I get it – your phone is buzzing, and you’ve got Snapchats to answer, but maybe it’s time to turn that phone of yours off and actually get up and do something. I’m not asking you to go change the world or travel to a third world country. You can do that tomorrow. First, just try putting your phone down and taking the world in. Now that you’ve turned your phone off, you’re wondering: “What do I do now?” or “ What is there to do?” Well, there’s a whole lot you can do, and here are some examples.
- Go On A Hike/Walk
-
The world is beautiful if you actually just look up from your phone screen. You don’t have to drive to a faraway destination, or look up “10 Best Places To Hike Near Me.” Just put on some shoes, grab your keys, and get outside. If you eventually get bored, get your friends to come with you. And if they’d rather watch Tik Toks on their bed, make friends with some birds. They’re pretty good listeners.
- Do Some Artwork
-
Whether you struggle to draw a stick figure or are the modern Picasso, grab some art supplies and go at it. You never know, you might just create a masterpiece. Doing something creative releases stress hormones, so why the heck not? Now go find some pencils, paints, and paper! No phone needed.
- Write In A Journal
-
Have you ever seen those mesmerizingly adorable bullet journals on Pinterest or Instagram? Whether on not you want to go all out with your journal, writing can be something you find yourself absolutely loving, especially if it’s about your own experiences or opinions. You may not think so, but on a daily basis you write about 5 pages worth of words each day; whether you’re texting your group chat, commenting on your friend’s Instagram posts, or searching up weird things on Google at 2 am. Maybe try doing that in a journal.
- Do Your Homework
-
Yeah, I know. Not too exciting of a task, but you should be doing it anyway. And believe me – you’ll finish that paper much faster if you’re not Snapchatting your friends the entire time. You could bring your homework with you to a park, or a quiet room and bang it out much more effectively without the nuisances of the buzzing and beeping from your phone.
- Do Some “Self Care”
-
Put your phone down for a little while and take a nice hot bubble bath, or do a sparkly face mask. There are so many products on the market that can accompany your self-care routine, and you definitely don’t need your phone for it. Self-care is different for everyone, just don’t stare into your mirror popping your pimples for an hour. You won’t be too happy later on. Guilty as charged.
- Read A Good Book
-
You probably read an insane amount of tweets or Instagram posts day to day, try swapping Twitter for a good book. From a non-reader’s perspective, this activity might not sound appealing, but I promise, a good book will have you turning pages for hours, you might even forget your phone exists. If you seriously cannot imagine yourself reading a book, try reading a magazine or newspaper of your choice.
- Clean Your Room Or The Entire House
-
Another not-so-appealing task for many, but it could actually be quite meditating – even fun? Put on your favorite playlist, reach for the Windex, and start cleaning away. Cleaning is not only necessary, but you’ll probably feel incredibly accomplished afterward. There’s nothing better than a fresh and clean room. If you get bored, just pretend you’re Consuela from Family Guy.
- Invite Some Friends Over
-
Instead of FaceTiming them or texting them, invite them over to your freshly cleaned house (if you listened to activity #7). You may want to scroll on their social media pages for hours, but you could actually be talking to them in person. Now that’s revolutionary!
- Go To A Restaurant
-
Good food, good music, and good company. A great combination and cure for boredom. Instead of watching those Insider Food videos on the internet, you can visit them and try the food for yourself. Food is the key to life, man.
- Work Out/Exercise
-
Yep, this one requires physical effort. Your fingers aren’t the only thing that should be getting exercise. Get up and go for a run, or take a yoga class. These activities can be so much fun, and you don’t need to do it alone. Bring some friends with you! You’ll be off your phone and improving your overall health. Double-whammy!
- Take A Nap
-
If you’re not feeling activity #10, try disconnecting and taking a nap. Who doesn’t love a good snooze? Plus, taking quick naps can improve your health and “restart” your brain, making it easier to get things done when you wake up. Just don’t snooze for too long, you don’t want to waste the day away.
- Watch A TV Show/Movie
-
If you’re looking to get away from all technology, this one may not be the right activity for you. However, watching a good tv show or movie could be a great activity to do with your significant other or some friends. And if you go to the movie theatre, you shouldn’t be on your phone anyway. Grab some popcorn, too.
Phones and social media are a blessing and a curse, and we should take a break once in a while to do some real-world activities. There’s so much to life, and when our eyes are stuck on our phone screens, we aren’t really experiencing all it has to offer.