Cutting down on my screen time is definitely a personal goal I’m trying to work on during this pandemic. It’s been hard though! We do everything from home now so taking a break from the current situation and escaping reality through social media is extremely tempting. However, I hope I’m not the only one that’s recently been getting more hand cramps and pain from holding my phone up for longer periods of time. To avoid more damage than the one I’ve already done, I’ve taken up a few hobbies that don’t involve a screen. Here are some of my faves.
Reading a book: “Before We Were Yours”, “And Then I Found You” and “All the Light We Cannot See” are a few of the novels I’ve read in the recent months. Science shows that reading can help you sleep better, relieve stress and anxiety and even make you more empathetic, according to Real Simple. So, this is clearly a win-win. Check out Reese Witherspoon’s book suggestions or Oprah’s book club if you’re looking for somewhere to start and for your own sake, put the phone down.
Painting: You’d be surprised how relaxing grabbing a paint brush or some coloring pencils can be. I usually start off by going on Pinterest to get a few ideas and sketch or paint for an hour or two at my dining room table. Trust me when I say painting is truly therapeutic! It forces you to forget about everything that’s going on in our current environment and just focus on what’s in front of you. The best part is that this is for your own pleasure, so you don’t have to be Picasso nor show off your sketch on Insta. Take your time and enjoy getting creative.
Exercising: Whether it’s been taking a walk around the neighborhood or running to the park and back, exercising has taken on a whole new role since the pandemic hit the U.S. While before I mainly put in the time to stay fit, now it’s an opportunity for me to step away from my computer (and house!) and think about something else besides work or recent COVID-19 stats. With a new pair of running shoes and workout gear, I feel like exercising is now a daily part of my routine and I actually don’t mind doing it like I used to before.
