In 1977, Lionel Richie wrote and performed the song “Easy” with the eponymous lyric “I’m easy like Sunday morning.” Originally meant to be a breakup ballad, the song grew to have a deeper meaning. This feeling of being “easy like Sunday morning” went on to be more of a slow-living anthem. The always-on world we live in is full of doomscrolling, reacting, and the never-ending search for meaning. We are always looking down, not at each other, and only focusing on the stimulus that we are currently locked onto. Sunday is traditionally meant to be a day of rest and relaxation, but in a connected world, we don’t allow ourselves to be bored. Even when we are at rest, we turn to our connected devices for entertainment. Boredom isn’t a void that needs to be filled, it’s space to breathe. It’s those quiet moments where we find inspiration, gratitude, and give our mind time to process. Today on my elevator ride up to start work, a neighbor asked how my day was, and I simply replied, “I woke up today, so that’s a good start.” The simple gift of waking up with a roof over my head and with a family that loves me is such a gift. It was a nice interaction, one I likely wouldn’t have had if I was staring blankly at my phone. This made me realize how rare these moments are, because our attention is always somewhere else. Our days on this planet are numbered. Too precious to be wasted. We have to learn to slow down, live with intention, and remember that technology is a tool, not a solution.
Smartphones didn’t start the pattern of distraction; they just made it our constant companion. Before smartphones, TV was our main source of distraction. But unlike phones that are always with us, TV was fixed and scheduled. Now our distractions are available anywhere and anytime. A human mind needs time to rest and is not built for constant input and stimulus. The problem isn’t a new one. Long before screens, Buddha warned of the dangers of distraction. He said, “The mind is everything. What you think, you become.” When the mind is constantly focused on input, it becomes what it consumes. The answer isn’t control, it’s reducing the noise. Lao Tzu said, “To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders.” Our devices keep our minds busy with social media feeds, doomscrolling, and a constant barrage of notifications. This deprives us of the awareness of the people and world around us and seemingly prioritizes our devices over reality. We’ve trained our minds to always be consuming. It’s time to learn how to be content with a little boredom now and then.
Living a slower and more mindful life doesn’t mean drastic changes. Just some small shifts in perspective. You don’t have to break up with technology, just set clear guidelines and boundaries. Right now, the default behavior is to reach for our phones when boredom strikes. Interrupting that pattern may be difficult but not impossible. Instead, just sit with the silence for a moment and see where it leads. Try leaving your phone behind sometimes, even if it’s just for 30 minutes. You may notice that you miss your phone less than you would expect. Think of a time that you would normally devote to your phone and do something analog instead. For instance, on a break from work, read a physical book instead of endlessly scrolling and feeding the algorithm. Sometimes, even with your phone away and doing something more focused like reading a book, your mind is still overwhelmed with thoughts. That’s where zazen comes in to help you ground yourself. Zazen simply means seated meditation, a practice from Zen Buddhism that is different from normal meditation. No specific goal, apps, training, or special soundtrack required. With this practice, all you have to do is: sit, breathe, and exist in the moment with awareness. It may sound scary but can have a profound effect on mental clarity and helping find balance.
With these simple shifts, you can make a dramatic difference in your routine and find yourself being more mindful. Slowing down and prioritizing mindfulness over instant gratification can provide clarity and inner calm. Everyday may not feel easy like Sunday morning. But you might learn to find a little bit of Sunday in every day.
