During the winter of 2024, Rachel Martin realized that nearly all her free time revolved around screens. “I couldn’t really think of hobbies or things that I did that took a break from the digital world,” said the 33-year-old from Sydney, Australia.
Between television, video games and digital art, Martin often spent more than 12 hours a day in front of screens. Wanting an offline alternative, she experimented with different activities before discovering journaling with fountain pens and specialty inks. “It’s quite a cool tactile experience,” she said. The hobby even introduced her to a community of fountain pen enthusiasts in her city.
“It’s something that I definitely didn’t expect to love,” Martin said. “But it actually really helped me go (mostly) screen-free.” Her motivation was also health-related, as screens tend to trigger her chronic migraines.
Experts say taking up a new hobby can be an effective way to reduce screen time. Enjoyable pastimes not only provide a mental reset but can also lower stress and benefit physical health.
Sarah Pressman, professor of psychological science at the University of California, Irvine, said there is no “perfect” hobby. “Having a mix of small enjoyable activities — a little bit of pickleball, cooking something new, chatting with a friend over coffee, spending some time in your garden — can have a cumulative effect on your mood and health,” she explained.
Matthew Zawadzki, associate professor of psychological sciences at the University of California, Merced, suggested starting small. Even short bursts of activity lasting 5 to 20 minutes can be refreshing. “A pastime may not reset your life, but instead it’s going to reset the next hour,” he said.
Trying different activities is also key, experts said. Hobbies from childhood, fitness routines, reading, volunteering or creative work can all serve as starting points. Zawadzki added: “It’s about being more intentional about how you use your time.”
For those struggling to move away from screens, experts recommend keeping hobbies visible and accessible, setting clear goals and enlisting friends for accountability. Still, they cautioned against demonizing screen time altogether. Watching a movie with family or exercising while following a TV show can also have positive outcomes.
“Any kind of activity has the potential to be positive,” Zawadzki noted. “But you have to optimize it a little bit to serve your goals.”
Ultimately, experts said, the key is not perfection but balance. “Step one is actually experiencing that positivity when you engage in these activities,” said Gabriela Tonietto, an associate professor of marketing at Rutgers Business School. “The consequences of that are feeling more relaxed, feeling less stressed, feeling happier.”