- Is being on your phone a hobby?
- New research reveals that 1/4 of people consider scrolling through social media a genuine hobby.
- This view aligns with trends in the hobby and social media search interests over time:
- Whether scrolling through social media is a genuine hobby depends on how we define a hobby.
- We suggest defining a hobby as “something we do with the immediate and primary goal of improving our well-being, which sustainably does so”.
- In the research, 32% of participants stated that “screen scrolling is a way to relax and escape the stresses of life”.
- This statement aligns with the first part of the hobby definition and may explain why many consider screen-scrolling a hobby.
- However, research finds that passive social media use does not improve our well-being and is linked to higher levels of loneliness and psychological distress, making it unlikely to fit the definition of a hobby.
- This finding may encourage us to reduce our screen time – a common recommendation that we should consider.
- However, it isn’t just about how much we use our screens but also about what we use them for.
[…] the amount of time we spend on some form of screen-based technology does not really tell us anything about what we are doing with that time, the quality of the content we are consuming, why we are consuming it, or the context in which we are using it.
Scroll on: why your screen-time habits aren’t as bad as you think they are | Digital media | The Guardian
- While passive social media use may damage our well-being, curated screen use can benefit it.
[…] researchers saw that participants found meaning in a diverse set of experiences, particularly when apps let them connect to the real world.
Patterns of compulsive smartphone use suggest how to kick the habit | ScienceDaily
- Hobbies can help us use our phones more purposefully.
- Many hobbies can be pursued on our smartphones.
- Other hobbies can be supported by following relevant creators, subscribing to related newsletters, and customizing content feeds to your interests.
- You can ask yourself:
How much time do I spend with this app and how much of that time is actually invested in something lasting that transcends this specific moment of use?
Patterns of compulsive smartphone use suggest how to kick the habit | ScienceDaily
- Whether our current phone habits constitute an addiction or not, hobbies can help us replace them with healthier ones.
- Curated phone use also increases the likelihood of coming across content we’ve already seen, which often serves as a trigger to end compulsive phone usage.
- On the other hand, unoccupied moments, like waiting for a friend to show up, are common triggers for compulsively using our phones. Instead, we can use these moments as opportunities to practice Niksen.
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