Watching TV out of boredom? Not for young people.

„"When I get cabin fever at home, I turn on the television." This was the most frequent answer in a representative survey on the topic of boredom, which the BAT Leisure Research Institute conducted in February.
Is television the number one boredom killer? At first glance, one might think so. After all, 36% of those surveyed combat their boredom with home cinema. But looking at the age groups reveals a completely different picture. It is primarily those over 50 (44%) who stay home and turn on the television. Pensioners and retirees also predominantly choose television (43%) to distract themselves from boredom.
Listening to music is the favorite activity among younger people (44%). The Walkman beats home theater. Closely following among 14- to 34-year-olds is socializing and meeting up with friends (39%).
The second most frequent response (33 %) across all groups in the survey was "exercising outdoors," meaning walking, jogging, or swimming. This response is particularly typical among 30- to 49-year-olds, who likely have the health aspect in mind, in addition to combating boredom.
As expected, the unemployed have the biggest problems with boredom. They rarely leave their homes when bored. One in four unemployed people reaches for the phone whenever they feel cooped up and try to talk to someone outside. If no contact with the outside world is possible, 39% of the unemployed surveyed try to fill the perceived emptiness by eating, smoking, or drinking. Another 27% pace restlessly around their homes, rummaging through rooms and cupboards, or start tidying up.
Only 18% of Germans are unaware of the problem of boredom. However, this survey clearly showed that 75% find many ways to escape the feeling of emptiness. Only 7% simply wait until the feeling passes.