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    "parsed_content": "Games and hobbies118 Things to Do Instead of DoomscrollingPublished September 21, 202620NYT WirecutterBy Annemarie ConteAnnemarie Conte writes the Ask Wirecutter column, investigative features, and trending-product reviews. She\u2019d love to make you a friendship bracelet.I spent over a month doing a digital detox with my family to become more intentional about how we use our phones. In the process, I discovered how many cracks of time emerged when we put down our phones \u2014 and how much we needed to relearn how to fill them. To help combat cries of \u201cI\u2019m b-o-o-o-o-o-o-red!\u201d (from everyone!) in those quiet moments when it felt like absolutely nothing was going on, my colleagues and I brainstormed this list of fun, interesting, smart, or silly things to do instead of staring at phones. Skip the brain rot and dive into this long scroll of brain juice.Read a book. Write a book. Stare at some art.Make some art. (Use watercolors or colored pencils, or make a collage. Or, experiment with something entirely different, like making land art.)Cook or bake something you love. Simmer some tomato sauce or whip up a cake. Or, make some boxed brownies and top them with raspberry sorbet. Crank out some homemade pasta. Churn some ice cream. Then, invent your own ice cream flavor!Research a new-to-you recipe. Research a new-to-you restaurant. Next, plan a \u201ccrawl\u201d of local restaurants, getting one appetizer at each location.Go to a grocery store and find a food you\u2019ve never eaten before. Play a solo board game. Play a yard game.Play a cozy video game. Gather a group for a board game or a card game. Sign up for a mystery-box game. Then, secretly sign someone else up!Plan a game night. (Even if you don\u2019t think you\u2019re a \u201cgame person.\u201d)Put together a puzzle. Display your completed puzzle.Plan a puzzle party.Take a dog for a walk.Groom a dog.Teach a dog a trick.\u00a0Watch a dog sleep.Befriend an emotionally needy dog.Go for a cat-spotting walk.Watch a cat sleep on something weird and uncomfortable instead of a soft cat bed.Teach a cat a trick. (That should keep you busy for a while!)Go for a walk.Go for a run.Go for a run-walk.Go for a bike ride. (Do some bike maintenance first, if necessary: Lube the chain, inflate the tires.)Practice yoga.Play tennis, Kadima, or pickleball.Improve your stability (mental and physical).Build up your toe mobility.Hold a plank for as long as you can \u2014 even if it\u2019s only a second. (You\u2019ll get better with practice.) Challenge someone to a plank contest.Clean everything.\u00a0Organize your medicine cabinet.Empty your junk drawer. Then fill it with actually useful stuff.Dust your plants.Shred junk mail.Do some soft decluttering.Do a DIY project you\u2019ve been avoiding. (May we suggest installing a new showerhead or replacing a worn-out toilet seat?)Check your smoke detector batteries.Sharpen your kitchen knives. Sharpen your pocket knives. (Try it. It\u2019s very meditative.)Pack a go bag, collect an emergency kit, and establish an emergency plan.Do some end-of-life planning for yourself or a loved one.Schedule a doctor appointment you\u2019ve been putting off.Start physical therapy for an injury you\u2019ve been ignoring.Adopt a \u201cgrandma hobby.\u201dPick up knitting or another fiber craft, such as crochet, needlepoint, or cross-stitch.Alter or repurpose ill-fitting or worn-out clothes.Tie-dye something.Learn origami.\u00a0Make friendship bracelets.Learn to read tarot cards.Learn cursive. Reward yourself with a really great pen.Write thank-you notes on beautiful stationery.Find an awesome new pen pal. Send a postcard to someone you love. Or, send a postcard to someone you dislike but with whom you\u2019re willing to bury the hatchet. Write in a diary, keep a \u201ccommonplace book,\u201d or start a junk journal.Press flowers.Build a fairy house.Plant a raised bed or a potted garden.Propagate houseplants.Begin brewing beer or kombucha at home.Make your own limoncello.Concoct a dirty soda.Learn to make latte art.Paint your nails or try new skin care.Build a Lego set with loved ones.Design a Lego minifig that looks like someone you love.Play around with an electronics kit.Put together a teeny-tiny miniature kit.Design something to 3D-print and head to your local library\u2019s makerlab to create it.Head out with a metal detector to search for buried treasure.Dig for fossils (or buy \u201cfossils\u201d and bury them).Take a telescope out for some stargazing.Go on a scavenger hunt. (IKEA is a great place for this.)Learn to use a fancy camera or a film camera.Go for a photo walk. (Choose a theme, or make it a scavenger hunt.)Find a local awe-inspiring spot to explore.Go for a hike.\u00a0Go on a picnic.Go foraging. (Take along Sam Thayer\u2019s Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants.)Go birding. (Sean Bean has some tips.)Ask a native gardener about their plants.Ask a farmer about their favorite produce.Ask a trainspotter about their favorite engine. Ask a car aficionado about their favorite automobile.Purchase the cheapest ticket to a baseball game and just wander around the park. Visit a local museum or history center (the more niche, the better). Find a drive-in movie theater.Introduce yourself to a neighbor.Organize a block party with your neighbors.Host an analog night. Invite family and friends to bring over books and magazines, listen to vinyl, or watch a DVD. (You can check out DVDs from the library!)Plan a murder-mystery party.Throw a party for any other reason. (Or, for no reason at all.)Memorize some magic tricks to perform or jokes to tell at parties.Plan a fantasy trip.Watch a silent film.Make a silent film.Create a zine.Stick googly eyes on things. (Maybe not on public monuments.)Learn about lightning.Research the driest desert in the world.Find the most delicious dessert in the world.Refine your debate skills. Make up an outrageous lie. Back a car into a driveway without hitting the house.Listen to a piece of music you\u2019ve never heard before.Rewrite the ending to a book\/play\/movie\/TV show that disappointed you.Watch Schitt\u2019s Creek for the first time, or the fiftieth time.Watch Bluey\u2019s \u201cThe Creek\u201d (Season 1, Episode 29). It\u2019s literally about playing outside.Do an attention audit.Do nothing.Annie Chou contributed reporting. This article was edited by Courtney Schley and Lauren Sullivan. Get today\u2019s recommendationExpert advice. Very good deals. The absolute best (and worst) things we\u2019ve tested lately. Sent to your inbox daily.Sign UpFor information about our privacy practices, including how to opt out of marketing emails, see our Privacy Policy. For general questions, contact us anytime.AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTMeet your guideAnnemarie ConteDeputy EditorWhat I CoverI write the Ask Wirecutter advice column, review trending products, and dig into product-focused investigations.Whenever possible, I like to offer free fixes, low-cost solutions, and bigger investments so that readers can decide which option works best for them. I write about what is worth buying, what is overhyped junk, and everything in between.AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENT",
    "published_at": "2026-09-21T00:00:00+00:00",
    "author_name": "Annemarie Conte",
    "site_name": "Wirecutter",
    "section": "Games and hobbies",
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    "ai_headline": "118 Things to Do Instead of Doomscrolling",
    "ai_simplified_title": "Annemarie Conte Lists Alternatives to Doomscrolling",
    "ai_excerpt": "Annemarie Conte shares a comprehensive list of 118 activities to engage in instead of doomscrolling, drawing from her own digital detox experience. The suggestions range from creative hobbies and physical activities to home improvement and social interactions, aiming to fill quiet moments intentionally.",
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