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Secondary Research
I began my secondary research, wishing to discover if my fear, of “being bored with life”, is common within people in the modern, fast-paced world. My research centred on two key words, mundane and meaningless. I researched with these questions in mine:
- What makes life mundane and meaningless?
- Is this a mundane feeling and meaningless feeling detrimental to one’s well-being?
- Are there any links between a mundane life and the feeling of meaningless?
- What are strategies to make life feel less mundane or more meaningful?
Key findings
I came across numerous news articles and blogs, which highlighted the links between the mundane and the feeling of meaninglessness. Nevertheless, many mentioned the importance of having a routine, and how repetitiveness in life is inevitable.
Solutions
The solutions to tackle the feeling of being meaningless are similar across multiple websites. It simply involves making meaningful connections, practising gratitude and enjoying the moment. This article by Medium sums up 7 solutions.
Social media
Noticeably, none of the solutions involved social media but instead focused more on enjoying the moment and making meaningful connections. I then questioned:
- How has social media impacted our boredom?
- Can it contribute to meaninglessness and a mundane life?
Some news articles and websites have implied that social media has led to a constant comparison with other people’s lives, and thus can amplify the feeling of meaninglessness. Further, social media may alleviate superficial boredom but contribute to profound boredom.
Primary research
I surveyed 10 people to further broaden my understanding regarding the mundane and the feeling of meaningless. The main goal of the survey was to identify how one preserves a gratifying life.The questions asked included:
- Currently, do you think your life is boring or repetitive? (one a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being NOT boring)
- What was the reason for your answer? Do you think repetitiveness in life is a good or bad thing?
- What do you do to make life more interesting? In other words, what do you look forward to in life?
- Are there any other methods/routines/ habits that you would include to make your life less repetitive and improve your satisfaction with your life?
- A large majority of individuals wished to journal, or simply better remember and enjoy the moment.
- A large majority of individuals emphasise human connection (i.e. meeting new people, enjoying time with loved ones)
- No participants mentioned social media or technology in regards to making life interesting or making life less repetitive.
Competitor Analysis
Upon primary and secondary research, a suitable direction would be to determine what apps in the market would be useful for saving memories and moments.
Perceptual Map
I looked at social media apps, as they often can be used to save memories in the form of images and videos. This included Instagram, Facebook, Be-real. However, noticeably, these apps are highly social. The pressure to post the best pictures, which often manifests from sub-conscious comparison with others, forces one to continually look through their phone camera. Overall, it prevents one from fully enjoying the moment.
I also identified journaling apps, such as DailyBean, DailyNote and the Notes app. These apps are highly personal and thus, users can recall and truly savour the moment. However, it is time-consuming in the sense, that one has to find time in their day to record such memories and moments
There’s a gap in the market for a highly personal,
time-efficient app, that can be used to save memories
time-efficient app, that can be used to save memories
Case study (Locket)
Locket is a widget app that shows live photos of your best friends and family from the Home Screen.
Main Features
Capture moments on the go, limited friend list.
SWOT Analysis