If I can suggest a book: Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport
I had a lot of the same feelings you describe here. Reading this and actually making tangible changes to my habits helped me rediscover my love of learning.
Ultimately, the solution for me was to force myself to be bored. I set artificial limits for myself when consuming content online (for instance, I use the procrastination features here on HN and I deleted all "feed" apps on my phone, like Reddit).
I found that once I was bored, my free time became so much more enjoyable and it was easier to deliberately work on something.
I have read two of Newport's books- Deep Work, and So Good They Can't Ignore You.
In Deep Work, he emphasizes on being comfortable being bored.
Actually the thing is, it is so easy when you have to choose between good and bad. Like- play that video game or read that research paper. Nothing hard about choices here, but when you have to choose between that research paper and some interesting non-fiction, or that great new blog and a conference video, that MOOC and that new language- it becomes paralyzing for me.
I am trying to figure out how to come out of this paralysis when you are choosing among many choices that are all good for you and going to benefit you.
I will give Digital Minimalism a try. Thanks for the suggestion.
I had a lot of the same feelings you describe here. Reading this and actually making tangible changes to my habits helped me rediscover my love of learning. Ultimately, the solution for me was to force myself to be bored. I set artificial limits for myself when consuming content online (for instance, I use the procrastination features here on HN and I deleted all "feed" apps on my phone, like Reddit).
I found that once I was bored, my free time became so much more enjoyable and it was easier to deliberately work on something.