Study: 71% of Americans Feel Their Life is Repetitive

As we get older, repetitive cycles are sure to find their way into our lives. From repeat dinners to the same TV shows, to playing the same solitaire games, many areas of life can easily fall into repetition, and with time, boredom can grow, making you feel as though you are stuck in a boredom loop.

At Solitaired, we know that even our favorite games and hobbies can feel less exciting after some time. That’s why we set out to learn where Americans feel their lives are most repetitive and what aspects of life contribute to this feeling.

To do this, we surveyed residents in each state and asked a variety of questions from how often they feel bored on a typical day to what activities they turn to when life feels a little too monotonous. We then awarded points to responses that represented a theme of boredom and calculated a score on a scale of 0 to 100, with 100 representing the most frequent boredom loops. Read on to learn which states feel most stuck in a repetitive cycle.

Key Takeaways

• Illinois, Oklahoma, and Michigan residents are most likely to feel caught in boredom loops.
• Tennessee, Maine, and Utah residents are least likely to feel caught in boredom loops.
• 71% of Americans feel their life is repetitive and they're basically living the same day on repeat.
• Nearly 1 in 3 Americans are very bored during an average weekday.
• Chores and errands, daily work, and scrolling social apps are the most common activities that make Americans' lives feel repetitive.
• 46% of Americans frequently try to break out of their routine by doing something spontaneous or new.

Where Americans Feel Most Stuck in Boredom Loops

While most people can find themselves in a monotonous routine, some Americans get caught in boredom loops more often than others. Leading the way as the most frequently stuck in these cycles are Illinois residents with a boredom loop score of 98.97 out of 100. Feeling as though your life is on repeat can impact more than your mood though as 76% of Illinois residents say that when their days feel repetitive, they feel mentally exhausted.

Coming in second place is Oklahoma with a score of 98.55 out of 100. Although our phones can sometimes be part of the boredom loop we feel stuck in, 67% of Oklahoma residents say they spend time each day scrolling on their phone simply to fill time or escape boredom.

Up next is Michigan (98.45) as the second most likely state to say their life feels repetitive (64%), only behind Florida (66%). This is followed by Mississippi (98.35), Texas (97.89), and Massachusetts (97.81) coming in fourth, fifth, and sixth place, respectively.

Overall, we discovered that 71% of Americans feel their life is repetitive and they’re basically living the same day on repeat. When looking at boredom by generation, it’s Gen Zers who are most frequently caught in boredom loops. Similarly, women are more likely to report repetitive routines than men.

Most Repetitive Areas of Life and Best Loop Breakers

After learning in which states Americans feel most stuck in boredom loops, we wanted to better understand what aspects of daily life make them feel this way. Topping the list for the most common repetitive area of life are chores and errands with 76.0% of people reporting it.

This comes as no surprise though as we all tend to have a laundry day set aside each week and a day dedicated to getting our grocery haul. Unfortunately, some areas of life are unavoidably repetitive.

Coming in second place with 67.3% of people reporting it is daily work. While some jobs have unpredictable schedules and work flows, a majority of careers are filled with monotonous tasks that are routinely completed. Even at the best of companies, boredom can set in from time to time.

For 65.7% of Americans, the simple task of scrolling through social media apps feels repetitive, earning it third place. Up next are things people worry about, which was reported by 65.5% of respondents. This is followed by cooking as 43.4% of people say this is one area of their life that is frequently repetitive. Afterall, coming up with a unique menu for three meals a day every day can be quite difficult.

While obstacles like financial constraints (56.9%), lack of motivation (51.2%), and a lack of energy (48.2%) make it difficult for Americans to break out of their repetitive routines, many people have found a few methods that work for them.

Topping the list as the most popular loop breaker is going outside, which more than a third of respondents reported. Sometimes simply getting out of the house or office and taking a breath of fresh air is all you need to clear your mind and help break a repetitive cycle.

Up next is exercising which 1 in 7 Americans say helps them break free of monotony. This is followed by hobbies (12.5%), calling or texting someone (6.6%), and reading (6.3%). For 16% of respondents, however, the search for an effective loop breaker continues as they have yet to find something that works for them.

Break the Boredom Loop with Solitaired

From finding a new activity that piques your interest to scraping together the extra funds to support a new hobby, breaking out of boredom loops can be hard. While routines keep life running smoothly, they can also limit spontaneity.

The good news is that breaking the loop doesn’t require dramatic change or expensive adventures. Sometimes small alterations can be all you need when your day-to-day seems to be on autopilot. Next time you are looking for a new activity to pass time, avoid your typical routine of scrolling through social media and turn instead to Solitaired for free, online games.

Whether you are looking for a competitive game of Spades, Rummy, Whist or Euchre or a relaxing, solo game of Addiction or Spider Solitaire, we have you covered. Break the boredom loop and start gaming today.

Methodology

In this study, we set out to learn where Americans feel their lives are most repetitive. To do this, we surveyed residents in each state and asked a variety of questions about boredom loops and how they break out of these boring routines.

We then awarded points to answers that represented regular bored cycles and calculated the average score for each state and adjusted scores on a scale of 0 to 100, with 100 representing the most frequent boredom loops.