Gen Z’s ‘Rawdogging Boredom’ Trend Aims to Restore Focus in a Distracted World
A new Gen Z trend called rawdogging boredom is going viral online. The idea is simple: sit quietly with no phone, TV, or distractions. Supporters say it helps repair attention spans broken by nonstop scrolling and short-form content.
For instance, Mia Ristaino, a 21-year-old college student from Fort Worth, Texas, tried the challenge for seven days. She started with five minutes and
slowly worked up to 15. I realized how strange silence felt, she said. But I wanted to learn to be present and focus better.
Online culture has transformed
The term rawdogging once had an explicit meaning, but online culture has transformed it. Now, it describes doing something without preparation or distractions. It first became popular when users joked about rawdogging long flights sitting through them with no entertainment. Since then, people have claimed to rawdog everything from workouts to office jobs.
Psychologist Gloria Mark, author of Attention Span, says the trend reflects people’s desire to escape their devices. It resembles mindfulness, she noted, though it lacks intentional focus. Still, she suggests reframing boredom as a positive experience. Quiet time helps you learn about yourself and spark ideas, she said.
Mark added that some participants might be motivated by social media recognition. Many record their digital detox moments and post them online, which adds a layer of irony.
For Ristaino, sharing the challenge helped her stay consistent. Now, she practices quiet sitting daily. I’m learning that being bored is fine, she said. It actually makes me more productive afterward.
