Someone asks what you do for fun, and you don’t have an answer. You used to. These days the free hour goes to your phone, and it doesn’t feel like a hobby.
How do you find a hobby as an adult?
Start with something you used to do, try it for ten minutes, and notice how it feels. You don’t need a free Saturday or a shopping trip. You need one idea and ten undistracted minutes.
Those are the three steps in Chapter 9 of Offline.now: A Practical Guide to Healthy Digital Balance:
- Pick one. List a few things you used to do. Maybe you wrote short stories or fiddled with a guitar. Choose just one.
- Give it 10 minutes. Ten undistracted minutes, daily or every other day.
- Notice what happens. If you’re enjoying it, let the ten minutes stretch. If you’re not, try a different one next week.
There’s no step about getting good at it.
What if nothing interests you?
Then lower the bar. You’re looking for something mildly interesting, and that’s enough to begin. For a lot of people, the interest shows up after they start.
If you can’t choose, let a coin choose. Number 100 on our list of 100 things to do instead of scrolling is “flip a coin to decide what to do next.”
Your type on the Offline.now Matrix can help with the size of the first step. If you’re Stuck or Overwhelmed, pick the smallest idea on the page. Lasting change runs on confidence, not willpower: start where you actually are, with a step small enough to win.
For more on small first steps, see Lacking Confidence? How to Build it with Tiny Steps.
What are easy hobbies to start today?
Start from what you used to like. Each idea below takes ten minutes and comes from the list.
| If you used to like | Try |
|---|---|
| Making things | Sketch something around you (No. 21). Play with clay or kinetic sand (No. 23). |
| Being outside | Go for a walk without headphones (No. 16). Take a walk and collect small objects (No. 60). |
| Music | Listen to a full album start to finish (No. 79). Hum or sing through your favorite album from memory (No. 96). |
| Food | Try a recipe with only five ingredients (No. 72). Bake something and give half away (No. 65). |
| Games | Play a card game or dominoes (No. 64). Make up a game or challenge for yourself (No. 97). |
| Words | Start a “no-screen” journal (No. 83). Memorize a short poem or quote (No. 90). |
For longer lists, see analog hobbies and free hobbies. If you’re worn out, start with low-energy hobbies.
How do you make time for a hobby?
Tie the ten minutes to something that already happens. “When I sit down after dinner, I sketch for ten minutes.” Deciding ahead of time helps you follow through. What to do instead of scrolling, and how to make it stick explains why.
It also takes a while to feel automatic. See how long it takes to form a habit.
What if you don’t stick with it?
Then you tried something for a week. That’s the third step working. Pick another. Some hobbies are easier with company, so see hobbies for couples if there’s someone to ask.
Frequently asked questions
Is it normal to have no hobbies as an adult?
A lot of adults say the same thing. Work and family take the hours, and the phone takes what’s left. Ten minutes with one old interest is enough to find out what’s still there.
What are good hobbies for beginners?
Ones with no skill needed and nothing to buy. Sketching what’s in front of you is one. Folding paper is another. Both are in analog hobbies.
How many hobbies should I try before I pick one?
As many as it takes. Try one a week for ten minutes a day. Keep the one you look forward to.
About Offline.now
Offline.now offers free help with your phone habits. It starts with two questions. Your answers show your type and a first step small enough to take this week. Find your starting place.
The ideas here come from the book Offline.now: A Practical Guide to Healthy Digital Balance by Eli Singer. The book is on Amazon.
