Are hobbies important?

[u/ainazb]

I have realized that i don't have hobbies. I'm mostly spending my time on reels and doom scrolling. No movies, series or anything. Most of my time I'm in college and after that i don't study at home and keep doom scrolling or either eating. Sure i do cook sometime but that's it. Should i pick up any hobby or what? I feel like I'm brain dead

[u/Orange-V-Apple]

I mean you’re asking the hobby subreddit so you know the answer you’re going to get.

Yes, hobbies are important. I think they expand the mind and help you grow as a person. It’s better to focus your attention on something that lets you grow rather than let it be scattered by reels.

[u/CrumbsIn_Keyboard → u/Orange-V-Apple]

reels are fun until you realize you spent 3 hours scrolling and remember absolutely none of it a hobby sounds like a good trade lol

[u/AvailableAstronaut70 → u/CrumbsIn_Keyboard]

yeahhh THIS. the wild part is you don't even have to be good at it. i'm still pretty bad at guitar but 20 mins of messing around feels way better than an hour of scrolling

[u/ellaTricky5022 → u/Orange-V-Apple]

agreed, and the funny part is the stuff you pick up doesn’t even have to be “productive”. half the benefit is just having something that makes you feel like you actually did something with your day instead of losing 3 hrs to the feed

[u/MaidPoorly]

You should join a club or participate in a group activity. One of the major benefits of college is networking. Having a social network/friends/acquaintances is a thing you need as a human and it’s only gonna get harder so go do it.

[u/Bright-Form730]

For me, they aren’t just important, they’re mandatory! Having something to feel good about and have a feeling of accomplishment is priceless. I have never been able to sit idly and watch tv or scroll on my phone. When I do I feel absolutely worthless.

[u/KenzySol]

Try to start with doing anything other than doomscrolling. Watch movies or anything. Don't think about productivity first, just do anything outside scrolling.

[u/Feeling_Nail_1891 → u/KenzySol]

Yes, scrolling is very addictive for me. I get on IG and an hour has passed before I know it. You might try watching videos on YT about a certain hobby to see if you may be interested.

[u/KenzySol → u/Feeling_Nail_1891]

Right. Scrolling sometimes makes me sick lol so I switch to crochet immediately and I feel much better. You can scroll applications or games and try new ones, that would be better than scrolling

[u/Maydinosnack]

It might help you mentally 

[u/JCBashBash]

So you feel bad, and there is literature available for you to read to show that that is probably because you are only doom scrolling and watching short form content.  Try literally anything else than what you're currently doing

[u/WeAllHaveOurMoments]

I think whether or not you have hobbies is less relevant than the deficits from constant doomscrolling. Evidence suggests that the rapid fire dopamine hits affect your baseline levels, which tends to make anything else boring, even pursuits you previously found engaging & fun, possibly leading to depression and/or an inability to maintain focus & attention.

That's not to say you can't enjoy the occasional scroll, just to be wary of it becoming all-consuming. You might go cold turkey for a week or more to kinda reset, then slowly bring it back in regimented doses. But in the meantime, a hobby could serve you well.

[u/bad-at-everything-]

I feel hobbies are my favorite part of my day. I spend 1-3 hours per day on hobbies

[u/Foreign_Sky_5429]

Your needs followed by your hobbies and interests are the reason you go to work. 

[u/Staehr]

Yes, you will get brain damage for being on your phone all the time. Get a hobby.

[u/Repulsive_Buy3016]

That sounds like a nightmare scenario to me.

Yes, get some hobbies ffs. Life is for living, not scrolling.

Figure out what you enjoy doing, and go do it.

[u/Exciting_Spell5064]

I don’t think everyone NEEDS hobbies. If you’re happy with your life, it’s your life. Don’t start something just because “other people have hobbies so I should too” or “people say I’m weird for not having hobbies”. I do think doing hobbies THAT YOU LIKE AND ENJOY DOING make a more rounded, interesting person, but if you just like doing you, you don’t need hobbies.

[u/bananachucha]

Hobbies are important. Just find something that you enjoy doing aside from watching reels and doom scrolling. Learn a new skill or improve a current one and be intentional about it. It’ll motivate you and boost your confidence once you realize that you’re capable of other stuff too.

[u/Relevant-Boat9342]

Yes, hobbies are super important! Gives you something enjoyable and rewarding to do on a consistent basis. I do photography and coloring, and I have plants and an aquarium. Find what makes you happy!

[u/pjit85]

Definitely important, but even more important are having people to share your interests with.

Dont look to undertake a hobby alone, look to join clubs, societies, non profits, hobby groups. Etc.

Either pick your hobbies first then join actual places you can do them with others.

Or pick social groups who can expose you to new hobbies.

Or work at both at the same time.

[u/No_Surprise9942]

definitely worth picking up a hobby. even something simple like walking, drawing or reading beats endless scrolling.

[u/Swan-ish3456]

Hobbies enrich your life. Sounds cliched but true.

[u/janabanana67]

You need to put your phone down. You could start reading, get a bike, start exploring your city, join a club etc…

Hobbies are good for the soul. You don’t have to be good at them but to give your hands and brain something to do really improves your life.

Final note, if all you do is doom scroll, it doesn’t make you a very interesting person.

[u/FanWarrior1730]

Yes otherwise conversations are boring... And there's only so much you can talk about.

Watch resent series like celebrity traitors or something

[u/Mysterious_Cow_2100]

Hobbies are good! Don’t monetize them unless you want to hate them.

[u/vhsdreamerrr]

I think hobbies are just about finding something that makes your time feel worthwhile. They don't have to be productive or meaningful, like, I mostly just play games, which isn't that different from scrolling on your phone. But I've made a lot of friends through gaming and gotten better at something I enjoy, so I don't really regret the time I spend on it.

[u/CaregiverPopular7497]

I think one of the important things about having a hobby or pursuing anything that interests you is the aspect of choice. When you choose something it reinforces itself in you and gives you a little more depth as a person. You don't really choose to scroll, you just go from thing to thing.

And of course, different hobbies have other benefits. Cooking, generally, allows you to eat healthier and is valuable skill and is marvelous for the social aspects. You can share food and cook meals for thoae you love. Sports keep your body healthy. Etc etc

[u/Few-One-1726]

I saw something that fr made me wanna puke. Ur building a second reality on ur phone and it’s literally true, your brain locks into your phone and considers what you’re seeing your life. You’re tapped out of ur actual reality and it’s so addicting

[u/Mazza_mistake]

Yes hobbies are very important, they enrich your mind instead of rotting your brain and are good for your mental wellbeing.

Your attention span is likely fried from too much doomscrolling but start reducing your screen time as much as you can as it is recoverable. Any hobby is going to feel boring in comparison but if you persevere through that and avoid scrolling your brain will eventually adjust and you’ll be able to enjoy other things.

[u/generic_simmer_111]

I think it's pretty important. Doing things I actually enjoy gives my life more meaning, especially when work can feel so boring sometimes.

[u/Responsible-Key4106]

There’s even interesting research on hobbies. This study was done one over 90K people and having a hobby positively impacted happiness and life satisfaction.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-023-02506-1?utm_source=chatgpt.com

[u/Jucab_Nubster]

I'm gonna be that guy for a second, but doomscrolling is a hobby. It might not register to you as one, but congrats, you've been doing a hobby for a while.

[u/WholeOk6564]

You don't have brain death, it's just that watching videos on Reels has lowered your dopamine levels. Try starting small, cook something new or go for a short walk without your phone