11 Minimalist Hobbies to Avoid Negative Habits

Are you in a rut and looking to simplify your life with minimalist hobbies? Well, you’re in the right place!

Minimalist hobbies are all about bringing simplicity into your life and avoiding negative habits that waste time and bring less happiness.

For example, social media addiction along with doom scrolling and comparison to others can be extremely harmful to our personal satisfaction and happiness!

Check out these awesome minimalist hobbies you can try today!!

11 Minimalist Hobbies for People Who Want to Avoid Negative Habits

1. Read More

Reading more is one of the best minimalist hobbies you can do for yourself!

Reading is incredibly beneficial for your mind and provides tons of scientifically backed benefits including:

– Strengthening your brain
– Reducing your Stress
– Preventing cognitive decline
– Increased empathy
– Building a better vocabulary
– Help with sleep

Pick An Ideal Time

Now that we know why we should be reading more (if we didn’t know already) it’s time to determine when the best time for us will be to read.

In our busy schedules, it may be difficult to make time for reading, however, if you make it a habit and find a consistent time, you’ll be able to succeed and make it a regular part of your daily activities.

My favorite time to read is at night! This is because it’s relaxing and gives me entertainment without using my phone or any screens that may harm my sleep.

Don’t get me wrong, I am guilty of using my phone before bed, but I definitely am moving towards reading consistently replacing my phone at night.

Here are some great times to read if you’ve got a busy schedule:

– Read at night
– Read during your morning routine
– Read during bathroom time
– Listen to audiobooks on the commute to work (technically not reading, but eh)
– Read during lunch breaks

Read Books That Entertain and Give Great Advice

Now that we’ve gone over why and when you should read, let’s discuss WHAT you should read.

Honestly, you should read whichever genre you enjoy! Fiction and non-fiction both provide value to many readers for different preferences.

I enjoy Non-fiction for the important life skills and self-development tips they provide. Some of my favorite books so far have been in the personal finance and self-development niche.

Here are some of my favorites and some I’m still currently reading:

Finance:
– “The Psychology of Money” by Morgan Housel
– “Just Keep Buying: Proven Ways to Save Money And Build Your Wealth” by Nick Maggiulli
– “The Millionaire Next Door” by Ph.D. Stanley Thomas

Self-Development:
– “Atomic Habits” by James Clear
– “The 5AM Club: Own Your Morning Elevate Your Life” by Robin Sharma
– “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Sean Covey

2. Get Outside

If you’re feeling down lately or just in a funk, go outside and get some fresh air!

If you’re anything like me, you’re an introvert who can stay indoors for days on end. However, it’s highly beneficial for our well-being that we go outside and get some fresh air. Even if it’s just for a walk around your neighborhood.

Getting outside and getting more sun has been linked with lower depression levels and increased happiness. This is because vitamin D promotes the production of serotonin in our body which keeps our mood and spirit up while fighting away depression.

Outside Activities

Here are some positive simple living activities:

– Walk in the park
– Picnic
– Outdoor concert
– Beach
– Sports
– Reading
– Playing with pets
– Go for a run
– Chess in the park

3. Turn Off The TV

Television may not be as prominent as it was in the past with YouTube and streaming becoming more popular. However, television and screen time still play a big role due to the rise of smart TVs which can play both YouTube and streaming services.

Television isn’t completely bad in small doses, but when watched for hours on end, it can be very detrimental.

Negative Effects of TV

TV can have some serious effects on our minds if you search Google and research.

Some studies show Television changes our brainwaves from beta to alpha waves. The alpha state is closely linked to a type of “daydreaming” autopilot state that your mind enters.

This makes you much more susceptible to advertising and suggestive material. Thus, making you more passive and vulnerable to harmful information.

If watch TV long enough, you may even notice the feeling of hypnotic passive focus taking over.

This is evident in the fact that sometimes when your parents would call your name, you may not respond because you’re so engrossed in what you are watching on TV.

Positive Activities Without Your TV

Here are some positive minimalist activities you can enjoy without TV:

– Board games
– Books
– Deep conversation
– Family games
– Exercise
– Stretching
– Work on sudoku
– Crossword puzzles
– Puzzles
– Drawing
– DIY
– Arts and Crafts
– Sewing

4. Limit Your Device Screen Time

Similar to TV, staring at our computer and phone screens can also be detrimental to us.

Harmful Sleep

Our screens can be harmful to our sleep due to the blue light that they emit.

This blue light blocks the production of melatonin in our brain which is the hormone responsible for healthy sleep. With this important hormone blocked or suppressed, it makes it more and more difficult for us to fall asleep.

Engage Your Mind

Too much screen time can hurt your eyes and your brain power.

Instead, engaging in activities like reading can improve your brain power and improve cognitive ability.

5. Put Your Phone Down

Taking time away from our phones is very similar to the above section, however, I want to emphasize giving ourselves a break from not just our device screens but primarily our phones.

Most of us Are Addicted to our Phones

Let’s be honest, most people are addicted to their phones whether they openly admit it or not.

Just put your phone down somewhere and then try to go 5-10 minutes without it.

You will 100% feel the urge to check your messages, social media, or the internet somewhere in that period guaranteed.

It’s subtle and doesn’t feel like an addiction, but the fact that it’s hard for us to just put it away and read instead makes it more evident.

Make Time to Put Your Phone Down

To give ourselves time away from our phones, we must make time to do so.

This could be something like replacing your phone with a book during your bathroom breaks or not checking your phone until a certain time in the morning.

What I have found to work is leaving my phone in the bathroom after taking my night shower and leaving it there until morning. This way it doesn’t affect my sleep and allows me the freedom to read before bed without distraction.

Other than nighttime, you can make a conscious effort to take 20-30 minutes without your phone during the day.

To implement this, it may be beneficial if you start with maybe 10 minutes without your phone and work your way up.

All in all, find a method that works best for you if this is something you’d like to try!

6. Declutter Your Closet

Decluttering your closet is a serious game changer and is a great minimalist hobby!

If you haven’t taken the time to go through your closet and declutter your clothes, I highly recommend giving this a try!

Create a Minimalist Wardrobe

Once you have taken a look through your closet and identified areas you would like to declutter, you can opt for creating a minimalist wardrobe.

This type of wardrobe has made my life so much easier and is one of the best features of a minimalist lifestyle.

More Peace of Mind

Definitely one of the benefits I’ve found since decluttering my closet and creating a minimalist wardrobe has to be the peace of mind that comes with it.

Having fewer clothes is super liberating and allows you to get dressed and pack for trips much more easily!

7. Declutter Your Technology

Decluttering your technology can be a fun little minimalist hobby that you can do in your spare time.

This can be anything like going through your email and deleting spam or other old emails, organizing your bookmarks bar, or deleting unused apps on your phone.

Delete Unused Apps on Your Phone

Deleting your unused apps is a great way to declutter your digital space and create a minimalist safe place in all aspects of your life.

Some apps may be important to you even if you haven’t used them in a while, so in some cases keep what’s important and then just get rid of anything that just sits on your phone untouched.

Remember: Decluttering your phone is personal to your own device and needs and you should organize and declutter based on what works best for you!

Embrace Digital Minimalism

Embracing digital minimalism not just with our phones but with all of our devices can improve our lives greatly.

Cal Newport in his book, “Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World” explains how we can take control of our lives in an increasingly tech-heavy world.

8. Declutter Your Subscriptions

Decluttering your subscriptions is one of the best minimalist activities that take little time but can make a big impact on your savings.

Getting rid of these unused subscriptions can save you hundreds of dollars you may not have been aware you were spending.

According to a 2022 survey by C+R Research, on average $219 was spent on subscriptions per month which was 2.5 times higher than consumers thought they may be paying.

9. Sell Items on eBay

Selling items on eBay is one of those minimalist hobbies that pays both ways!

Not only are you decluttering by getting rid of valuable items you don’t want or need, but you’re also getting paid as well.

Determine Valuable Items You’d Like to Sell

Start by going through your belongings and identifying any valuable items that you don’t really need anymore.

If certain items are no longer needed, determine their value. If an item is not really worth much (this may depend on your assessment of the item) then it may be better to just give it away or trash it.

Once you have your high-ticket items, start taking pictures and posting them on eBay.

Now you’re decluttering and getting your money’s worth!

10. Limit Your Shopping

Limiting your shopping habits may not necessarily be an active minimalist activity, however, it’s something you can practice in your daily life to lead to a more simple lifestyle.

Embrace a Minimalist Lifestyle

You don’t need to be a minimalist to want a simple life. But if you choose to, a minimalist lifestyle can make simple living that much easier!

Once you learn to embrace a minimalist lifestyle and find a version of minimalism that fits your needs, you’ll be on your way to a more meaningful life filled with all of the important things you love.

Save More Money

One of my favorite reasons to limit your shopping aside from not accumulating more clutter is the fact that it saves you money!

If you’re someone living on a budget, then you know that finances can be tight sometimes.

Getting a handle on your shopping habits can help you to cut back on those unnecessary expenses and focus your money on more important goals like saving for a home, wedding, or family vacation.

11. Play a Board Game With Family and Friends

This is one of those awesome family-friendly minimalist hobbies that can be done with no electronics involved and be incredibly enjoyable if you have some characters in your family lol.

If this isn’t regularly in your household, try replacing movie night with game night and incorporate it into family gatherings or family evenings. You never know how much fun it is until ya try!

One game I’ve really enjoyed playing with family recently is the 5 Second Rule Game, where you are given a question and you need to name 3 items, people, places, things, etc. covering various topics in 5 seconds. It gets really hard at times but brings a lot of joy and laughter due to the extreme timing of the answer in 5 seconds haha!

Challenges You May Face When Embracing Minimalist Hobbies

Decreasing phone and TV usage can be challenging, however this is entirely up to you. But it is beneficial to give these a break and engage in other positive minimalist activities like exercise and self-development through reading and online courses.

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About the Author: Miguel desires to help you realize the benefits of Simple Living and inspire you to practice intentionality with your spending habits by learning to budget! His goal is to help beginners learn how to live a simple life, become intentional with spending, and manage their money right! Find more from him at thesimpleparadise.com.