I use Gemini when I'm bored — and it's better than doomscrolling

Boredom used to send me into autopilot.

I’d unlock my phone, open a social app without thinking, and close it ten minutes later, having learned nothing, and somehow feeling more restless than before.

Then one afternoon, I opened Gemini simply because I didn’t know what else to do.

I typed a vague prompt, got an unexpectedly engaging response, and realized that it felt different from scrolling.

It scratched the same itch as browsing on my phone, without leaving me overstimulated or annoyed.

Over time, it became my default “bored” app, and the difference was surprisingly noticeable.

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Posts By  Anu Joy

Turning boredom into a 5-minute adventure

One of the most unexpectedly fun ways I replaced doomscrolling with Gemini was by turning it into a mini choose-your-own-adventure generator.

Rather than passively consuming content, I now engage with short, interactive stories that unfold in real time, making them ideal for five-minute boredom gaps.

To make this work, I created a custom Gemini Gem that allows me to save a reusable prompt and return to it any time.

Creating a Gemini Gem is straightforward, but you must do it on the Gemini website, not the mobile app.

Click Gems in the left sidebar, select + New Gem, and then enter a name along with a set of instructions that tell Gemini how you want it to behave. Click Save.

Here’s my prompt:

Create short, interactive choose-your-own-adventure stories.
Rules to follow:
Start with a brief scene (3–5 sentences max).
Present two or three clear choices, labeled A, B, C.
End every response with a choice prompt and do not continue the story until I choose.
Keep each turn short and self-contained.
Keep the tone playful, imaginative, and easy to drop in and out of.
Lean into absurd or unexpected outcomes.
If I stop responding, pause the story.
If I say “restart,” begin a new story with a different setting.

The next time I get bored, I open the Gemini app on my phone (you can also access it from the website), tap Gems from the left sidebar, select the Gem I created, and type something simple like start.

It doesn’t really matter what I type; the Gem already knows how it’s supposed to respond.

Within seconds, it offers a fresh choose-your-own-adventure scenario, without having to recreate the prompt or think about what to ask.

When you create a Gem on the web, you can use it from the website or the mobile app.

Quizzes, riddles, and brain-teasers on demand

Another Gemini Gem I reach for when boredom hits is one built entirely around quizzes and brain-teasers.

Instead of mindlessly refreshing a feed, I get a small mental challenge that wakes my brain.

I set this Gem up with instructions to generate short quizzes, lateral-thinking riddles, or logic puzzles that I can solve in a few minutes, and to reveal hints or answers only if I ask for them.

I can solve a single riddle while waiting for my coffee, knock out a five-question quiz on a random topic, or try a logic puzzle that makes me pause and think, all without opening a game app or falling into an endless scroll.

It taps into the same curiosity-driven pull as social apps, without leaving me mentally fried.

Here’s the prompt I used:

Create short, interactive quizzes, riddles, and brain-teasers.
Rules to follow:
Present one question at a time.
Keep each challenge solvable in under two minutes.
After I answer, tell me if I’m right or wrong and explain the reasoning simply.
Ask whether I want another question or a different type.
Supported types: Logic puzzles, lateral thinking riddles, pattern recognition, light math (no heavy calculations), and wordplay.
If I say “switch,” change the type.
If I say “easier” or “harder,” adjust difficulty.

Curiosity on demand, without the time sink

Another Gemini Gem I keep coming back to is one designed for learning in small doses.

I set it up with instructions to explain obscure phenomena, summarize niche topics, or teach practical skills, but with strict limits.

This Gem is perfect for moments when curiosity strikes, but I don’t want to disappear down a research rabbit hole.

I’ve used it to understand things I’d usually ignore, such as why certain foods taste bitter or how QR codes store data.

It turns idle curiosity into something satisfying and contained. I get the “aha” moment without opening multiple tabs or feeling like I need to commit an entire evening to learning one thing.

Here’s the prompt:

Explain obscure phenomena, summarize niche topics, or teach tiny, practical skills.
Each response must be readable in under five minutes.
Start with a plain-English overview before details.
Focus on why it’s interesting or useful.
Use simple examples or analogies when helpful.
End by asking if I want to go slightly deeper or switch topics.

Gemini as a creative partner

Another Gemini Gem I’ve been loving is what I think of as my pseudo-companion.

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I set it up with a prompt that tells Gemini to act as a playful, curious partner, ready to debate absurd topics, collaborate on improvised poetry, or brainstorm impractical inventions.

Using this Gem is surprisingly fun.

Some days, I’ll argue whether pineapple on pizza is a culinary crime or a stroke of genius. Other times, we’ll create a haiku, a few lines at a time, riffing off each other’s ideas.

The charm is in its playful back-and-forth, and the conversation can be as serious or chaotic as I choose. It’s a perfect boredom buster.

Here’s my prompt:

Act as a playful, curious companion.
You can:
Debate absurd or low-stakes topics for fun.
Collaborate on improvised poetry or micro-writing.
Brainstorm silly, impractical, or delightfully unnecessary inventions.
Rules to follow:
Keep things light, clever, and good-natured.
Let me steer the tone (serious, silly, poetic, chaotic).
End most responses with a question or invitation to continue.
Avoid:
Moralizing, turning jokes into lectures, and over-explaining the fun out of things.

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By  Nick Todorov

Boredom doesn’t stand a chance

By combining storytelling, games, curiosity-driven learning, and playful conversation, Gemini transformed idle time into something meaningful.

If you’re tired of endless scrolling, I’d recommend giving Gemini a try.

Ask it to entertain you, challenge you, or goof around with you. You might end up debating the merits of pineapple pizza or learning a random fact.

And, surprisingly, you might discover that boredom can lead to some of the most creative moments of your day.