Could You Stare at a White Wall for an Hour?

Could you stare at a blank, white wall for an hour straight? You probably could, but you must be wondering why you would even want to do that.

Recently, we came across content from Dr. K (Alok Kanojia), a psychiatrist and online personality who has been making the rounds on social media lately. One mindfulness practice which he suggested was exactly this: stare at a wall for an hour.

The natural reaction to this would usually be “I would be bored to death.” or “That sounds like a dumb waste of time.”

In our fast-paced world, the idea of doing nothing and being bored has almost become unthinkable. We need to always be doing something — going to work, a night out with friends, scrolling on our phones while commuting, reading this email — we’re bombarded with external stimuli, overlooking the importance of tuning in to our inner voice.

As a result, many of us find it unfamiliar, or even scary, to be alone with nothing but our own thoughts.

You may be thinking, going on walks in nature or sitting alone at the park would have the same effect, so why put ourselves through this pain of staring at dried paint?

While the birds singing and ocean waves crashing are harmless distractions compared to social media, they’re distractions, nonetheless. Staring at a blank wall, on the other hand, forces us to be alone with our thoughts and emotions with almost nothing to distract us at all.

Those who tried this mindfulness practice have reported a wide range of effects. Unsurprisingly, some found it absolutely painful and pointless. But for many others who gave it a shot with an open mind, it has opened the door to greater self-awareness.

Self-awareness is such an important skill. Yet, in today's world of constant overstimulation, where time for processing emotions and self-reflection is scarce, it has become increasingly challenging to achieve greater self-awareness.

Without self-awareness, we are unknowingly hindering our ability to make better decisions, build stronger relationships and lead more authentic lives.

So the next time you’re feeling bored, why not try staring at a wall for an hour?