How to replace doomscrolling with a mindful hobby

It’s a familiar picture for many of us: after a long day at work, we find ourselves glued to the couch, phone in hand. Maybe even for hours at a time. What starts as a way to mentally unwind or catch up on the news quickly becomes hours spent compulsively “doomscrolling” – the act of spending an excessive amount of time on social media scrolling through overwhelmingly negative content. A fear of missing out is what drives many of us to continue our repetitive scroll.

While it might feel like doomscrolling helps you to stay informed, research shows that this habit often results in considerable psychological distress. This ultimately leads to lower mental wellbeing, poorer life satisfaction, and reduced engagement at work.

The good news is there are many ways to break this bad habit – and one way people have successfully replaced time on their phones is with a hobby.

By making a conscious decision to change a habit – such as picking up your phone and doomscrolling for hours – you can replace it with one that’s more fulfilling.

Having an after-work hobby is linked to better wellbeing and may play a part in reducing work-related stress.

Creative activities in particular are known to encourage a sense of personal fulfilment through developing new skills. Personal fulfilment is important for emotional resilience.

Some of the most beneficial...

Read more