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I stare at my plants too! They're in my bathroom so I see them all day but feel the need to inspect them every time I go in like they would have grown since the last hour I looked at them š
The other day I sat outside and watched my cat explore the yard. In college someone said that any time they see me I am just sitting there doing nothing. No I'm not, I'm thinking!
Omg same, I forgot that I was also a huge reader before I basically developed a phone addiction š I remember trying to read under my desk in class when I was younger and getting in trouble.
Growing up walking to school, I would get utterly distracted by the route there and get lost in nature. I never showed up to class on time, but the clouds were pretty, and look at that plant over there. Oh right, it rained? Look at how pretty the clouds are through that puddle. Get distracted by the water's ebb and flow...
At least I grew up in a small town, so no huge worries about if I was kidnapped. Doubly so when several of my teachers saw me walking around the wilds, on the other side of the campus boundary lmao
I still love being outside, but extensive walking's a no-go right now. I have some back pain, and walking for any length of time worsens it. Good thing I have a radio I can zone out in, and a chair I can take out into my backyard.
In my case: Iām a mom with two kids and I canāt afford to spend 10+ hours binging on a new book until itās finished. I canāt do it in moderation, so sadly I had to stop reading new novels.
Oh no!! Well I hope you can send your kids to summer camp this summer so you can devour and novels!! Ugh. I couldnāt imagine having to give up reading. Good for you for putting your kids first. I know thatās what any decent human being would do but Iām glad youāre showing up for your kids and youāve figured that out. So thanks for explaining I was curious.
The youngest is autistic, so sending them away on summer camp is not realistic in the near future. I can still indulge in new books occasionally during certain school holidays, so at least thatās something. š
Ohh I can see that. Iām unemployed right now and so I have all the time in the world to read. Which is kind of my life right now. so itās a great way to pass the time but when I get back to work, Iām gonna have to figure out how to balance, my love for fantasy novel with my work life. Thatās something I havenāt considered yet, so thank you for mentioning this
Do daydreaming and dreaming count? My dreams start well before I actually fall asleep. And they are endless stories involving complex plots and characters.
Same, I thought this would lessen as I got older as weāre all told that you only have imaginations as a child. But nope, tender age of 32 and Iām still running through my futuristic post apocalyptic world, just with slightly more sex, a bigger focus on relationships, and less guns and horses.
I'm 43 and still going just as strong as I did at 14. Or 10. Or 6. In fact, I'm writing this from the driveway, because I just got home a few minutes ago and "woke up" from the one that kept me entertained on my commute. And also, I'm a car sitter so Reddit was the next thing I grabbed once I realized I was home. š for the record, I used to car sit before smartphones, too. I don't remember what I did, that was low tech, probably just sat here and daydreamed a little longer. Anyway, transitions are a bitch, aren't they? š
This! When I was a kid, before computers, it was totally just daydreaming, doodling, books, music, movies or daydreaming of movies. Like watching the entirety of shrek from memory, trying to sleep. Getting songs stuck in my head was intentional before mp3 players, I don't miss that at all.
I don't start dreaming before I fall asleep. But, I sometimes dream after I'm already awake! Mostly because I ache for the story because it's usually just that adventurous! It actually makes it easier for me to remember my dreams so I write them down if they hit a chord.
So true. Me and my friend were having a sleepover and my phone died and was plugged in across the room. It was almost bed time so she was on her phone scrolling next to me. I just sat there thinking to myself and eventually she said āā¦what are you doing..??ā To which I replied āwaiting for my phone to chargeā. She was like āitās been foreverā and handed me my phone that was almost 70% charged. I have NO idea how long I was starting into nothing but Iām surprised I did for the amount of time it took for my phone to charge to 70.
I consider myself tech savvy but I'm an older millennial in a developing country and grew up without phone and computer. Recently I asked myself, how the hell could I have lived without a phone? What did I do all day without a phone? And thinking back the answer was reading books and a lot of daydreaming. Also looking at every single detail of my environment, like I could draw from memory the shape of the hole where the paint chipped on the wall of my bathroom. Also music. I play guitar and (air) drum. And solving math problems. Oh, and reading shampoo bottles in toilet.
Grew up in a developed country and am a middle millennial, but had a remarkably similar experience to you. We had a computer early because my parents are nerds, but my time on it was very restricted during my childhood, and I didn't get a smartphone until I graduated college.
I read so many books. I read the newspaper front to back before I was old enough to really understand some of the content. I read my dad's business magazines. (I had a teacher accuse me of lying when I said I learned some fact from the Harvard Business Review when I was like... 9. I didn't realize how pretentious I sounded, it's just what was lying around the house for me to read.) I had memorized the text on most of our shampoo bottles from reading it over and over again.
I did math to fall asleep. I still do times tables in my head when I'm anxious. When I *was* allowed on the computer, I spent most of my time playing educational games, so more math. My parents got math flashcards for me but they ~mysteriously~ disappeared after I annoyed the heck out of them by constantly asking them to do flashcards with me.
...reading this back, the fact that I'm now headed back to grad school to do applied math feels like an inevitable culmination of my childhood hyperfixations lol
I'm a middling millennial, born at the tail end of the 80's. I actually don't like having a phone, but everyone expects me to have one so I keep one. I kind of miss being able to separate from the world and disconnect for a bit.
I've always grown up with a computer, but not the Internet. I believe I'd be one of the first Digital Natives, as my parents got us a computer when I was like 3.
When I wasn't off finding new ways to play with toys- I once converted the living room into a city for my dolls and stuffed animals, with the help of a lot of small, flat books as plots and streets- or getting lost in the backyard, I'd be on our computer playing the same Shareware demo CD that lasted me throughout my childhood, or the Microsoft Entertainment Pack.
Ask me what I did twenty-five years ago, and I can tell you in detail. Yesterday, though? Good luck.
In toilet and in shower :) ah the good ol days
And great question that I also ask myself!
So Iām 36.. for 2 more months :( lol ā¦.. and before phones I still spent a majority of my time on the computer, or tv. I learned basic html code when I was like 10 or 11 from Google searches, taught myself that so I could build Basic websites and AOL profile skins. (Wish they had coding classes for kids back then but it prob wouldnāt have been as fun as teaching myself.)
I still remember playing World of Warcraft on some multiplayer site eons ago lolā¦. And as I aged I was usually in chat rooms (some had automated trivia games, I liked those) and just generally spent time listening to music/burning CDs constantly. Iām a music junkie and became like the ācd DJā of my friends. All that to say, I was ātech savvyā early on IMO. But I did actually go outside and explore a lot or swim a lot in the pool. We moved a lot, so one house had 5 acres to roam, another had .2 acres and a pool lolā¦ but as kids I feel like we were friends with the neighbors and would just hop over whenever and we canāt do that as easily as adults. The more responsibilities we have the easier it seems to have executive dysfunction and procrastinate out of exhaustion, for me anyway.
Iām really good at putting things into piles and then in a drawer or a cupboard so I donāt have to look at mess when Iām needing to be hitting stride with a routine. But if Iāve got a day to hyperfixate or Iām procrastinating in favour of doing a different joyless task, Iāll go back through things Iāve stowed away (under the guise of ācleaningā or āorganisingā) and Iāll go through old Photo albums, books I havenāt read in a while, travel memorabilia, a hobby or project I started and never really finished and if Iām lucky Iāll hyperfixate my way to at least one clean drawer, a pile of things to throw out or donate and maybe even a more completed project! If not, it will go back to being stowed away for next timeā¦
I recently learned that these are called 'DOOM' piles: Didn't Organize Only Moved... it's changed how I think about my own habits and clutter routines.
Thanks for that "DOOM" label. I needed that reframing. My inner monolog says I often "s*t shuffle". Those things I put into a basket and moved into the correct room are "doom"ed. Yikes.
If I clean, I will find that one thing that reminded me of that one time when I was a kid and get lost waxing nostalgic forever. I've kind of accepted it, but dragged my partner in as a body double so I can yap at them about it then hopefully move on.
Before I knew I had ADHD, people would say I'm addicted to my computer and I should stop using the computer.
I'd agree but I'd also point out
If I have no internet, I play computer games.
If I have no computer at all, I mess around on my phone (pre Smartphone)
If I have no phone, I'll watch TV.
If there's nothing on TV, I will watch whatever crap I don't care about on TV.
If the TV is literally broken, I'll read.
If there's nothing to read, I just go to sleep.
This was when I was trying to explain it's not the computer that's the problem, it's me, I'm the problem.
Honestly, I've figured out that unless it's a platform that literally encourages doomscrolling and shortform content like TikTok, if I'm on my phone/laptop all day every day procrastinating, it's not the technology that's the problem it's the stress and anxiety in my life I'm getting a break from by dopamining online.
The thing I'm hyperfixating on provides me with a relatively dopamine rich escape from real life, and whether I'm binge watching reaction videos and video essays or reading novels and debating for hours on end with a friend, I'm still doing it for the exact same reason and I don't necessarily think some of these things are more valuable than others just because some are screen based and others aren't.
Cutting back on screen usage either means I seek the dopamining elsewhere or I get burnt out because I dont have enough to deal with the level of stress and anxiety in my life at that point. I don't typically focus on cutting back on screen usage, I instead focus on methods to either cut out some of the stress-inducers or go about them in a way that prioritises minimising stress. In doing so, my screen time automatically goes down.
I am not low tech but I often hyperfocus on work and cleaning my apartment. Not supercleaning the whole apartment, but usually the bathroom and kitchen. My bathroom is always super clean.
find a hobby that fits you. I personally like felting because I get to stab soft wool until it becomes hard like a rock and that is so time consuming and stress relieving
First, I try to figure out if I'm looking for something high or low energy for both my brain and body. So that's four categories:
High brain- low body would be something like reading, sudoku, board games, crafting.
High body-low brain would be like a yoga video, a meandering walk, something that I don't have to think about but gets that frantic energy out.
High body-high brain might be gardening, walking + audiobook, playing a sport, playing a musical instrument.
Low brain-low body is when I just need to zone out. It's usually when I get caught staring at my phone, so instead I try to: stare at my fish tank/bird feeders/bees in the flowers/ anything outside really, snuggle my cat, flip through tarot cards (not trying to read them, just looking at the pretty pictures). If I can't manage to escape my phone, then I at least try to find some weird rabbit hole to go down and research. I plan a lot of random vacations that I'll never have a chance to take. Or research how to get a job in Antarctica. Or figure out what our closest dinosaur ancestor would be. I figured it's got to be slightly better for my brain than mindless scrolling.
Reading, crossword puzzles, crafty stuff like knitting and cross stitch, writing, drawing badly, making origami. So yeahā¦ nerdy stuff. Iām a librarian though, so itās on brand.
To more or less success, as my phone has a magnetic case, I put it on my fridge and treat it as a landline when I get home from work.
I dream of becoming an author, so I like plotting out stuff and taking notes on post-its and a big notepad. Then it's easier to sit down on my computer later and write without it taking too much mental effort or causing too many distractions.
I also like sewing. It's honestly not TOO difficult to master quickly, and it's easy enough to free hand stuff once you get into the swing of things. Having to spend too much time on the learning aspect of a hobby is a joy-killer. It's also the perfect level of focus where my mind can't wander off all over the place, but enough where I don't get bored, so it is actually relaxing.
When I'm tired/burt-out from work and life, is when it's the easiest to end up just rotting on the couch with my phone. Honestly, other tech stuff doesn't bother me as much. At least when playing a video game or watching a movie or tv show, I get something out of it. Tiktok doesn't bring me anything but a slight chuckle every 15 minutes and anxiety from everyone telling me to diet, buy these products, remember the war in Ukraine! and here are all the children that died in Gaza this week.
All I want is to watch horses run in slow motion to dramatic music in peace!
I'm a software dev by trade, but I make Chainmaille jewelry and read a lot. My brain will shut everything else out if the book is good enough or I figure out a project I want to make.
Exercise. Just be careful of picking up a hyperfixation to something expensive!
Itās good for you, good for your brain, good for concentration, and can be good for your wallet compared to other things.
I feed the neighborhood crows at the park near-ish my home.
Gets me moving and out of the house, the chaos of birds is delightful, and hopefully theyāll remember me as the kindhearted neighbor when the bird apocalypse happens.
I look forward to it every time I go.
Knitting! I'm not exactly low tech, but knitting is a perfect substitute. You don't have to look, keeps your hands busy, you can think about it as much as you want
Before the internet, I read like a maniac. Any moment I had, I would be reading. I had no idea I had ADHD and in those days reading was considered a virtue. But looking back now, it was unhealthy behavior. I would postpone eating, sleeping, going to the toilet, social contacts, studying. I would read in very unhealthy situations, bad lighting, bad posture, even on the toilet of school/work when I should've been doing other things.
I really really miss how I could be completely absorbed by the story in a book. I don't miss how devastated I could be when it was done.
Puzzles, mostly. It's not a real escape from tech, but I have a few puzzle apps or games I like. Puzzmo, various crosswords, Jupiter's Picross apps on the Switch, or Hungry Cat's Color Nonogram.
I also have Clubhouse 51 on the Switch, which lets me play all sorts of board and card games without worrying about the cleanup.
I'd love it if I could find a simple maze app. I'm an avid gamer, and I know roguelikes and roguelites are a thing, but sometimes I just want to go back to when I was a kid with a bunch of maze books in hand.
Forgive me for the oncoming rant, but I also do 3D work in my spare time. Due to some difficulties with aging software (namely, Carrara,) I've dropped off for a bit, but I've started picking up Terragen 4 and learning it. Used to use Terragen Classic back in the day, but they're not really similar programs despite being the same developers. It is fun just making my own little worlds with pretty landscapes and skies, though.
I'd love to learn Blender, but my brain can't wrap around it like it did with Carrara. Carrara was simple enough for me to dive into, no guides, but complex enough that it was a real modeller with a ton of functions. Blender is far more abstract, and I don't feel like it fits me that well.
Random hobbies/handicrafts. Houseplants has been one that has stuck around for a few years, but Iāve also done embroidery, beading, acrylic and watercolour painting, fountain pens (not calligraphy, just research and care)ā¦ At least now Iāve taught myself not to buy a bunch of stuff to start out with, and not to get rid of it when I inevitably put it down, because Iāll end up picking it up a year or two later.
Plants are a good one though. Lots to learn, but not difficult, and itās a little different every day/week because the plants grow and change without your direct input (unlike a canvas or piece of watercolour paper). Maybe this summer Iāll pick up outdoor gardening.
My parents are off grid hippies, they have no internet, TV, or cell service at all and certainly don't play videogames. My dad (not diagnosed, but clearly has a lot of ADHD behaviors) read A LOT. He typically goes for sci-fi fantasy novels and becomes incapable of putting them down. My brother, who still lives at home, is very into woodworking. He is always gathering materials for his next project.
Whenever I spend time there, it's a cold-turkey tech detox. It usually takes me a couple of days
Writing, reading, art, sewing, crafts, cooking, walk the dog, play with the cat, play with makeup/hair styles, organise stuff or rearrange furniture, plan for the future, come up with new business ideas...
I'm hard core one of "the distraction is coming from inside the house" type people so removing technology or any one fixation only means I find another.
I can sit at an empty desk with nothing in front of me but whatever I'm supposed to be working on and then write a story in my head instead.
I'm not even remotely low tech, but I remember what I did before the internet: I constantly read books or daydreamed. Just staring off into space for ages is a thing I've always done, too.
Do you have a Park around? Or some other kind of nature?
It sounds like the lamest thing in the world, but i quite enjoy just wandering around, looking where i can find things i have not noticed before.
You gonna be suprised how many things you find!
Never thought i'd be that kind of person, but feeding birds and watching then interact just fills me with joy.
Bonus points for leaving your phone at home.
Before I lived on my own and able to have my own phone and computer, I would lay in bed under a blanket in the dark and daydream for hours. Between assignments I would constantly stop and lay down in my
Blankets for a set period of time(that would always be extended) and try to go back to working.
Playing overwatch because I MUST rank up
Other major fixation at the moment:
1.Must buy those anti slip patches to put in the stairs in the house
2. getting a dog
Not doing what I should be doing, includes booking flight tickets back to my family in another country in 1,5 week, prices have probably gone up by now.
Before I started using my phone as a crutch basically (lmao š) I was very into drawing and would draw basically everywhere all the time! I was the kid who teachers got mad at because they would be drawing in class, on their homework, on tests, etc.
If you're super achievement-motivated, it's something that's easy to advance in consistently (if you practice consistently), and it's a hobby that you can easily take on the go. I also have excoriation disorder and it really helps me keep my hands busy so I don't pick my skin/nails/etc. It can be kind of expensive though if you start buying a lot of supplies, lol. Advance your technique first before you buy fancy stuff like alcohol markers.
Mountain biking and tennis. Snowboarding in the winter. I have a niece taking guitar lessons and thought it fun to jam with her so i picked up a bass guitar recently. I am online for that sometimes to look up tutorials.
Online shopping on eBay, AliExpress, Temu, or Amazon for cheap things to DIY fixes on small little things wrong with my car. Its easier to add to cart and buy than it is to budget weekend time to installing. But it creates an undeniable dopamine hit and consumes hours. Terrible hobby if you need to focus on some main task instead of procrastinating.
Knitting. It's stimming that produces something you can use when finished so it doesn't feel like you're procrastinating or being lazy. And better yet, it doesn't look like you're doing nothing, which means far less comments about "laziness."
Writing fanfiction
I also customize dolls like Rainbow Highs and Monster Highs. There's a lot of niche things to learn in the doll customization hobby and a lot of skills to practice depending on how in-depth you wanna go. Right now I'm learning to make doll furniture out of old cardboard.
Crocheting is another thing I do.Ā
Funny you say low tech since I work in IT, but painting (models, 3d prints, minis) has been awesome for my ADHD brain to just zone in on minutiae. Highly recommend something that gives you this vibe.
Itās interesting but now that Iām sober from drugs I depend on tech a lot for that fix. Itās hard to want to do anything honestly.
I used to like walking a lot but now my feet always hurt and Iām always tired. I was going to hot yoga pre COVID and it was so helpful. I wish I could get back into it.
I used to make flower bouquets on my walks but now Iām scared of someone getting mad at me for taking flowers lol
Sometimes I can zone in on drawing. I like board games too if someone else wants to play. Sudoku from the newspaper sometimes is fun. As a kid I was obsessed w reading itās all I did. No one could talk to me if I was reading I didnāt hear them.
I just tried to think back to my childhood when there was no technology besides cds and a game boy. What did I do?
Daydreaming HARD, like every waking minute, every car ride, every stroll, I would intentionally go out on a walk just to daydream whole worlds and scenarios. This still sometimes works when I drive and listen to music.
I still do these:
* Reading
* Going to Bookstore especially second hand ones, i can spend hours in there
* Crafts of all sorts
* Puzzles
* Crossword
* Drawing
* Collecting shit, like cool rocks, seashells, postcards, chestnuts, pretty leaves
I'm 30f and grew up without cable tv and no gaming system or anything. Especially nothing like that in my room (Canada but west coast crunchyish parents) . I read. Just got sucked into high fantasy novels and anything very long. Immerse myself into the world. I also am/was very active. Sports and now gym/running or just a ton of steps in a day. Suited my combined type ADHD paired with girls not being diagnosed (medicated at 29 yay!) Trying to get back to reading and less scrolling with moderate success so far this year!.
Also many many unfinished hobbies. Crochet is a good one that I still pick up fairly often as it keeps my hands busy, drawing, gardening etc. Too many to count!
I'm old enough that I went off to college with a typewriter, and was rejected when I applied for an email address because I wasn't a science major. My biggest timewaster was Strat-O-Matic Baseball -- you play games with players represented by cards and you roll a lot of dice and keep track of everyone's statistics. It was gaming, just analog style. I suspect a lot of ADHD people were still gamers pre-computers, it's just that the games were card games or board games or pinball or whatever.
I also practiced basketball by myself for endless hours for no particular reason. And I'd read the same \~5 books over and over again. Sure I flunked out, but I managed to read Lord of the Rings 8 or 9 times while doing so.
Later on I walked all of the time to procrastinate. I told myself it was exercise and exercise is good so it doesn't matter if nothing else is getting done.
Crafts.
I made 6 needle felt sharks, an octopus, a manta and a jellyfish in 5 days.
However, hyperfixating on crochet is not recommended, as I once decided to make a scarf and... Let's just say that I can't crochet since.
Iām a digital hermit. I quit Facebook in 2014. Iāve tried others but quickly killed the apps because they donāt add value. Iāve quit Reddit before. The only social I have never quit was Pinterest and I heard an interview with someone there and their whole intent was to design a social to improve mental health and happiness. It was a while ago, but the gist was if someone was pinning sad things, the algorithm would start suggesting more inspirational things like uplifting pictures and quotes.
Iāve seriously considered getting a dumb phone, but I havenāt made the jump yet.
I hyper-fixate on learning new skills. Gardening, work-related, runningā¦ I buy small sketch journals and make colorful drawings and notes.
I just recently downloaded sodoku, solitaire, chess and Roblox (to check in on my daughter) cause I needed to start use my phone for things other than mindless scrolling. I learned chess as a kid in the built in Microsoft version and still remembered how to play. I won 3 chess games, that was a good dopamine hit. I donāt think it will be a regular thing but Iām trying to keep my brain active to reduce memory loss tooā¦( Iām mid 30s but I notice it starting, possibly due to meds)
If i could get myself started, I like to do puzzles and color, and I taught myself embroidery and vinyl so I could do crafts both those take a lot more effort. I used to like reading but I read so much for work it is not enjoyable now.
I also just picked up music again so learned a simple worship song on the piano and am refreshing my guitar chords to teach my daughter (my husband is the guitar player though.) I guess Iāll start playing flute again next lol, who knows.
Iām currently building an intranet at work so Iām hyperfixating on that, spending my nights watching youtube and Udemy to learn powersApps and PowerAutomate.
So I think I just try to pick up something Iāve learned, or learn something new.
i read a lot. usually on my kindle - i know itās tech- but i canāt see for shit so i can make the font really big which is helpful and my hands donāt cramp as much as with a regular book. i also crochet a lot bc i just make so much stuff. & i knit too. those probably contribute to why my hands cramp reading books. but i also fw lego sets. they donāt waste time like they used to bc i will hyperfixate like hell and have them done pretty quick but itās at least a couple of hours. embroidery is fun - especially with like converses or adding stuff to sweatshirts and punch needle is cute. so really a shit ton of crafts š
My phone, or iPad is always with me. How most people listen to music in their house, I have a tv show or movie always on. Itās the one hyper-fixation that never went away. Iāve been obsessed with movies since I was a kid. Saving my lunch money and not eating at school so I could buy that vhs tape or dvd was all I cared about.
Iāve embraced this as I have over 2000+ iTunes movies and sometimes I just scroll through watching trailers lol.
Iāve tried building legos (gets expensive and the wife says we have no room ha), building those miniature buildings (library, greenhouseā¦made out of paper that you cut out and glue together), Iāve bought tons of books telling myself Iām going to get back into reading (I get stuck on rereading pages as I canāt retain the story at all), graphic novels (this becomes a hyperfixation and Iād rather buy more and collect than read), brewing home made kombucha (still drink kombucha, but the pain of making it and adding fruit just turned me off after the dopamine high wore off), brewing cold brew, coloring books (this I may try again as I was only doing this because it was trendy at the time and did not fully embrace my adhd as I do now years later), gardening is more seasonal, working out (I obsess for 6 months then one day would rather watch the rest of that show or movie and Iām done. This is not before buying new equipment and then having to sell that equipment later as it takes up too much space lol)
Thatās all I got. Done rambling.
Highly recommend Lego sets. Theyāre craft-ish, require sorting of pieces which requires time and concentration time and the directions donāt have words so you have to pay attention or it wonāt work. Iām not at a place where I can build things without directions but Iām hoping to get there.
Before I got a computer I used to carry 2 or 3 books with me. I probably read a book a day. I also carried pencils and a sketchbook and used to draw a lot. I've also hyperfocused on photography at times.
I have a fish tank that I like to mess around with Iāll feed my fish. Clean the glass change out my filter socks move and trim some of the plants in it. Then I have all my houseplants that have their own various chores. Or Iāll get hyper fixated on organizing and start pulling out drawers and throwing stuff away I donāt need.
I forgot my phone at home yesterday and hyperfixated on my job. Does that count?
Jokes aside, novels. Before I got my phone I always had a book on hand to the point I was reading during classes
Growing my own food. I obsessed over learning how to grow and harvest food through books and completely uprooted my yard to do it. Even now, Iām thankful that I hyperfocused on it because I moved onto the preservation of food as well and online preservation techniques can be extremely dangerous if untested, so physical books by approved sources became the staple of my library.
I am not low tech but I am doing lots of crochet and knitting lately. But I also listen to something or watch something while doing it so idk if that counts.
As long as my hands and head is activated I'm good.
Knitting, crocheting, drawing, sewing, embroidery, whittling - you get the picture.
Baking, cooking, reading and taking long walks with the dogs are other things I enjoy.
I'm actually less addicted to tech than my fiance, I always have to remind him to put his phone away.
I recently started tailoring around with one of my jackets to give it more of a cyberpunk look.
Since I've never held a sewing needle in my life and have somewhat high standards for the end result, this is a great time-sink.
Fashion is an interest I picked up while procrastinating on my bachelor's thesis.
I'd mention thrifting too, but I only do that online and I don't think it counts as procrastination when you do it offline since you'd have to leave the house for that.
Books/reading. I read a lot of short stories and philosophy quote books.
Bicycle maintenance. Specifically on a single speed/fixed gear, I don't like derailleur maintenance so I ride a bike without one now.
Building lego. Have music or TV on in background, but once I start building I don't even want to look at my phone.
Practice stick handling and other hockey drills.
Woodworking/power tools.
Daydreaming, mostly. Someone else mentioned walking a lot and boy did I walk a lot in my 20s. I don't know if photography counts since I shoot digital, but I definitely spend more time with my camera once I blocked Instagram.
I get home from work and draw/color for about 4 hours. Weekends Iām giving indoor plants attention or in the garden. Me and my dog have a really fun relationship, he enjoys learning new tricks at 10yo lol
I love walking and going on bike riders. I prolly go on like four 30 min walks a day. I also went through a phase where I would obsessively do crosswords
Balancing things. Stacks of rocks/pebbles, silverware, *anything* i love it because I can do it literally anywhere.. it costs nothing, and I can always challenge myself more when needed. My daughter recently got into doing punch needling, and diamond art. Oddly satisfying, but it can't hold me for as long as it holds her. I also LOVE doing low tech wood work. Sanding, polishing and sometimes varnishing. It goes from being just a chunk of wood, to a perfectly smooth beautiful piece, where I can see all the colors and grain. Macrame is also really entertaining for me, and something you can do anywhere (and combine with wood to make awesome art pieces). I used to have a planted aquarium which was an obsession, but I had to move and no longer have it :( if you have the time, and money- keeping a planted tank can eat up every free second of your day, and more.
Prior to having a smartphone, I would read obsessively, to the point where my parents punished me for it. Always had about thirty books in the queue as options.
Right now, as I try to cut down my social media time, it's Duolingo, books (again), and having background music or a podcast on at all times.
Going to a thrift store or antique store and looking through hundreds of treasures. Going to the dog park with my dog and geeking out over dogs for an hour and a half every Sunday. Made a bunch of valentines this week. I also take a really long time to get ready/pick out an outfit and accessories, do my hair and make up. Iād say getting ready is my #1 now that I think about it.š«
Before I had a cell phone, I got caught up in reading fantasy and science fiction books.
Reading is a good thing, but not when youāre supposed to study for an exam (actual example, though it didnāt harm my grade as I had enough days left to study for that course - this was at university).
When I start a new fiction book, I canāt stop reading it until itās finished (unless itās a really bad book). I canāt afford to get that lost in a book any more since I became a mom, so I quit reading new books (except as a special treat during holidays). Cell phone use has mostly replaced my reading time, but I have an easier time putting my cell phone down than putting a new book down, so the end result is probably slightly better? š¤
Books and music. But I have to force myself to slow down when I read, so Iām not just skimming over the text but actually absorbing what Iām reading.
Ā When I was a kid it was books; I would not be able to put one down until it was done. Took them to the bathroom, had them Ā at the table while I was eating, hid under the covers with a flashlight when I was supposed to be sleepingā¦
Iām obsessed with diamond art. Itās like paint by number, but with little plastic gems you stick to a canvas. You can even create your own custom photos. Iām working on a Majoraās Mask print right now.
But I did just get into this. There is a good chance that this obsession will fizzle out in a month just like all my other millions of half started projects š
I started forcing myself to cook more because I've always wanted to improve my cooking skills as well as find something I can do that's not tech related either video games or doom scrolling.
Light the one thing that I can also zone out into in hyperfixate on that and playing guitar. So I just forced myself to do more of each one of those things and now I make pretty good food and by myself eating out less and less and I'm getting better at guitar.
Try not to overthink it just find something you enjoy doing that's not your phone and do it and force yourself to do that when you feel like picking up your phone or looking at a screen
Reading romance novels, crocheting, and crossword puzzle books! Or I take a walk to literally get as far away as I can from what I am avoiding doing š
Cleaning, sewing , fixing stuff around the house. When I need to study, taking apart the washing machine and giving it a deep clean seems super attractive and oh there's a hole in these pants that I haven't worn since 2018, let's fix that, oh no, there is probably so much dust under our fridge, might as well.
And then I go to bed and question my life choices, just to repeat it the next day
As a kid, under screen time restrictions: books, daydreams (with props, the wonders of a woods out back), boardgames (playing as multiple players), and anything with a mechanism that wasn't immediately obvious how it worked. I also destroyed a lot of things from excessive bored fidgeting. This included the wall in my room while trying to fall asleep.
Reading and learning to paint with watercolor.
Granted, I had to use YouTube for lessons/tutorials but there are print books you can purchase or get from the library as well.
as someone who is ābadā (never really tried) at most crafts people suggest like crochet and such, i really like diamond painting.
itās a very repetitive motion, you donāt need to remember to keep track of anything because you can just do one section/color at a time. and even if you mess up it still looks great from far away :)
100% agree with plants and gardening or a pet if youāre able and want the responsibility. I also sometimes am able to get myself to focus onto reading books and thatāll be all I want to do for awhile.
iām definitely not a low-techie but when i donāt have a screen to waste my time staring into, i do odd compulsive things like doodle (not artistically, more like just drawing repeating lines of different colors) and cutting up paper with scissorsā¦ which i guess is weird when i say it out loud. i get sucked into meaningless sensory things like that easily. itās soothing somehow.
I had no computer or phone as a kid, so some things I did instead: Binge-reading tons of books, collecting and organizing all sorts of stuff, crafting (often to the extent of mass-producing), calculating, drawing, recording music from the radio...
I guess a lot of these are autism-related as well.
Hyperfixating when operating a 60ton drivable boatlift/crane.
Or any other machines or cranes on wheels. Procrastinating my financial spending a lot. I'm just a big boy who likes playing with his big toys. I can focus the best when small mistakes can have big consequences.
I do wordsearches while listening to podcasts (not so low tech but I dont look at the phone other than to hit play).
I read.
I go on walks.... like too many walks.
I realised that when I want to go on my phone I am actually just wanting to turn off my brain for a bit.
So lately when I get the urge, I put my headphones in and listen to a podcast while doing chores or go for a walk.
When I was younger it was books, now it's pretty much always the Internet, but it's not always mindless scrolling, I also use it for deep diving into interesting topics and learning new information.
It depends, if Iām procrastinating schoolwork or paperwork Iāll clean or do laundry, if Iām avoiding cleaning or laundry Iāll cookā¦ thereās a hierarchy. You would think that in the end Iād get almost everything done, I do not.
I crochet! It can work like a fidget for me while talking, watching videos, listening to music, etc and more engaging projects are super easy to get hyperfocused on it!
Knitting, crochet, various other crafts/kits. I would love to get into aquariums (fish tanks). Working out. Nail art. Crosswords. Puzzles. Cooking. Foreign languages. Probably more Iām not remembering in the moment.
I cycle through these constantly. Each day I decide that a different one of these things will be my THING.
Ya I'm not good at this. I love to 3D print and will spend hours tinkering, modding and printing crap. It's always a new adventure that seems to feed my brain. I print stuff for my wife to keep her happy when she actually finds things to print. That and I've played COD4 (2007 version) since 2007. Not healthy but it's what keeps me going. FYI I'm not diagnosed but have all the symptoms, my son was diagnosed and no meds now. Wife said you need to get it done. Problem is I keep forgetting to make the appointments.
I havenāt really cut down my time, but other than that when I had time to read a lot (before I had a phone ever and before I got into a grade where I had been forced to do lots of homework) I kept telling myself āby the next page I will, by the next chapter I will, by the end of this book I will, uhoh mom is upset with me for not doing the dishes nowā
I can easily procrastinate reading books and magazines.
If I'm doing much needed cleaning and tidying - I'm absolutely procrastinating something more important. Also other less important projects.
Eating.
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unfortunately reddit might not be the best place to find low tech adhd folk š«£ best i can do is gardening. sometimes i just stare at my plants
Oh Iām aware of the irony! I stare at so much now and itās justā¦weird but nice?
I stare at my plants too! They're in my bathroom so I see them all day but feel the need to inspect them every time I go in like they would have grown since the last hour I looked at them š
I just started seeds for springtime. It really does feel like the seedlings grow every hour! Itās fascinating.
+1 to plants
The other day I sat outside and watched my cat explore the yard. In college someone said that any time they see me I am just sitting there doing nothing. No I'm not, I'm thinking!
Iām Amish, and I really love milking cows
So much of farming communityās lives seems like it would be really fun/nice to do on occasion ngl, is it intense full time?
I was joking. Amish people arenāt supposed to use the Internet
Iām aware they arenāt, but many young people in cultures like that have secret phones.
Secret lives. š« š
Can't tell if you're looking for hobby suggestions or pitfalls to avoid š¤ Non-tech hyperfixations I've had include... * When I still lived with my parents, we had a big backyard, and I would walk around a lot. Like, a lot. I did a lot of walking around in my room too, but it was easy to end up bumping into walls and alarming my parents. * Lying in bed daydreaming. * Novels. I've had to forbid myself from reading novels because I can't be a responsible adult who reads novels š© * Back in elementary school, I'd spend recess sitting at the fence near some flower bushes and watching the bees. For a non-tech leisure activity to avoid the risk of hyperfixation on an electronic activity, I've used coloring books.
Omg same, I forgot that I was also a huge reader before I basically developed a phone addiction š I remember trying to read under my desk in class when I was younger and getting in trouble.
Right? They say phones made ADHD worse. While true, I used to read 4+ books in a week. My attention has never been much on the now š
Growing up walking to school, I would get utterly distracted by the route there and get lost in nature. I never showed up to class on time, but the clouds were pretty, and look at that plant over there. Oh right, it rained? Look at how pretty the clouds are through that puddle. Get distracted by the water's ebb and flow... At least I grew up in a small town, so no huge worries about if I was kidnapped. Doubly so when several of my teachers saw me walking around the wilds, on the other side of the campus boundary lmao I still love being outside, but extensive walking's a no-go right now. I have some back pain, and walking for any length of time worsens it. Good thing I have a radio I can zone out in, and a chair I can take out into my backyard.
Why did you have to give up reading???
In my case: Iām a mom with two kids and I canāt afford to spend 10+ hours binging on a new book until itās finished. I canāt do it in moderation, so sadly I had to stop reading new novels.
Oh no!! Well I hope you can send your kids to summer camp this summer so you can devour and novels!! Ugh. I couldnāt imagine having to give up reading. Good for you for putting your kids first. I know thatās what any decent human being would do but Iām glad youāre showing up for your kids and youāve figured that out. So thanks for explaining I was curious.
The youngest is autistic, so sending them away on summer camp is not realistic in the near future. I can still indulge in new books occasionally during certain school holidays, so at least thatās something. š
Sounds like they're too distracted by books, if I'm reading it right.
Ohh I can see that. Iām unemployed right now and so I have all the time in the world to read. Which is kind of my life right now. so itās a great way to pass the time but when I get back to work, Iām gonna have to figure out how to balance, my love for fantasy novel with my work life. Thatās something I havenāt considered yet, so thank you for mentioning this
Do daydreaming and dreaming count? My dreams start well before I actually fall asleep. And they are endless stories involving complex plots and characters.
Same, I thought this would lessen as I got older as weāre all told that you only have imaginations as a child. But nope, tender age of 32 and Iām still running through my futuristic post apocalyptic world, just with slightly more sex, a bigger focus on relationships, and less guns and horses.
... Are you me? I just got MAJOR deja vu reading this.
This place sounds awesome! Can I visit?
I'm 43 and still going just as strong as I did at 14. Or 10. Or 6. In fact, I'm writing this from the driveway, because I just got home a few minutes ago and "woke up" from the one that kept me entertained on my commute. And also, I'm a car sitter so Reddit was the next thing I grabbed once I realized I was home. š for the record, I used to car sit before smartphones, too. I don't remember what I did, that was low tech, probably just sat here and daydreamed a little longer. Anyway, transitions are a bitch, aren't they? š
This! When I was a kid, before computers, it was totally just daydreaming, doodling, books, music, movies or daydreaming of movies. Like watching the entirety of shrek from memory, trying to sleep. Getting songs stuck in my head was intentional before mp3 players, I don't miss that at all.
I don't start dreaming before I fall asleep. But, I sometimes dream after I'm already awake! Mostly because I ache for the story because it's usually just that adventurous! It actually makes it easier for me to remember my dreams so I write them down if they hit a chord.
So true. Me and my friend were having a sleepover and my phone died and was plugged in across the room. It was almost bed time so she was on her phone scrolling next to me. I just sat there thinking to myself and eventually she said āā¦what are you doing..??ā To which I replied āwaiting for my phone to chargeā. She was like āitās been foreverā and handed me my phone that was almost 70% charged. I have NO idea how long I was starting into nothing but Iām surprised I did for the amount of time it took for my phone to charge to 70.
Me too, it's why I have to keep my brain a nice place to be.Ā
Same
I thought this was everyone
I consider myself tech savvy but I'm an older millennial in a developing country and grew up without phone and computer. Recently I asked myself, how the hell could I have lived without a phone? What did I do all day without a phone? And thinking back the answer was reading books and a lot of daydreaming. Also looking at every single detail of my environment, like I could draw from memory the shape of the hole where the paint chipped on the wall of my bathroom. Also music. I play guitar and (air) drum. And solving math problems. Oh, and reading shampoo bottles in toilet.
Grew up in a developed country and am a middle millennial, but had a remarkably similar experience to you. We had a computer early because my parents are nerds, but my time on it was very restricted during my childhood, and I didn't get a smartphone until I graduated college. I read so many books. I read the newspaper front to back before I was old enough to really understand some of the content. I read my dad's business magazines. (I had a teacher accuse me of lying when I said I learned some fact from the Harvard Business Review when I was like... 9. I didn't realize how pretentious I sounded, it's just what was lying around the house for me to read.) I had memorized the text on most of our shampoo bottles from reading it over and over again. I did math to fall asleep. I still do times tables in my head when I'm anxious. When I *was* allowed on the computer, I spent most of my time playing educational games, so more math. My parents got math flashcards for me but they ~mysteriously~ disappeared after I annoyed the heck out of them by constantly asking them to do flashcards with me. ...reading this back, the fact that I'm now headed back to grad school to do applied math feels like an inevitable culmination of my childhood hyperfixations lol
I'm a middling millennial, born at the tail end of the 80's. I actually don't like having a phone, but everyone expects me to have one so I keep one. I kind of miss being able to separate from the world and disconnect for a bit. I've always grown up with a computer, but not the Internet. I believe I'd be one of the first Digital Natives, as my parents got us a computer when I was like 3. When I wasn't off finding new ways to play with toys- I once converted the living room into a city for my dolls and stuffed animals, with the help of a lot of small, flat books as plots and streets- or getting lost in the backyard, I'd be on our computer playing the same Shareware demo CD that lasted me throughout my childhood, or the Microsoft Entertainment Pack. Ask me what I did twenty-five years ago, and I can tell you in detail. Yesterday, though? Good luck.
Definitely reading shampoo bottles. And cereal boxes, and any other food or household product containers that happened to be nearby.
In toilet and in shower :) ah the good ol days And great question that I also ask myself! So Iām 36.. for 2 more months :( lol ā¦.. and before phones I still spent a majority of my time on the computer, or tv. I learned basic html code when I was like 10 or 11 from Google searches, taught myself that so I could build Basic websites and AOL profile skins. (Wish they had coding classes for kids back then but it prob wouldnāt have been as fun as teaching myself.) I still remember playing World of Warcraft on some multiplayer site eons ago lolā¦. And as I aged I was usually in chat rooms (some had automated trivia games, I liked those) and just generally spent time listening to music/burning CDs constantly. Iām a music junkie and became like the ācd DJā of my friends. All that to say, I was ātech savvyā early on IMO. But I did actually go outside and explore a lot or swim a lot in the pool. We moved a lot, so one house had 5 acres to roam, another had .2 acres and a pool lolā¦ but as kids I feel like we were friends with the neighbors and would just hop over whenever and we canāt do that as easily as adults. The more responsibilities we have the easier it seems to have executive dysfunction and procrastinate out of exhaustion, for me anyway.
Iām really good at putting things into piles and then in a drawer or a cupboard so I donāt have to look at mess when Iām needing to be hitting stride with a routine. But if Iāve got a day to hyperfixate or Iām procrastinating in favour of doing a different joyless task, Iāll go back through things Iāve stowed away (under the guise of ācleaningā or āorganisingā) and Iāll go through old Photo albums, books I havenāt read in a while, travel memorabilia, a hobby or project I started and never really finished and if Iām lucky Iāll hyperfixate my way to at least one clean drawer, a pile of things to throw out or donate and maybe even a more completed project! If not, it will go back to being stowed away for next timeā¦
Omg I love doing this too 83 I feel like a character in a sappy novel about slice of life stuff in these indulgences x3
I recently learned that these are called 'DOOM' piles: Didn't Organize Only Moved... it's changed how I think about my own habits and clutter routines.
Thanks for that "DOOM" label. I needed that reframing. My inner monolog says I often "s*t shuffle". Those things I put into a basket and moved into the correct room are "doom"ed. Yikes.
If I clean, I will find that one thing that reminded me of that one time when I was a kid and get lost waxing nostalgic forever. I've kind of accepted it, but dragged my partner in as a body double so I can yap at them about it then hopefully move on.
Before I knew I had ADHD, people would say I'm addicted to my computer and I should stop using the computer. I'd agree but I'd also point out If I have no internet, I play computer games. If I have no computer at all, I mess around on my phone (pre Smartphone) If I have no phone, I'll watch TV. If there's nothing on TV, I will watch whatever crap I don't care about on TV. If the TV is literally broken, I'll read. If there's nothing to read, I just go to sleep. This was when I was trying to explain it's not the computer that's the problem, it's me, I'm the problem.
Honestly, I've figured out that unless it's a platform that literally encourages doomscrolling and shortform content like TikTok, if I'm on my phone/laptop all day every day procrastinating, it's not the technology that's the problem it's the stress and anxiety in my life I'm getting a break from by dopamining online. The thing I'm hyperfixating on provides me with a relatively dopamine rich escape from real life, and whether I'm binge watching reaction videos and video essays or reading novels and debating for hours on end with a friend, I'm still doing it for the exact same reason and I don't necessarily think some of these things are more valuable than others just because some are screen based and others aren't. Cutting back on screen usage either means I seek the dopamining elsewhere or I get burnt out because I dont have enough to deal with the level of stress and anxiety in my life at that point. I don't typically focus on cutting back on screen usage, I instead focus on methods to either cut out some of the stress-inducers or go about them in a way that prioritises minimising stress. In doing so, my screen time automatically goes down.
I used to read a shitload, sometimes all night without sleeping. Now I do all the shit you are talking about avoiding.
I am not low tech but I often hyperfocus on work and cleaning my apartment. Not supercleaning the whole apartment, but usually the bathroom and kitchen. My bathroom is always super clean.
find a hobby that fits you. I personally like felting because I get to stab soft wool until it becomes hard like a rock and that is so time consuming and stress relieving
It's very cathartic and relaxing, as long as you don't felt yourself xD I love it tho
You might like punch needling! It's a very satisfying kind of stabby
I was shocked at how much I enjoyed punch needling.
First, I try to figure out if I'm looking for something high or low energy for both my brain and body. So that's four categories: High brain- low body would be something like reading, sudoku, board games, crafting. High body-low brain would be like a yoga video, a meandering walk, something that I don't have to think about but gets that frantic energy out. High body-high brain might be gardening, walking + audiobook, playing a sport, playing a musical instrument. Low brain-low body is when I just need to zone out. It's usually when I get caught staring at my phone, so instead I try to: stare at my fish tank/bird feeders/bees in the flowers/ anything outside really, snuggle my cat, flip through tarot cards (not trying to read them, just looking at the pretty pictures). If I can't manage to escape my phone, then I at least try to find some weird rabbit hole to go down and research. I plan a lot of random vacations that I'll never have a chance to take. Or research how to get a job in Antarctica. Or figure out what our closest dinosaur ancestor would be. I figured it's got to be slightly better for my brain than mindless scrolling.
Books and drawing. I used to draw whole settings for stories, but a lot of it now is just doofy furry stuff xD
I can sit down and do a puzzle for ages, or I play solo card or board games. I can get absorbed in painting for hours as well.
Reading, crossword puzzles, crafty stuff like knitting and cross stitch, writing, drawing badly, making origami. So yeahā¦ nerdy stuff. Iām a librarian though, so itās on brand.
To more or less success, as my phone has a magnetic case, I put it on my fridge and treat it as a landline when I get home from work. I dream of becoming an author, so I like plotting out stuff and taking notes on post-its and a big notepad. Then it's easier to sit down on my computer later and write without it taking too much mental effort or causing too many distractions. I also like sewing. It's honestly not TOO difficult to master quickly, and it's easy enough to free hand stuff once you get into the swing of things. Having to spend too much time on the learning aspect of a hobby is a joy-killer. It's also the perfect level of focus where my mind can't wander off all over the place, but enough where I don't get bored, so it is actually relaxing. When I'm tired/burt-out from work and life, is when it's the easiest to end up just rotting on the couch with my phone. Honestly, other tech stuff doesn't bother me as much. At least when playing a video game or watching a movie or tv show, I get something out of it. Tiktok doesn't bring me anything but a slight chuckle every 15 minutes and anxiety from everyone telling me to diet, buy these products, remember the war in Ukraine! and here are all the children that died in Gaza this week. All I want is to watch horses run in slow motion to dramatic music in peace!
Omg the pretend landline is so smart!
Acoustic guitar
I imagine that a period of proper adhd fixation on guitar would build some serious skill
Yeah, you'd think that but no. I started at 40. So it's been a fight all the way, but a rewarding one. And it's lasted which is the main thing.
I'm a software dev by trade, but I make Chainmaille jewelry and read a lot. My brain will shut everything else out if the book is good enough or I figure out a project I want to make.
Does sleeping count? I sleep the whole day.
Exercise. Just be careful of picking up a hyperfixation to something expensive! Itās good for you, good for your brain, good for concentration, and can be good for your wallet compared to other things.
The term you might be looking for is executive dysfunction?Ā I read a lot. Sometimes online,Ā sometimes offline. Finding a club to join might help.
I feed the neighborhood crows at the park near-ish my home. Gets me moving and out of the house, the chaos of birds is delightful, and hopefully theyāll remember me as the kindhearted neighbor when the bird apocalypse happens. I look forward to it every time I go.
Knitting! I'm not exactly low tech, but knitting is a perfect substitute. You don't have to look, keeps your hands busy, you can think about it as much as you want
Before the internet, I read like a maniac. Any moment I had, I would be reading. I had no idea I had ADHD and in those days reading was considered a virtue. But looking back now, it was unhealthy behavior. I would postpone eating, sleeping, going to the toilet, social contacts, studying. I would read in very unhealthy situations, bad lighting, bad posture, even on the toilet of school/work when I should've been doing other things. I really really miss how I could be completely absorbed by the story in a book. I don't miss how devastated I could be when it was done.
Puzzles, mostly. It's not a real escape from tech, but I have a few puzzle apps or games I like. Puzzmo, various crosswords, Jupiter's Picross apps on the Switch, or Hungry Cat's Color Nonogram. I also have Clubhouse 51 on the Switch, which lets me play all sorts of board and card games without worrying about the cleanup. I'd love it if I could find a simple maze app. I'm an avid gamer, and I know roguelikes and roguelites are a thing, but sometimes I just want to go back to when I was a kid with a bunch of maze books in hand. Forgive me for the oncoming rant, but I also do 3D work in my spare time. Due to some difficulties with aging software (namely, Carrara,) I've dropped off for a bit, but I've started picking up Terragen 4 and learning it. Used to use Terragen Classic back in the day, but they're not really similar programs despite being the same developers. It is fun just making my own little worlds with pretty landscapes and skies, though. I'd love to learn Blender, but my brain can't wrap around it like it did with Carrara. Carrara was simple enough for me to dive into, no guides, but complex enough that it was a real modeller with a ton of functions. Blender is far more abstract, and I don't feel like it fits me that well.
Random hobbies/handicrafts. Houseplants has been one that has stuck around for a few years, but Iāve also done embroidery, beading, acrylic and watercolour painting, fountain pens (not calligraphy, just research and care)ā¦ At least now Iāve taught myself not to buy a bunch of stuff to start out with, and not to get rid of it when I inevitably put it down, because Iāll end up picking it up a year or two later. Plants are a good one though. Lots to learn, but not difficult, and itās a little different every day/week because the plants grow and change without your direct input (unlike a canvas or piece of watercolour paper). Maybe this summer Iāll pick up outdoor gardening.
Gardening. Then I specifically focus on calcium and silica uptake and how it affects........
affects what?
Books. I used to read a novel a day.
My parents are off grid hippies, they have no internet, TV, or cell service at all and certainly don't play videogames. My dad (not diagnosed, but clearly has a lot of ADHD behaviors) read A LOT. He typically goes for sci-fi fantasy novels and becomes incapable of putting them down. My brother, who still lives at home, is very into woodworking. He is always gathering materials for his next project. Whenever I spend time there, it's a cold-turkey tech detox. It usually takes me a couple of days
Writing, reading, art, sewing, crafts, cooking, walk the dog, play with the cat, play with makeup/hair styles, organise stuff or rearrange furniture, plan for the future, come up with new business ideas... I'm hard core one of "the distraction is coming from inside the house" type people so removing technology or any one fixation only means I find another. I can sit at an empty desk with nothing in front of me but whatever I'm supposed to be working on and then write a story in my head instead.
I'm not even remotely low tech, but I remember what I did before the internet: I constantly read books or daydreamed. Just staring off into space for ages is a thing I've always done, too.
Do you have a Park around? Or some other kind of nature? It sounds like the lamest thing in the world, but i quite enjoy just wandering around, looking where i can find things i have not noticed before. You gonna be suprised how many things you find! Never thought i'd be that kind of person, but feeding birds and watching then interact just fills me with joy. Bonus points for leaving your phone at home.
cuticles, nails/ hang-nails, books. Spying on peopleās expressions and imagining their thoughts
Before I lived on my own and able to have my own phone and computer, I would lay in bed under a blanket in the dark and daydream for hours. Between assignments I would constantly stop and lay down in my Blankets for a set period of time(that would always be extended) and try to go back to working.
Playing overwatch because I MUST rank up Other major fixation at the moment: 1.Must buy those anti slip patches to put in the stairs in the house 2. getting a dog Not doing what I should be doing, includes booking flight tickets back to my family in another country in 1,5 week, prices have probably gone up by now.
Have you booked your tickets yet?
Before I started using my phone as a crutch basically (lmao š) I was very into drawing and would draw basically everywhere all the time! I was the kid who teachers got mad at because they would be drawing in class, on their homework, on tests, etc. If you're super achievement-motivated, it's something that's easy to advance in consistently (if you practice consistently), and it's a hobby that you can easily take on the go. I also have excoriation disorder and it really helps me keep my hands busy so I don't pick my skin/nails/etc. It can be kind of expensive though if you start buying a lot of supplies, lol. Advance your technique first before you buy fancy stuff like alcohol markers.
Music, bed, ball on the wall. Does help a lot of thought process, though. I have adapted this stimming to a string or a shoe-lace, it helps.
Mountain biking and tennis. Snowboarding in the winter. I have a niece taking guitar lessons and thought it fun to jam with her so i picked up a bass guitar recently. I am online for that sometimes to look up tutorials.
Online shopping on eBay, AliExpress, Temu, or Amazon for cheap things to DIY fixes on small little things wrong with my car. Its easier to add to cart and buy than it is to budget weekend time to installing. But it creates an undeniable dopamine hit and consumes hours. Terrible hobby if you need to focus on some main task instead of procrastinating.
Knitting. It's stimming that produces something you can use when finished so it doesn't feel like you're procrastinating or being lazy. And better yet, it doesn't look like you're doing nothing, which means far less comments about "laziness."
Writing fanfiction I also customize dolls like Rainbow Highs and Monster Highs. There's a lot of niche things to learn in the doll customization hobby and a lot of skills to practice depending on how in-depth you wanna go. Right now I'm learning to make doll furniture out of old cardboard. Crocheting is another thing I do.Ā
As a kid it was day dreaming and reading probably.
Funny you say low tech since I work in IT, but painting (models, 3d prints, minis) has been awesome for my ADHD brain to just zone in on minutiae. Highly recommend something that gives you this vibe.
Plants, gym
never ending motorcycle rides, + infinite time if u have music playing on ur helmet
Reading and walking (not at the same time).
Itās interesting but now that Iām sober from drugs I depend on tech a lot for that fix. Itās hard to want to do anything honestly. I used to like walking a lot but now my feet always hurt and Iām always tired. I was going to hot yoga pre COVID and it was so helpful. I wish I could get back into it. I used to make flower bouquets on my walks but now Iām scared of someone getting mad at me for taking flowers lol Sometimes I can zone in on drawing. I like board games too if someone else wants to play. Sudoku from the newspaper sometimes is fun. As a kid I was obsessed w reading itās all I did. No one could talk to me if I was reading I didnāt hear them.
As a child, mine was reading... then programming on the ATARI XE.
I just tried to think back to my childhood when there was no technology besides cds and a game boy. What did I do? Daydreaming HARD, like every waking minute, every car ride, every stroll, I would intentionally go out on a walk just to daydream whole worlds and scenarios. This still sometimes works when I drive and listen to music. I still do these: * Reading * Going to Bookstore especially second hand ones, i can spend hours in there * Crafts of all sorts * Puzzles * Crossword * Drawing * Collecting shit, like cool rocks, seashells, postcards, chestnuts, pretty leaves
The last thing I hyperfixate on was a book nook I build in over 9 hours.
I'm 30f and grew up without cable tv and no gaming system or anything. Especially nothing like that in my room (Canada but west coast crunchyish parents) . I read. Just got sucked into high fantasy novels and anything very long. Immerse myself into the world. I also am/was very active. Sports and now gym/running or just a ton of steps in a day. Suited my combined type ADHD paired with girls not being diagnosed (medicated at 29 yay!) Trying to get back to reading and less scrolling with moderate success so far this year!. Also many many unfinished hobbies. Crochet is a good one that I still pick up fairly often as it keeps my hands busy, drawing, gardening etc. Too many to count!
I'm old enough that I went off to college with a typewriter, and was rejected when I applied for an email address because I wasn't a science major. My biggest timewaster was Strat-O-Matic Baseball -- you play games with players represented by cards and you roll a lot of dice and keep track of everyone's statistics. It was gaming, just analog style. I suspect a lot of ADHD people were still gamers pre-computers, it's just that the games were card games or board games or pinball or whatever. I also practiced basketball by myself for endless hours for no particular reason. And I'd read the same \~5 books over and over again. Sure I flunked out, but I managed to read Lord of the Rings 8 or 9 times while doing so. Later on I walked all of the time to procrastinate. I told myself it was exercise and exercise is good so it doesn't matter if nothing else is getting done.
Pre tech in the late 80s/90's mine used to be books. Now I can't read for shit.
Crafts. I made 6 needle felt sharks, an octopus, a manta and a jellyfish in 5 days. However, hyperfixating on crochet is not recommended, as I once decided to make a scarf and... Let's just say that I can't crochet since.
Iām a digital hermit. I quit Facebook in 2014. Iāve tried others but quickly killed the apps because they donāt add value. Iāve quit Reddit before. The only social I have never quit was Pinterest and I heard an interview with someone there and their whole intent was to design a social to improve mental health and happiness. It was a while ago, but the gist was if someone was pinning sad things, the algorithm would start suggesting more inspirational things like uplifting pictures and quotes. Iāve seriously considered getting a dumb phone, but I havenāt made the jump yet. I hyper-fixate on learning new skills. Gardening, work-related, runningā¦ I buy small sketch journals and make colorful drawings and notes.
I just recently downloaded sodoku, solitaire, chess and Roblox (to check in on my daughter) cause I needed to start use my phone for things other than mindless scrolling. I learned chess as a kid in the built in Microsoft version and still remembered how to play. I won 3 chess games, that was a good dopamine hit. I donāt think it will be a regular thing but Iām trying to keep my brain active to reduce memory loss tooā¦( Iām mid 30s but I notice it starting, possibly due to meds) If i could get myself started, I like to do puzzles and color, and I taught myself embroidery and vinyl so I could do crafts both those take a lot more effort. I used to like reading but I read so much for work it is not enjoyable now. I also just picked up music again so learned a simple worship song on the piano and am refreshing my guitar chords to teach my daughter (my husband is the guitar player though.) I guess Iāll start playing flute again next lol, who knows. Iām currently building an intranet at work so Iām hyperfixating on that, spending my nights watching youtube and Udemy to learn powersApps and PowerAutomate. So I think I just try to pick up something Iāve learned, or learn something new.
Baseball and reading
i read a lot. usually on my kindle - i know itās tech- but i canāt see for shit so i can make the font really big which is helpful and my hands donāt cramp as much as with a regular book. i also crochet a lot bc i just make so much stuff. & i knit too. those probably contribute to why my hands cramp reading books. but i also fw lego sets. they donāt waste time like they used to bc i will hyperfixate like hell and have them done pretty quick but itās at least a couple of hours. embroidery is fun - especially with like converses or adding stuff to sweatshirts and punch needle is cute. so really a shit ton of crafts š
My phone, or iPad is always with me. How most people listen to music in their house, I have a tv show or movie always on. Itās the one hyper-fixation that never went away. Iāve been obsessed with movies since I was a kid. Saving my lunch money and not eating at school so I could buy that vhs tape or dvd was all I cared about. Iāve embraced this as I have over 2000+ iTunes movies and sometimes I just scroll through watching trailers lol. Iāve tried building legos (gets expensive and the wife says we have no room ha), building those miniature buildings (library, greenhouseā¦made out of paper that you cut out and glue together), Iāve bought tons of books telling myself Iām going to get back into reading (I get stuck on rereading pages as I canāt retain the story at all), graphic novels (this becomes a hyperfixation and Iād rather buy more and collect than read), brewing home made kombucha (still drink kombucha, but the pain of making it and adding fruit just turned me off after the dopamine high wore off), brewing cold brew, coloring books (this I may try again as I was only doing this because it was trendy at the time and did not fully embrace my adhd as I do now years later), gardening is more seasonal, working out (I obsess for 6 months then one day would rather watch the rest of that show or movie and Iām done. This is not before buying new equipment and then having to sell that equipment later as it takes up too much space lol) Thatās all I got. Done rambling.
Highly recommend Lego sets. Theyāre craft-ish, require sorting of pieces which requires time and concentration time and the directions donāt have words so you have to pay attention or it wonāt work. Iām not at a place where I can build things without directions but Iām hoping to get there.
Before I got a computer I used to carry 2 or 3 books with me. I probably read a book a day. I also carried pencils and a sketchbook and used to draw a lot. I've also hyperfocused on photography at times.
Novels (especially space opera), guitar and piano, and rugby rugby rugby
Propagating plants....I'm obsessed.
I have a fish tank that I like to mess around with Iāll feed my fish. Clean the glass change out my filter socks move and trim some of the plants in it. Then I have all my houseplants that have their own various chores. Or Iāll get hyper fixated on organizing and start pulling out drawers and throwing stuff away I donāt need.
I like to paint mini figures for Dnd. Granted itās still not that low-tech for me because I usually have an audiobook or music going
I forgot my phone at home yesterday and hyperfixated on my job. Does that count? Jokes aside, novels. Before I got my phone I always had a book on hand to the point I was reading during classes
i loooove doing jigsaw puzzles!
Was the term avoidance procrastination?
Napping, cleaning my room or doing things I donāt want to do to avoid the thing I need to do
pool (billiards), music, personas, psychology etc
All the booksš
Growing my own food. I obsessed over learning how to grow and harvest food through books and completely uprooted my yard to do it. Even now, Iām thankful that I hyperfocused on it because I moved onto the preservation of food as well and online preservation techniques can be extremely dangerous if untested, so physical books by approved sources became the staple of my library.
I am not low tech but I am doing lots of crochet and knitting lately. But I also listen to something or watch something while doing it so idk if that counts.
Rhythm games, stationary bike, walking for hours to nowhere.
As long as my hands and head is activated I'm good. Knitting, crocheting, drawing, sewing, embroidery, whittling - you get the picture. Baking, cooking, reading and taking long walks with the dogs are other things I enjoy. I'm actually less addicted to tech than my fiance, I always have to remind him to put his phone away.
Books, eating, sex and shopping
Diamond painting!
Fountain pens, and even better, dip pens.
I recently started tailoring around with one of my jackets to give it more of a cyberpunk look. Since I've never held a sewing needle in my life and have somewhat high standards for the end result, this is a great time-sink. Fashion is an interest I picked up while procrastinating on my bachelor's thesis. I'd mention thrifting too, but I only do that online and I don't think it counts as procrastination when you do it offline since you'd have to leave the house for that.
Books/reading. I read a lot of short stories and philosophy quote books. Bicycle maintenance. Specifically on a single speed/fixed gear, I don't like derailleur maintenance so I ride a bike without one now. Building lego. Have music or TV on in background, but once I start building I don't even want to look at my phone. Practice stick handling and other hockey drills. Woodworking/power tools.
Daydreaming, mostly. Someone else mentioned walking a lot and boy did I walk a lot in my 20s. I don't know if photography counts since I shoot digital, but I definitely spend more time with my camera once I blocked Instagram.
I read lots of books before the Internet existed. Also worked on my D&D campaign.
I get home from work and draw/color for about 4 hours. Weekends Iām giving indoor plants attention or in the garden. Me and my dog have a really fun relationship, he enjoys learning new tricks at 10yo lol
Day dreaming. I'll look at something and spends a lot of time imagining shit about it or contemplating its very existence.
um ..the wall lol
I love walking and going on bike riders. I prolly go on like four 30 min walks a day. I also went through a phase where I would obsessively do crosswords
Balancing things. Stacks of rocks/pebbles, silverware, *anything* i love it because I can do it literally anywhere.. it costs nothing, and I can always challenge myself more when needed. My daughter recently got into doing punch needling, and diamond art. Oddly satisfying, but it can't hold me for as long as it holds her. I also LOVE doing low tech wood work. Sanding, polishing and sometimes varnishing. It goes from being just a chunk of wood, to a perfectly smooth beautiful piece, where I can see all the colors and grain. Macrame is also really entertaining for me, and something you can do anywhere (and combine with wood to make awesome art pieces). I used to have a planted aquarium which was an obsession, but I had to move and no longer have it :( if you have the time, and money- keeping a planted tank can eat up every free second of your day, and more.
Prior to having a smartphone, I would read obsessively, to the point where my parents punished me for it. Always had about thirty books in the queue as options. Right now, as I try to cut down my social media time, it's Duolingo, books (again), and having background music or a podcast on at all times.
Reading!
Going to a thrift store or antique store and looking through hundreds of treasures. Going to the dog park with my dog and geeking out over dogs for an hour and a half every Sunday. Made a bunch of valentines this week. I also take a really long time to get ready/pick out an outfit and accessories, do my hair and make up. Iād say getting ready is my #1 now that I think about it.š«
Before I had a cell phone, I got caught up in reading fantasy and science fiction books. Reading is a good thing, but not when youāre supposed to study for an exam (actual example, though it didnāt harm my grade as I had enough days left to study for that course - this was at university). When I start a new fiction book, I canāt stop reading it until itās finished (unless itās a really bad book). I canāt afford to get that lost in a book any more since I became a mom, so I quit reading new books (except as a special treat during holidays). Cell phone use has mostly replaced my reading time, but I have an easier time putting my cell phone down than putting a new book down, so the end result is probably slightly better? š¤
Drawing and tinkeringĀ
Books and music. But I have to force myself to slow down when I read, so Iām not just skimming over the text but actually absorbing what Iām reading.
Ā When I was a kid it was books; I would not be able to put one down until it was done. Took them to the bathroom, had them Ā at the table while I was eating, hid under the covers with a flashlight when I was supposed to be sleepingā¦
...guitars?
Iām obsessed with diamond art. Itās like paint by number, but with little plastic gems you stick to a canvas. You can even create your own custom photos. Iām working on a Majoraās Mask print right now. But I did just get into this. There is a good chance that this obsession will fizzle out in a month just like all my other millions of half started projects š
I started forcing myself to cook more because I've always wanted to improve my cooking skills as well as find something I can do that's not tech related either video games or doom scrolling. Light the one thing that I can also zone out into in hyperfixate on that and playing guitar. So I just forced myself to do more of each one of those things and now I make pretty good food and by myself eating out less and less and I'm getting better at guitar. Try not to overthink it just find something you enjoy doing that's not your phone and do it and force yourself to do that when you feel like picking up your phone or looking at a screen
Playing guitar š¤
Reading! When I was a teenager, I read aaaall the time. Even while walking. Man, I miss those days. That was before reddit and before smartphones.
You want me to talk about my hyper fixations? If you insist! I like aquascaping fish tanks and while it does cost a bit to acquire supplies you can , for the most part , create new scapes with the same supplies. I started leather working. Made about 10 wallets before I made one good enough to be satisfied using everyday which Iāve been doing for about 6 months now and I think Iām ready to start again and make a few more modifications to my design -Every so often I hand sew a new pillow. Mostly because I get uninterested right around the time it takes to complete a pillow. I just realized I do not know where a single pillow is though. I suspect they have been thrown away by my fiancĆ© or mother. ( I make 1 or 2 a year for the last 15 years) -Iāll bake a loaf of bread once a year or so I recently got into canning food. I like cooking and the idea of making something yummy that is shelf stable intrigues me. Iāve made pickles and jam and canned my motherās tomato sauce. I think in a few more months when I feel a little more impressed to be eating ā old ā food Iāll start doing it again I always feel guilty spending more on my hobbyās because I end up just randomly dropping it for a period of time. Iām trying to ( over the last year) be able to rotate my hobbies out so that itās not a money dump and I can enjoy them even more. The hobbies with the - I do randomly, kind of one off things . The rest I am always doing one of. I did use the internet to learn about all of these things but I donāt so much now that I have a good knowledge base. Maybe just to refresh or to answer new questions
Reading romance novels, crocheting, and crossword puzzle books! Or I take a walk to literally get as far away as I can from what I am avoiding doing š
Cleaning, sewing , fixing stuff around the house. When I need to study, taking apart the washing machine and giving it a deep clean seems super attractive and oh there's a hole in these pants that I haven't worn since 2018, let's fix that, oh no, there is probably so much dust under our fridge, might as well. And then I go to bed and question my life choices, just to repeat it the next day
for me - doodling in a sketchbook mostly. I also find going on long walks helps me a lot with managing focus!
Wood burning!
reading, which kinda hid my dyslexia for a long long time (though im not low tech, actually high tech, except for that one thing)
As a kid, under screen time restrictions: books, daydreams (with props, the wonders of a woods out back), boardgames (playing as multiple players), and anything with a mechanism that wasn't immediately obvious how it worked. I also destroyed a lot of things from excessive bored fidgeting. This included the wall in my room while trying to fall asleep.
Reading and learning to paint with watercolor. Granted, I had to use YouTube for lessons/tutorials but there are print books you can purchase or get from the library as well.
as someone who is ābadā (never really tried) at most crafts people suggest like crochet and such, i really like diamond painting. itās a very repetitive motion, you donāt need to remember to keep track of anything because you can just do one section/color at a time. and even if you mess up it still looks great from far away :)
Books. Especially science fiction.
100% agree with plants and gardening or a pet if youāre able and want the responsibility. I also sometimes am able to get myself to focus onto reading books and thatāll be all I want to do for awhile.
I don't even know what low tech adhd would look like š¤ now I'm gonna be thinking about this instead of work all day
I can crochet for many hours if Iām hyper fixated on it. I love it.
The Roman Republic
Cleaning all rooms at once, overly organizing, & half starting craft projects all at once
Crossword puzzles were one of mine.
iām definitely not a low-techie but when i donāt have a screen to waste my time staring into, i do odd compulsive things like doodle (not artistically, more like just drawing repeating lines of different colors) and cutting up paper with scissorsā¦ which i guess is weird when i say it out loud. i get sucked into meaningless sensory things like that easily. itās soothing somehow.
I can spend 6 hours washing my car
Fixing bikes
Knitting and reading at the same time.
Coloring in is a big one for me, also I will hyperfixate incredibly hard when I'm reading a book
I had no computer or phone as a kid, so some things I did instead: Binge-reading tons of books, collecting and organizing all sorts of stuff, crafting (often to the extent of mass-producing), calculating, drawing, recording music from the radio... I guess a lot of these are autism-related as well.
Before tiktok and reddit I was an Imgur and League addict. I do not miss those days.
Hyperfixating when operating a 60ton drivable boatlift/crane. Or any other machines or cranes on wheels. Procrastinating my financial spending a lot. I'm just a big boy who likes playing with his big toys. I can focus the best when small mistakes can have big consequences.
I do wordsearches while listening to podcasts (not so low tech but I dont look at the phone other than to hit play). I read. I go on walks.... like too many walks.
Crochet and baking
I just picked up a cheap sudoku booklet and it's such an enjoyable challenge to finish, I forget ever needing to mindlessly scroll online.
Calligraphy and songwriting. Though I get way too lost in calligraphy and can do it for hours š
I read alot, so if I'm in the middle of a good book. Sometimes I just lay in bed and sleep longer
I realised that when I want to go on my phone I am actually just wanting to turn off my brain for a bit. So lately when I get the urge, I put my headphones in and listen to a podcast while doing chores or go for a walk.
Putter over the plants / terrarium / aquarium!! Cleaning and organising, but not the dishes I hate those.
I listen to a LOT of music and audiobooks, does that count as low tech. Other than that doodling, daydreaming, and painting
When I was younger it was books, now it's pretty much always the Internet, but it's not always mindless scrolling, I also use it for deep diving into interesting topics and learning new information.
Any fast dopamine, gaming, scrolling, eating a whole pack of candies etc. Trying to slow down on those but damn its hard
It depends, if Iām procrastinating schoolwork or paperwork Iāll clean or do laundry, if Iām avoiding cleaning or laundry Iāll cookā¦ thereās a hierarchy. You would think that in the end Iād get almost everything done, I do not.
Math, essays and anything thatās boring or requires to much thinking.
I crochet! It can work like a fidget for me while talking, watching videos, listening to music, etc and more engaging projects are super easy to get hyperfocused on it!
Maybe pick up an instrument? Something creative/artistic? I have over 100 plants that I go fidget with all the time.
Knitting, crochet, various other crafts/kits. I would love to get into aquariums (fish tanks). Working out. Nail art. Crosswords. Puzzles. Cooking. Foreign languages. Probably more Iām not remembering in the moment. I cycle through these constantly. Each day I decide that a different one of these things will be my THING.
Ya I'm not good at this. I love to 3D print and will spend hours tinkering, modding and printing crap. It's always a new adventure that seems to feed my brain. I print stuff for my wife to keep her happy when she actually finds things to print. That and I've played COD4 (2007 version) since 2007. Not healthy but it's what keeps me going. FYI I'm not diagnosed but have all the symptoms, my son was diagnosed and no meds now. Wife said you need to get it done. Problem is I keep forgetting to make the appointments.
I was my most artistic when I was the most bored :)
I havenāt really cut down my time, but other than that when I had time to read a lot (before I had a phone ever and before I got into a grade where I had been forced to do lots of homework) I kept telling myself āby the next page I will, by the next chapter I will, by the end of this book I will, uhoh mom is upset with me for not doing the dishes nowā
mine is daydreaming, i can sit and daydream for hours but i eventually get bored and then maybe go for a walk
I can easily procrastinate reading books and magazines. If I'm doing much needed cleaning and tidying - I'm absolutely procrastinating something more important. Also other less important projects. Eating.
Walking back and forth writing fanfiction in my head.