99 Alternatives to Scrolling on Your Phone
The Thieves of Joy Nobody Warned You About
Do you ever find yourself picking up your phone without even realising it? One minute you’re waiting for the kettle to boil, the next you’re knee-deep in someone else’s holiday snaps, wondering why your life suddenly looks a bit . . . beige.
We all know scrolling isn’t great for us, but what if I told you it’s not just a time-waster - it’s actively stealing your joy?
As part of my recent positive psychology course with Dr. Laurie Santos at Yale (yes, the famous “Science of Wellbeing”), I learned that social media feeds three major joy-thieves. And once you spot them, you can’t unsee them:
The Three Joy-Thieves of Social Media
Lack of real social connection.
Humans are hardwired to thrive in community, we need eye contact, laughter, conversations that go off on tangents, yet ironically, social media makes us feel lonelier. Multiple studies (including one from Stanford University) show the more time we spend on social media, the lonelier we actually feel. It’s a cruel trick — the promise of connection that leaves us emptier than before.
The comparison trap
Comparison isn’t just the thief of joy, it’s a full-time burglar. Social media feeds our brains unrealistic benchmarks: everyone looks richer, prettier, busier, happier. Our brains are terrible at context. It doesn’t matter if that influencer is 25, child-free, and living in Bali; your brain still says: “They’re winning. You’re losing.” Psychologists call this reference bias — we constantly recalibrate our happiness against illusions, which makes us feel worse about our own very real, very human lives.
Boredom and the absence of flow.
Scrolling is the anti-flow state. Instead of being challenged, motivated, or absorbed in something meaningful, we’re left half-distracted, half-bored. It gives us the illusion of filling time, while actually robbing us of purpose, creativity, and joy. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s research on flow shows that humans are happiest when engaged in absorbing activities — not numbly flicking a thumb on glass.
So yes, keeping up with the Joneses is bad enough. Keeping up with the curated, filtered, possibly AI-generated Joneses? Exhausting.
Why Logging Off Is a Shortcut to Happiness
Here’s the good news: the less time you spend scrolling, the easier it gets. Every time you put the phone down, you open a window for connection, creativity, purpose — the stuff that actually makes life feel good.
And to prove it’s not about giving something up, but about gaining something better, I’ve put together a list of 99 things you can do instead. Think of it as a joy menu: pick one next time you catch yourself reaching for your phone.
99 Alternatives to Scrolling
Instead of spending your precious life minutes thumb-flicking through other people’s holidays, try one of these. (I promise, none require ring lights or hashtags.)
🌱 Creative Joy
Paint or Sketch something badly (it still counts).
Write a haiku about your dog.
Bake a cake and don’t post it online.
Try origami with yesterday’s Amazon box.
Recreate a famous painting with household objects. Mona Lisa with a mop, anyone?
Knit, crochet, embroider — or just tangle some yarn and call it “modern art.”
Make a mood board for the season ahead.
Start a DIY project like painting a chair.
Build a blanket fort. No age limit applies.
Write in a journal (just a few sentences counts).
Make a scrapbook or photo album.
Write a song or choreograph a dance.
Play an instrument.
Make candles or try a new craft.
Write a terrible limerick. The worse it is, the better it gets.
Invent a cocktail (or mocktail) with whatever’s in the fridge. Name it something absurd.
Make up a secret handshake with a friend or your kid. Bonus points if it’s overcomplicated.
🏡 Home Joy
Change your bedsheets (instant hotel vibes).
Light a candle and properly enjoy it.
Cook dinner without looking at a recipe once.
Re-pot a plant or talk to it, both help.
Clean out your bag (prepare to find crumbs from 2019).
Organise your wardrobe by colour.
Read a book or magazine.
Listen to a podcast.
Do a crossword or Sudoku.
Start a puzzle.
Bake something delicious.
Learn a language.
Write a bucket list.
Watch a film — and actually watch it.
Try adult colouring.
Rearrange a room or furniture.
Tidy up for five minutes (set a timer).
Empty the dishwasher. - later you will thank you for this.
Clean your desk.
Water the plants.
Sort your wardrobe and donate items.
Meal prep for the week.
Clean out the fridge.
Mend clothing.
Write a shopping list.
🚶Outdoor Joy
Go for a walk without your phone (revolutionary, I know).
Visit your local farmer’s market.
Watch the clouds and make up ridiculous shapes.
Try wild swimming (or just wild paddling).
Go thrifting for something utterly impractical.
Take a detour down a street you’ve never walked.
Sit on a bench and people-watch.
Take a hike — literally.
Collect conkers or pinecones like you’re 8 again.
Volunteer locally.
Ride your bike.
Have a sunset race to the top of a hill.
Lie on the grass and do nothing. Revolutionary, right?
Take a gym class.
Visit a local gallery or museum.
Sit in a café and people-watch. - Can you guess I love a spot of people watching!?!
Explore a park you’ve never been to.
Sit outside at night and stargaze. Phone firmly indoors — Orion doesn’t care about your notifications.
💪 Body Joy
Stretch while the kettle boils.
Dance to one full song, all the way through.
Hula hoop (kids’ toys count).
Try a five-minute yoga video.
Dust off your bike.
Play catch with your kids, your dog, or anyone who’ll humour you.
Skip rope.
Do 10 push-ups or crunches.
Roller skate.
Go for a swim.
Lift weights if you have them - or a small toddler.
Try a new sport or game.
💌 Connection Joy
Write a letter to a friend (yes, with actual paper).
Ring your mum. She’ll love it.
Plan a coffee date and actually show up.
Start a “joy jar.” Ask friends/family to drop in happy moments to read back later.
Host a phone-free dinner.
Deliver biscuits to a neighbour.
Write surprise notes to leave in someone’s coat pocket. Future-you counts too.
Say hello to a stranger. (Remember when we used to do that?)
Host a game night
Cook dinner with a partner or child
Plan a ‘just because’ celebration. Half-birthdays and Tuesdays work.
Chat with your neighbour.
Take a walk with a friend.
Do a chore for someone without telling them. Silent joy is still joy.
Strike up a conversation with your barista.
Bake something to share.
Host a Sunday lunch
Host a “bring your own sandwich” picnic.
Play cards or a board game with someone. Uno arguments are character-building.
🛁 Self-Care Joy
Take a long bath.
Paint your nails in a ridiculous colour.
Try a face mask without documenting it.
Read one chapter of a book you love.
Meditate for five minutes (no app needed).
Nap. No guilt.
Foam roll or stretch tired muscles.
Make a vision board.
Light a candle or diffuse oils.
Do your makeup just for fun.
Sit outside in the sunshine.
The Joyful Reframe
Here’s the truth: scrolling feels like rest, but it rarely is. It numbs instead of nourishes. Every time you choose one of these tiny alternatives, you’re not just breaking a habit, you’re building a life that feels more yours.
So the next time your thumb hovers over Instagram, pause. Ask yourself: do I want to watch someone else’s life, or live my own?
Your future self will thank you.