It’s so easy to get caught up in the web that is social media. I’m sure we’ve all scrolled through TikTok for hours at least once. It’s fun to browse through the For You Page… until you realize that you’ve refreshed your feed for the third time in 10 minutes.
Most of us are susceptible to losing track of time and reality by spending all our time online. But personally, after a while, I end up getting a social media overload. It leaves me feeling unsettled and restless. It’s just so hard to unplug myself from my phone sometimes. It’s embarrassing to admit it, but sometimes I’m like an “iPad kid.”
This is why I started to explore different activities that require me to be present when doing them. They allow me to ground myself back to reality and also act as a healthy and necessary break from social media. So, if you can relate to me, I want to share four activities that have helped me and I’ve come to enjoy.
Painting
Painting is so fun. To be honest, you don’t even need to be creative or talented to do it. Just grab a reference picture as inspiration. Try abstract art if you don’t trust yourself to paint more precise images. You can even do a throwback to kindergarten and just finger paint. For me, there are no limits or rules to painting, which makes it such a relaxing hobby. As we grow older, we stop doing creative things, so I consider it important to set aside time for artistic interests.
Taking A Bath
I never had the chance to take a bath until this past year, and let me tell you: it’s life-changing. It’s a specific time for me to just relax and center myself. I like to light up some candles, put on some music, and read a book. Imagine being in a bubble detached from everything. Bathing’s like that. Taking a bath helps me get away from all the outside noise and have a zen moment.
Moving Your Body
Moving my body has such an impact on my well-being. Whether it’s going to the gym, walking outside and getting fresh air, or even spending a little time stretching in the morning, moving my body goes such a long way. If I go on a walk or stretch, I feel like I’m reconnecting with nature, which helps ground me back to earth. My personal favorite is going to the gym. When I move my body, I get rid of all the excess energy that I have and don’t spend time on my phone, so I kill two birds with one stone.
Journaling
I feel like this is such a classic hobby that is shared everywhere, but there’s nothing that will make me more present than writing my thoughts in a notebook. Believe me when I say I struggled so much with focusing on writing often and not getting lazy at the beginning of my journaling. Once I got used to it, it became more natural. I find that journaling is such a good way to wake my brain up and process my emotions. It helps me become more balanced mentally.
While I can’t deny that social media is entertaining, using it excessively isn’t healthy at all. Doing these activities generally improves my mood and health. They remind me that there’s life outside of the absorbing world of social media.
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