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Origami I find fun, yes.
Have tried to learn to juggle several times, unsuccessfully.
Doing yoga I have learned to stand on my hands, learning a physical skill like acrobatics is so good for both mind and body.
Live music I love so much. Go see a show!
I guess it's a game too but Pokemon go has actually gained me some casual friends.
Drawing and reading are both time consuming, cheap and good stuff that can make you grow too. Can flow over into painting and writing so watch out.
Chess is even cheaper (free online with matchmaking: lichess.org also a gazillion youtubes to get you running like chessbrahs or chesswibes) if you want to be humbled but also like tactics, strategies and history.
Go for out to an interesting place and take some cool photos.
Playing any musical instrument. The feeling of your practice grindings pay off, no matter how still mundane it is to compared to social media professional musicians, is a pretty good feeling.
Meta answer.
To me personally any sort of addiction is a symptom of feeling out of touch with life. It's a kind of rejection of what is and slapping a bandaid on that pain by constantly asking for more. More food. More content. More whatever.
It's a desire that can't truly ever be satisfied.
It's important to take a step back when you feel lost in such a stream of more. Instead of trying to change things, try to accept things as they are. You can always decide to change it later. For example when you wake up, just take a few moments to experience waking up, rather than immediately focusing on what needs to be done.
When it comes to doing anything, play around with how much care you put into it. Try doing it quick and badly and without any care. And try doing it with utmost care and perfection. Think of it like training your ability to control the number of fucks you give for any specific thing. That way you can let go of control by giving up your need for change, but also regain it for the things that really matter.
And then it's a matter of trying out many things to see what resonates with your personality. When you find something you can sharpen it by removing the things that don't really matter to you.
For example you might figure out that you enjoy painting. You'll probably come up with lots of unnecessary goals for yourself such as being able to paint realistic portraits with oil. Whereas actually you would have enjoyed art history more, or perhaps drawing childish looking animals with crayons.
If you had held onto the idea that you need to do oil portraits, you would've just saddled yourself with another thing that you only partially enjoy, and so you might just leave it laying around. It's just a disconnect from who you really are. You'd be imprisoning yourself again with a need for more, instead of realizing that you are free by nature and that it's alright to enjoy seemingly unimportant things.
Here's a few of mine:
-Skateboarding
-Writing (books, plays, puppet shows, greeting cards, etc.)
-Learning Linux
-Writing and performing rap
-Petting cats
-Repairing video game consoles and controllers
-Decorating (using things you own or spending very small amounts)
-Cooking, baking, etc.
I also enjoy putting on some music when I have to do stuff that isn't fun, like laundry, washing dishes or cleaning.
Learn to solve a Rubikβs cube. Couple of weeks and youβll be able to do it in around a minute or two.
Painting by numbers is chill.
Walking is fun.
Learn an instrument.
Code some tools to help you do things that bore you.
Install street complete app, Go for a walk and update information about your local area to OSM. It gets you out the house and is benefiting your wider community. π
There has been such a giant leap in coverage about 10 years ago. I've contributed a lot for the area I've lived in around 2007, when I became aware of OSM. And there was still a lot missing back then. But I moved just a few years after and ever since any area I lived in or have been vacationing at had already been exhaustively mapped. So now I am adding metadata.
I also found OSM around 10 years ago. I added my entire village from barely existing on the map to all landuse and small roads, bike paths, things. And this was before there was good enough aerial images, so I had to use GPS and walk/bike all the roads, walk around all the fields and areas.
It was great!
Then came satellite pics and I could add buildings too. But I miss that outdoorsy feeling. I keep my eyes on new buildings and developments in the city I live in now. Do you know of any best practices for local surveying to ensure up to date map quality?
Its all that meta data that makes OSM so great, most people think google maps is the best solution only because the can buy massive datasets but OSM is the perfect example of people power and what can be achieved by passionate people.
If you're addicted to content, try walking but listening to audiobooks at the same time. Bonus if dog too
I like building things and being alone and woodworking is my go to activity. It involves working with and learning about wood and tools to work with wood, project management for more complex projects, tons of spatial thinking, drawing, research, prototyping. I spend a large amount of time drawing.
One could argue that a boring life is the best one could wish for. Perfect time to make some kids. That's natures way to cope with that situation. :)
This is some of the worst advice in the history of mankind
Making new humans is the worst advice in the history of mankind?
Having a life with a level of security that enables you to be bored, Having actual time to care for your kid.
Yeah, sounds like a terrible plan. You might end up being a responsible parent.
Are you confusing being bored with having no life? Is learning how to knit better for mankind than learning how to raise a kid?
How is it the worst advice in the history of mankind?
Having a kid because you are bored is terrible advice. You should only have a kid if you're inspired to raise one.
I'm pretty sure humanity would die out that way. Inspired to raise one? For most people, it just happens. I'd go so far and say that half of all pregnancies are unplanned. Inspired. What world are you living in? Sounds like a very entitled one.
If you have the means to raise a kid, you should. That's the whole purpose of your body. Seriously. The meaning of life.
You've been brainwashed for too long if you think that a kid could be a burden. Especially if you have time to be bored. That's the reason you are bored in the first place: you are not fulfilling your only true purpose.
What has society done to you that you believe reaching level 140 on mage or knitting a hat is worth more than raising a kid?
What are you talking about LMAO. Lay off the pipe. I still stand by my idea that people should not have a child because they are bored.
Fair enough.
Not smoking though. Working in a Hospital, child care, amongst other areas. Bored parents are the best.;)
On a serious note, if the only reason a person might bring kids into this world is because they are bored; they are going to be, and make the kids equally, miserable.
I picked up bouldering, and I highly recommend it! Its a great way to have fun while doing something active, and is fun solo, with a couple of people, or a larger group.
I went back to school. You can find tons of online courses in just about any subject, and some will count for real college credit if you ever want to turn it into a degree. Many are free, but some will cost you and most are worth it. A way to make your addiction productive.
lockpicking
Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. Will keep you fit, you won't be able to think about your life problems for 1-hour ... guaranteed, you'll make new friends, you will build mental resilience and you'll learn self-defence. So many benefits as long as you train for the long-term and avoid injury.
I do a lot of creative writing. Remember that what you write doesn't have to be "good" in order to be worth the time you spent doing it.
If knitting/crochet is not metal enough for you, make chainmail instead! It's so easy that you can let your mind wander while doing it. So it basically doubles as active meditation!
Rock Climbing/Bouldering. Itβs great exercise, I throw in my earbuds, do my own thing, itβs a lot of fun. Donβt worry about being out of shape there are routes for all skill levels
Learn to skateboard.
Or longboarding if the terrain is relatively flat and not steep.
+1 for longboarding, it's such a nice feeling to just go and see the world passing by.
I'm waiting for summer to try stand up paddling this year.
One option that is kind of a middle ground is to learn a craft. Knitting, crochet, making fly fishing lures, sculpting. There are lots of things you can do with your hands while listening to a podcast or audiobook, so while it still involves content consumption it also engages your motor skills and creativity and you end up with something to show for it by the time you are finished.
I started with crochet about two months ago (my 53'rd attempt at a new hobby) with the idea of wanting to make Amigurumi. But it kind of (d)evolved into just experimenting blindly with different stitch combinations and turning them into bracelets for myself. But I'm still having fun with it :)
It's relaxing, relatively cheap (for what I do with it) and I feel motivated to slowly try to improve myself. I still feel anxious trying to complete any major project though, but that's just me. There's a sad unfinished amigurumi monster in my drawer, waiting for me to work up the nerve to stitch him together :)
Woodworking!
Here are my hobbies/interests that simultaneously get me off Social Media/Content Streams while giving me something to talk about/post about/watch about when I'm back. I may also have podcasts or youtube on in the background if the activity permits
Group A, the "touch grass" activities:
That last one requires a lot of effort and rarely has immediate payoffs if you don't already have a friend group bigger that one or two friends, but it's so important and requires putting time into it and developing social skills. In fact, 2+3 both benefit from learning skills and shortcuts and habits; therefore they require just as much time and energy as any hobby.
Group B, the "what I do for fun"
"hacking" β pentesting computers and VMs, whether on HackTheBox, TryHackMe, Vulnhub, or someones one-off github-hosted machine; and of course so many online CTFs
"tinkering" β I like messing with the physical part of electronics too. Or mechanical devices. Or anything that I can dissect and modify
active listening to music β taking the time to listen and be carried away by music, maybe even start to analyze it. I know it's still technically "consuming content," but I consider it to stimulate a different part of the brain than, say, watching a random youtuber bring himself one mukbang closer to an embolism.
playing music β the world's shittest bassist. I'm not trying to be good, just have fun and improve my ear and dexterity and musical intuition
foreign language learning β good for the brain, good for someone who wants to travel good for jobs and making genuine human connections. Not fluent in anything besides english yet, but I'm always acquiring new vocabulary words when I can
Creative writing β Most of what I do anymore is just drafting elaborate shitposts to post online later, but I've been known to crank out parts of short stories and terrible poetry
Activism β I won't say where, when, who, nor why, but that doesn't matter. The important part is that there are few things in life more fulfilling than coming home after a long day of doing outreach/aid/[redacted]/fundraising for a community and/or cause you care about.
coding β of freaking course I'm also learning to program. You thought I was done with the electronics, but of course I had to sneak this in. You expect me to learn binary exploitation without having a strong understanding of programming? You expect me to do DIY hardware projects without coding the firmware? You've been absolutely HAD.
Worshipping the dark goddess [redacted] at the temple of [redacted] β a healthy spiritual aspect to your life has far reaching benefits that scientific medicine and psychology are only just beginning to scratch the surface of. Of course you don't have to start with worshipping [redacted], it can be as simple as cultivating a healthy appreciation for the beauty in every aspect of the natural world around you and the mystique of existence itself. Then later you can move onto the [redacted] sacrifices to make [redacted] [redacted] so [redacted] may once again [redacted] the earth.
Group C, the "dangerously close to consuming content" group, but still technically separate activities/skills
Armchair philosophy β we all do it, but I'm the only one who was smart/lazy enough to list it as a hobby. Unfortunately this does ocassionally learning about others' philosophy and the topics you're bullshitting about, which is why I say it's "dangerously close"
Media analysis β see previous... Okay, I got my degree in Literature + Language, I really enjoy deep analyses of media, and sometimes make my own. The act itself doesn't require consuming anything more than you already have, but if you haven't consumed any media in awhile...
reading β okay, I know, this is literally just back to consuming content, but... You don't learn how to do any of the above without some reading. It helps you learn a language if you read a story in your target language. it's the format most philosophy was originally recorded in. It's the medium writers have to learn to be good at their craft. It's what format most electronic/software documentation is in. It's how music was recorded for centuries before audio media. It's also just a fun activity that engages different parts of the brain and trains your imagination even when it's "just" fiction.
Aside from the Shub-Niggurath worship (I'm more of an Azathoth person, myself), I agree with most things here. I'd just add to the list, group B I guess:
I feel these are more 'apex' hobbies, wherein you need a bit of everything (chemistry, electronics, an artistic sense, lots of patience) and they will occupy most of your time. You'd think electronics and aquaria are not the closest things, but just you wait until you feel the need to build an LED lamp with simulated day/night cycles and moonlight, controlled by an arduino.
The barrier to entry is fairly low - there are starter sets available and I've found that hobby shops of this sort are usually staffed by very knowledgeable people, eager to help newcomers. And, you can go as deep as you want and still have fun. You will also learn an absolute fuckton of things about what you choose to model with your hobby.
An honorable mention for homebrewing, which I don't even regard as a hobby at this point, but more of a necessity, like cooking.
You're cool af. I love the idea of cultivating microbiomes.
I'm so fucking transparent I may as well be invisible. I do indeed have Lovecraft on the brain, that was a fantastic read on your part.
Activism β I wonβt say where, when, who, nor why, but that doesnβt matter. The important part is that there are few things in life more fulfilling than coming home after a long day of doing outreach/aid/[redacted]/fundraising for a community and/or cause you care about.
Respect for keeping the active in activism. I know too many people who share Facebook memes and feel like they've done enough.
Armchair philosophy β we all do it, but Iβm the only one who was smart/lazy enough to list it as a hobby.
Lmao
Whatever you do, make it a challenge to do it every day (or as often as possible) for a month. If at the end you still look forward to it, you found a new hobby.
It might help to set some fixed times in your week for hobbys so you donβt get into the situation where you need to decide between that or Netflix. The drug always wins.
If you need to buy some things first, get it used or even just lend it but try to find something thatβs not rubbish. You can later invest more money but you donβt want to waste it on something you end up not liking.
Hobbys that stuck with me:
Anything you enjoy that you could improve on!
Currently I'm spending more time learning guitar.
I think as long as you're genuinely interested, learning things becomes a lot easier.