Hey Trish, What do u do instead of spending time on ur phone?
Hi there, and thank you so much for asking this great and super #relatable question! After all, we’ve all had that moment where – possibly after spending way too much time on a phone or other device – we decide we don’t want to just spend all day scrolling through TikToks. But of course, that raises the question: what to do instead? More broadly, you may be hunting for a little inspiration as to how to have fun or be entertained without your phone (which is totally fair, especially in today’s world, when it can often feel like our lives revolve around our phones!).
I think it’s great you’re thinking about managing your screen time and finding other activities to pursue instead. In fact, I think that having fun away from your phone is a key step toward maintaining a healthy relationship with it. That’s why, this week – in response to your awesome question – I’ve created a brief list of my favorite phone-free activities (which I made light of in this week’s hilarious TikTok). Below, I briefly explain why I like them so much! Of course, there may be other activities – potentially more personalized to you and your interests – that you like more, but I hope this list is a good starting point for ideas:
- Going on a walk or exercising – I love this as an alternative to spending time on my phone because it gets my legs moving, my blood pumping, and my energy up. It’s also a great way to surround yourself with nature and feel more at peace; indeed, for me, a good walk can be meditative.
- Having a self-care/rest day – But on the other hand…sometimes, depending on my mood, I don’t really feel like moving around or sweating, in which case, I’ll opt for a self-care/rest day instead. For me, that means a nice shower or bath, maybe some skin care, and some reading.
- Doing a hobby you haven’t done in a while – We all have hobbies that we absolutely love but, because of our busy schedules, rarely find time to do. Putting your phone down is a great opportunity to dive back in. For me, that means creative/fiction writing in a journal; for you, it could be drawing, baking, or anything else.
- Spending time with family and friends – This is a classic that will rarely fail you! A board game with your family members or some shopping or ice cream with friends can not only be a great alternative to staring at your screen, it can be a wonderful way to make connections/build relationships “the old-fashioned way.” Speaking personally, whenever I spend time with friends and family, I always come away feeling energized and positive.
- Treating yourself to a nice meal – This one, of course, requires a bit of budget – so it’s not always practical – but now and then, as an alternative to being on my phone, I’ll instead order or cook up one of my favorite meals and really savor and enjoy the food. Lots of folks find cooking or baking relaxing and very fun, and the meal can put you in a great mood (or send you straight to a great nap).
I hope you found this list a source of inspiration as you consider taking some time away from your phone and doing something else instead (maybe this coming weekend? Give it a try!). Let me know if you end up doing any of these activities – and which are your favorites – in the comments section of this week’s video. And speaking of being in touch with me…as always, I want to end this post by inviting you all to share any of your thoughts, questions, or concerns about the Internet here. As I often like to remind y’all, it is so simple and easy to fill out the form – and I really love hearing from you! So if there’s anything on your mind, don’t hesitate to fill out the form. Oh, and one last thing – don’t forget to give our Ask Trish videos some love on social media. Like the videos, comment on them, and share them with your friends! Thanks a ton for helping grow our incredible #AskTrish community.
Have a great week,
Trish