Ways To Unwind After A Busy Work Week That Don’t Involve A Screen

After a long, productive day, it’s so tempting to flop on your couch and scroll for hours on end, but research has shown that endless scrolling, or doomscrolling as it’s now known, isn’t the healthiest or most mindful way to unwind.

According to the Harvard Medical School, doomscrolling can affect not only your mental health, but your physical health, including symptoms of nausea, headaches, muscle tension, difficulty sleeping, and even elevated blood pressure.

“When people doomscroll for hours, they’re sedentary for a long time too,” Dr Aditi Nerurkar, a lecturer at Harvard Medical School, told Harvard Health Publishing. “The ripple effects are vast and problematic.” Research shows that women are especially susceptible to the dangers of doomscrolling because of the widespread violence against women seen online. 

If you’re looking to get away from screens after a stressful day, here are some activities you can do instead.

These activities usually involve arts and crafts such as painting, knitting, crocheting, and journaling, but it could be anything you create with your hands. 

Maybe today is the day you start your new scrapbooking project, or patch up a pair of jeans with a hole in them. Analog hobbies give you a dopamine hit, leaving you feeling satisfied after completing a part of your project. And when the whole picture comes together, it exists as an entity that you can forever be proud of right in front of you, instead of living only on your phone.

As of October 2025, only 38% of American adults have reported reading at least one to five books over the past year. Reading a book of any genre, fictional or non-fiction, is still one of the best ways to reduce stress while simultaneously learning new things. It can provide a much-needed escape from the grind of real life, or offer fresh perspectives on life through relatable characters, unfamiliar cultures, and history.

Reading is more accessible than ever today. You can pick up a book or e-reader (yes, digital books count too!) from your local library. Or if you’d rather make reading a more social activity, join a book club. There are so many book communities that meet up in person or online that any niche or genre of book that you’re into, you can surely find someone else who’s just as excited. 

You may be underestimating how much a little fresh air can change your mood. 

Walking is the most accessible form of exercise and a free method of relaxation. Loma Linda University states that walking lowers cortisol levels, a stress hormone, and that “Consistent walking can lower the amount of cortisol in the bloodstream over time and reduce stress.”

Not only does it improve physical health, but the mental effects are pronounced too. The increased blood flow in your body from walking can help stop anxious behaviors such as rumination and give your brain a break from day-to-day stressors. While there is no “correct” way to take a walk or optimal time frame, some things to do during your stroll include

• Listening to music, podcasts, or audiobooks
• Bringing your human or furry friends
• During a lunch break or after a meal

For those with limited mobility, even pacing or marching indoors can induce similar benefits. The more you do these kinds of activities, the more you’ll find yourself not automatically resorting to your phone to decompress.