I’ve been trying to drastically reduce my screen time. Basically, I am now allowing myself to use my phone only when it’s necessary. This means I suddenly have a lot more free time, which is obviously great. But it can also happen that you get extremely bored. When you’re so used to scrolling on your phone and suddenly stop doing it, you might have no idea what to do instead.
So, I made myself an Anti-Doomscroll Menu. And since I’m sure I’m not the only one who is trying to reduce their screen time, I’m going to share my list with you.
The Anti-Doomscroll Menu
Cozy Vibes
- Watch a movie: Pick a movie you love, grab some snacks, and settle in for a cozy movie night.
- Read a book: Get comfortable with a good book and let yourself escape into another world for a while.
- Take a nap: Get under a cozy blanket, set an alarm if you need to, and give yourself permission to rest.
- Make hot chocolate or tea: Make your favorite warm drink, add some extra toppings if you want, and enjoy it slowly.
- Have a cozy breakfast: Make a delicious breakfast, grab your favorite drink, and take your time enjoying a slow morning.
- Light a candle: Light your favorite candle and enjoy the warm glow and cozy atmosphere it creates.
- Get cozy under a blanket: Grab your softest blanket, get comfortable on the couch, and simply enjoy some quiet time.
- Listen to an album from start to finish: Put your phone away, press play, and enjoy the entire album without skipping any songs.
- Rewatch a comfort show: Put on an episode of your favorite comfort show and enjoy that familiar feeling of watching something you already love.
- Have an early night: Get into bed a little earlier than usual, put your phone away, and give yourself a relaxing evening before going to sleep.
Creative Vibes
- Color: Pick up your favorite coloring book or some colored pencils and spend some time coloring without worrying about being perfect.
- Journal: Write down your thoughts, feelings, ideas, or anything else that’s on your mind.
- Draw or paint: Get creative and draw or paint whatever comes to mind, even if you don’t consider yourself artistic.
- Bake something: Pick a delicious recipe, spend some time baking, and enjoy the amazing smell while you wait for your treats.
- Try a new recipe: Find a recipe you’ve never made before and have fun experimenting in the kitchen.
- Make a playlist: Create a playlist filled with your favorite songs or make one for a specific mood, season, or activity.
- Do something crafty: Get out your craft supplies and make something cute, fun, or completely random.
- Take photos: Grab your camera or phone and go around taking photos of little things that catch your eye.
- Write something: Write a short story, a poem, a blog post, or simply put your imagination onto paper.
- Start a little DIY project: Pick a small project you’ve been wanting to try and spend a cozy afternoon making something yourself.
- Make a vision board: Collect pictures, quotes, and ideas that represent the life you want and create your own little vision board.
- Try a new hobby: Pick something you’ve always wanted to try and give yourself some time to see if you enjoy it.
Fun vibes
- Do a puzzle: Pick a puzzle you like and spend some quiet time putting all the pieces together.
- Play a board game: Choose one of your favorite board games and enjoy a little friendly competition.
- Do a crossword: Challenge your brain with a crossword puzzle and see how many clues you can figure out.
- Play cards: Grab a deck of cards and play a classic card game by yourself or with someone else.
- Build something: Get creative and build something with LEGO, a model kit, or whatever you have at home.
- Do a quiz: Find a fun quiz online or grab a trivia book and see how much you know.
- Learn something random: Pick a completely random topic that interests you and spend some time learning about it.
- Organize your bookshelf: Rearrange your books, organize them by genre or color, and rediscover some old favorites.
- Make a bucket list: Write down all the things you’d love to do, places you want to visit, and experiences you want to have.
- Try something you’ve never done before: Pick something new and exciting, even if it’s just a small activity you’ve never tried before.
Reset Vibes
- Have an at-home spa day: Turn your home into a little spa, light some candles, put on relaxing music, and spend the day pampering yourself.
- Take a long shower or bath: Take your time, use your favorite shower products, and enjoy a long, relaxing shower or bath.
- Do a face mask: Put on your favorite face mask and take some time to relax while it does its thing.
- Wash your hair and use a hair mask: Give your hair some extra love and turn your hair-washing routine into a little self-care ritual.
- Change your bedsheets: Put on some fresh, clean bedsheets and enjoy that amazing feeling of getting into a freshly made bed.
- Declutter one drawer: Pick one drawer and get rid of anything you no longer need or use.
- Clean your room: Put on some music and give your room a good clean so you can enjoy a fresh and tidy space.
- Decorate your room: Add some new decorations, candles, flowers, or anything else that makes your space feel more like you.
- Rearrange your space: Move some furniture around or change things up to give your room a completely different feel.
- Do your nails: Give yourself a little manicure or paint your nails in a color you love.
- Put on your comfiest clothes: Get into your softest pajamas, sweatpants, or favorite cozy outfit and get comfortable.
- Have a slow morning: Don’t rush out of bed; take your time, make a nice breakfast, enjoy your coffee, and ease into the day.
Go outside Vibes
- Go for a long walk: Take your time, enjoy the fresh air, and let yourself wander without worrying about getting anywhere quickly.
- Explore somewhere new: Visit a neighborhood, town, park, or little spot you’ve never been to before and see what you discover.
- Visit a bookstore: Take your time browsing the shelves, discover new books, and maybe treat yourself to a new read.
- Go to a café: Find a cozy café, order your favorite drink, and enjoy some quiet time by yourself or with a friend.
- Go thrifting: Browse through thrift stores and see if you can find some unique clothes, home décor, or little treasures.
- Visit a farmers’ market: Walk around the stalls, discover local products, and pick up something delicious to take home.
- Get a coffee to go: Grab your favorite coffee and take it with you while you go for a walk or explore somewhere.
- Go to a museum: Spend a few hours looking at art, learning something new, and enjoying a change of scenery.
- Take yourself on a little date: Get dressed up, go somewhere you love, and treat yourself as if you were taking someone else out.
- Go for a drive: Put on your favorite playlist, grab a drink, and go for a relaxing drive with no real destination in mind.
- Sit somewhere outside and people-watch: Find a nice spot, grab a drink, and simply watch the world go by for a while.
Friends/Family Vibes
- Have dinner with friends: Cook a delicious meal together, order your favorite food, or simply enjoy a cozy dinner and catch up.
- Call someone you haven’t spoken to in a while: Reach out to an old friend or family member and spend some time catching up.
- Have a sleepover: Stay up late talking, watching movies, eating snacks, and enjoying each other’s company.
- Bake with a friend: Pick a fun recipe, bake something delicious, and enjoy your homemade treats together.
- Cook dinner together: Choose a recipe you both want to try and turn cooking dinner into a fun activity.
- Have a movie night: Pick a few movies, grab some snacks, get cozy, and enjoy a relaxing night together.
- Play games together: Bring out your favorite board games or card games and have a little friendly competition.
- Go for a walk and talk: Take a relaxing walk together and use the time to catch up and talk about everything and nothing.
- Invite someone over: Have a friend over for coffee, dinner, a movie, or simply a cozy afternoon together.
- Have a phone-free hangout: Put your phones away and focus completely on spending quality time together.Foto door Polina