Scrolling through social media is taking away too much of our precious time
We hear about the dangers of social media and problems with over utilizing technology. The blue light emitted from our screens can mess with our sleep cycles while social media can alter our perceptions of ourselves and the world around us. Although all of these topics and other related topics are important to discuss, I want to focus more on how technology has taken away the joy of hobbies. People are increasingly spending more time scrolling through social media than engaging in creative and fun activities. Unfortunately, it makes sense. Social media is easily accessible and made to be addicting. When we find a funny or interesting post, we continue scrolling through in hopes of finding more. Sometimes we succeed, but oftentimes we find ourselves wasting time chasing entertainment that is short-lived and ultimately unsatisfactory.
Hobbies, especially those that involve little to no screen time, allow us to learn and engage with the world around us. It helps us unlock our more creative, artistic and curious sides. Hobbies can be great ways to relax, meet new people, bond with your friends and families and learn more about yourself. They don’t have to be unique, expensive, or a way to earn more money or status. Taking time to do activities you enjoy and make you happy is enough of a reason to have hobbies. I personally dislike when I hear people promote hobbies as anything other than enjoyment. I believe it is important to have at least one hobby that makes you happy because it is important to enjoy life without constantly worrying about getting ahead. You certainly do not have to be any good at your hobby to enjoy it and sometimes it is okay to take some time for yourself and the things you enjoy.
There are so many different hobbies out there, but I want to talk about a few that can be fun and cost-efficient. The first hobbies mentioned are what I think of as “the classics.” These are hobbies that many people enjoy and are pretty accessible. Reading, writing and drawing can be done with little materials. You can find cheap books at thrift stores, local bookstores, half priced book stores or on sale. Additionally, library cards are typically free for residents and they have large collections for people with different interests. Writing can be done on notebooks from any store with a variety of prices. There are several types of writing you can explore if this appeals to you, such as journaling, creative writing and poetry. Similar to the last two, drawing can be done with very few supplies from several stores. The amount of supplies needed depends on you, but a simple notebook and pencil will always be enough. Although these hobbies can be done using a phone, tablet or computer, it’s important to have a source of fun outside of the screen.
In addition to “the classics,” enjoying outdoor or more physical activities is a great use of your time and has many health benefits! Playing sports, taking walks or running can be fun ways to relieve stress and get your steps in. These activities are also great ways to meet new people as they can easily be completed with company. Activities such as yoga, pilates, dance classes or soccer can be fun ways to get more exercise while meeting new people. Teamwork in sports can help you get to know people better while walking provides a great opportunity to simply talk to your loved ones.
Overall, our screen time and over-reliance on technology is becoming troubling and I encourage everyone to start new hobbies that bring you joy and take you away from your computer. We have a whole lifetime of technology usage ahead of us and I think we should go back to the basics and spend some time away from it. So go try something new and have fun, even if you aren’t good at it!