How many of us feel so stressed in our lives with work, school, and family obligations that we feel like we don’t have time for anything fun? Well, the data shows that we are highly stressed: Almost half of all Americans and Europeans experience moderate to extreme stress.
But the research also shows that we spend a huge amount of time online. In fact, the average internet user spends nearly two and a half hours on social media every day. So how can both these things be true? And what if we could transition some of that time we spend mostly mindlessly scrolling through our social media feeds with some kind of fun that can help to destress and rejuvenate us?
Low-density vs. High-density Fun
YouTuber Thomas Frank describes scrolling through social media as “low-density” fun: it’s somewhat fun but mostly just easy, and therefore abused as a procrastination tool. The way to combat this is to schedule “high-density” fun—activities that may be more time consuming than scrolling through our feeds but are things we actually find fun. Thomas argues that we need to make time for those types of high-density fun hobbies. By scheduling your time like that, you let your high-density fun create a self-imposed deadline that propels you into focused work.
Benefits of High-density Fun
High-density fun is more rewarding and better for our workflow. Research has also shown that engaging in enjoyable leisure activities is “associated with psychosocial and physical measures relevant for health and well-being”. Indeed, engaging with our hobbies is correlated with better physical health (including lower blood pressure and lower stress hormones), increased work performance, more friendships, and increased sleep and happiness.
Finding High-density Fun
The first step is acknowledging that you can carve time into your life for high-density fun. We all feel busy in our lives, but as mentioned above, taking the time for hobbies is extremely important. Try to be mindful of your downtime to see where you can replace low-density fun with high-density fun. When we use our precious free time to scroll on social media or check our email, it may not actually feel like downtime dedicated to recharging.
Once we realize we want this high-density fun, we may not know exactly what to do. What are my hobbies? Here are some suggestions: Try to think about things you’ve always wanted to do and pursue that interest. You can think back to your childhood for inspiration. Get out of your comfort zone and try new things—like maybe taking a class or lesson. Most importantly, stick with it and have fun!
LifeBonder
With the help of our new up-and-coming app LifeBonder, you can meet new people in your area based on common interests. Our goal is to take the best parts of social media—social connections—and bring them into the real world. We want to use the power of technology and digital connections to bring people together without the baggage of low-density fun. While traditional social media can isolate users and make them feel depressed, LifeBonder strives to increase personal connections and increase the amount of high-density fun in our lives. Go to https://lifebonder.com/ to sign up for our newsletter today.
Cecilia Foster
I love learning about new topics and writing about them in interesting ways. And as a recent university graduate, I’m eager to make positive changes in the world. At LifeBonder, I get to write about social media in significant and meaningful ways.
