that will be used over and over again.
So then it becomes highly recognizable. But the words on the picture will be changed to make fun of different situations.
Internet memes spread really fast, and they are often related to pop culture.
That's probably why they are most popular with young people.
The use of social media like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok has only increased the speed at which Internet memes spread, whether they are phrases, videos or pictures.
我們經常看到一些圖片或是影片在網路上瘋傳，這些內容就統稱為 Internet meme，所謂的網路迷因。Internet meme 有可能是一張相當好笑的合成照片，上面加了某種標語，或是惡搞的Kuso影片，Po上網之後，像病毒一樣，在很短的時間內傳播出去。通常這些 Internet meme 都是跟流行文化有關係，所以特別受到年輕人的喜愛，在臉書、 Instagram、TikTok 等等的網路平台發表。除了照片和影片之外，Internet meme 也有可能是一個標語或是流行用語。
Language Lab
speculate v. 推測、猜測
/ˈspɛkjəˌleɪt/
to think about something and make guesses about it : to form ideas or theories about something usually when there are many things not known about it
- Maggie can only speculate what had happened between her brother and his friends.
Maggie 只能猜測她的哥哥和他的朋友之間發生了什麼事。
- There is no need to speculate; just wait and see how things happen.
沒必要推測，就等著看事情如何發展就是了。
speculation n. 某個人的推測、猜測
/ˌspɛkjəˈleɪʃən/
ideas or guesses about something that is not known
- What I’m about to tell you is not a solid fact; it’s just a speculation.
我要跟你說的不是確定的事實，而只是一個推測。
- There is no need to be nervous; what the doctor just said was only a speculation.
不需要緊張，醫生剛剛說的話只是一個推測而已。
stimulate v. 刺激、讓人覺得興奮
/ˈstɪmjəˌleɪt/
to make (a person) excited or interested in something
- Theo thinks the discussion was rather stimulating.
Theo 認為那個討論讓他非常感興趣。
- The show was supposed to be stimulating, but it ended up putting people to sleep.
那場節目應該讓觀眾很興奮，可是卻讓大家睡著了。
stimulate v. 激發、促進
to cause or encourage (something) to happen or develop
- The political candidate talked about his views on how to stimulate the economy.
政治候選人分享他對如何促進經濟的看法。
stimulation n. 刺激
- Brenda doesn’t want her kids to watch too much TV because she thinks there is too much stimulation. Brenda 不要她的孩子們看太多電視，因為她認為那樣會太刺激小朋友。
definitively adv. 明確地、決定性地 (用來下結論或是表達事情是不是會改變的)
definitive adj. 最終的、決定性的
/dɪˈfɪnətɪv/
not able to be argued about or changed : final and settled
definitely adv. 肯定地
/ˈdɛfənɪtli/
- We don’t know if Mr. Gates is going to sell his farm or not; he hasn’t given us a definitive answer.
我們不知道Gates 先生是否會把他的農場賣了，他還沒給我一個最後決定答案。
- After a long civil war, a new government was definitively established.
多年的內戰後，一個新的政府最後終於被成立。
- The player made a beautiful penalty kick and definitively ended the game.
那位球員的一個漂亮的罰球，就這樣決定性地結束了球賽。
doodle v. 很隨意地畫圖
to draw something without thinking about what you are doing
- Kenny was doodling on the newspaper while he was waiting.
Kenny 在等待的時候，就在報紙上隨便畫畫。
- The student was doodling in class and wasn’t paying attention to his teacher.
學生在課堂中隨便畫圖，沒有專心聽老師講課。
doodle n. 隨意畫出來的圖
- I’ve seen Pete’s doodles, and he is a very creative guy.
我看過Pete隨意畫的一些圖，他很有創意。
- We were surprised that Jackie’s doodle actually won an award in the art contest.
Jackie隨便畫的一張圖，竟然在美術比賽裡得獎，我們都感到很驚訝。
