Including the positive impact after removing unwanted habits or hobbies too
Spinning yarn. Fiber arts in general, but spinning is very low effort. It keeps your hands busy while you watch something on TV (or if you’re waiting in a waiting room) so you don’t feel the urge to grab your phone. Drop spindles are also very affordable and probably the best way to learn. You could spin wool roving or top. You could also go forage a ton of wild nettle (do that it in the winter so it doesn’t sting), process the nettle, then spin that. Or you could get into the dying process, which is super fun. It’s an entire rabbit hole.
The fun thing is you can use the product of the low effort hobby in higher effort hobbies like weaving. And once you get fabric from weaving on a rigid heddle or floor/table loom, you can amp up the effort even more in following a pattern and sewing things from that fabric. Or just hang it and look at it.
Instead of cherry picking “low effort” habits or hobbies. Pick habits you value and hobbies you like, then just put in a bit of effort starting from the lowest amount. Stop when you think it’s too much.
Set the phone in another room.
Hey, sometimes the phones are hucked into the other room if they’re going off too much. Time out, Daddy’s gotta work.
I take the stairs, when i’m sad, frustrated or upset i do pushups
Step outside of your routine. Drive 20 minutes down the road on a whim and go to the park. Go for a walk. Break the monotony of life in small ways all throughout the day/week. Less screen time too.
Is this the “touching grass” activity they spoke of? Seems scary.
Well kind of. But it’s more like touch DIFFERENT grass. Like whereever you live I bet there’s a river or creak or lake or whatever within a 30 minute drive. Go there. Check it out. Sit next to it for a minute. Let yourself be an ape for a minute. It’s what we are. Just follow your whims. See a cool rock? Go check that shit out.
call friends & loved ones even if there’s no particular reason to
Do a kindness to someone without expectation of recognition or return
Read a book
Find an enjoyable exercise
Sit under a tree on a nice day
Leisure walk every day. 30 minutes is enough.
Don’t smoke, don’t drink alcohol.
Drink a lot of water.
Regular sleep schedule. Sleep hygiene.
Eat healthy.
Appreciative social contacts.
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10-15 min walks. Great time to just get the body moving and get into deep thought or listen to an audiobook
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Having a regular water refill routine
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Weekly/monthly budget/finances review
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All the small annoying non “fun” stuff that every old persons unsolicited advice essentially.
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No matter how much your brain tells you that it’s go time… You need to take 10 minutes a day to stare at the ceiling, have a bath, or do nothing and turn that fucker off.
E: I know my own brain, it will not stop. So I literally have a repeat task in my calendar and my do not disturb set to go on for that 10 minutes automatically!
Cutting off stressful, negative, or hateful friends and family members has had a hugely positive effect in overall life quality and wallet.
Wash my hands the second I get home.
Semi-regularly wash the touch surfaces in my home including door knobs and light switches.
I don’t get sick like I used to.
Going for a walk is generally a good thing.
Take out the next days clothes the night before, its one less thing to think about in the morning.
Make your bed when you wake up it requires minimal thought and slowly wakes your brain up.
Team Sports are pretty good for a social life. As in casual leagues. Just daydrinking with extra steps.
