It’s crucial to be informed with what’s going on in the world. It can be draining, however, to get sucked into the scroll, suddenly realizing that the free hour you had turned into mindlessly watching a feed—and feeling worse off in the end.

Doomscrolling is particularly insidious: Our brains start seeking out negative information, which the algorithm readily feeds us, and early research links it to higher levels of distress, lower mental well-being and reduced satisfaction with life in general.

So yes, stay informed, take action on the issues that move you. But if you find yourself getting into a depressed rut, where you just need time away from the screen that feels semi-productive and, more importantly, revives you, so you have the energy to take on whatever life throws your way, check out this list of ideas. Otherwise you may wind up feeling like the human version of this:

Nobody wants that, as cute as that lil’ Dumpster fire is.

Honestly, I’m writing this list more for myself than anyone else, but I’m sharing it just in case it’s helpful to you too. Because all too often, I finally find myself with 15 minutes of glorious free time, only to spend it craning my neck over a phone. Or so indecisive about what I could do that those precious minutes slip away, and I’m back to work/Mom/busy mode and feel more frustrated as a result.

So, without further ado, here are 50 ideas you can tackle in an afternoon or less (most in less than an hour, honestly) that will leave you feeling productive or creatively refreshed afterward.

Soul-Reviving, Analog Things to Do Instead of Doomscrolling:

1. Practice four rounds of square breathing
2. Pull up Y7 or YouTube and do a 10- to 15-minute yoga flow
3. Make Oreo truffles
4. Try the 6-6-6 Walking Method, where you commit to a 60-minute walk six days a week
5. Bake Greek yogurt bagels
6. Dabble in watercolor or gouache painting
7. Not feeling that artistic? Try a mini paint-by-numbers kit instead (I’m a sucker for these $10 kits from Michaels)
8. Make cinnamon roll snowmen
9. Learn to say three compliments in a foreign language
10. Write a letter to the last person you texted and put it in the mail as a surprise
11. Grab cheap grocery store flowers, trim them and create your own centerpiece to brighten your table
12. Pour your own candle
13. Scour the new arrivals at the library and commit to reading one
14. Check out the cookbook section, check out a book and make something from it
15. Go to the beach and stare at the waves (or any body of water you’re within driving distance of)
16. Take a bike ride
17. Blow bubbles
18. Plan a scavenger hunt
19. Give yourself a manicure (festive nail stickers, like these from XO, Fetti, optional but encouraged)
20. Organize your planner for the week ahead
21. Call Congress about a cause you’re passionate about (5calls.org can help you find your legislators and provide scripts, so it’s easy to get your message across)
22. Walk outside and do a rough sketch of a scene on the street, no matter how bad you are at drawing
23. Plan an unbirthday party
24. Or host an impromptu parade for the kids in your neighborhood
25. Find a nearby basketball court and play H-O-R-S-E
26. Sneak in a workout while folding laundry: For every 10 items you fold, do 5 burpees. The next round, try 5 jumping jacks. Repeat.
27. Pause and tackle these four chest-opening exercises to offset all that time hunched over a screen
28. Go geocaching
29. Jot down three things you’re looking forward to about today in a gratitude journal
30. Fly a kite
31. Try your hand at crochet (I’m still working at this one….and failing miserably)
32. Go bowling
33. Jog, skip or Prancercize for one mile
34. Grab some air dry clay, a hot glue gun and magnets and create your own whimsical fridge magnets (this kit makes it all too easy)
35. Apply the KonMari method to your dresser
36. Decorate cupcakes to look like Stitch
37. Or a cake that looks like Bluey
38. Visit the cheesiest tourist destination (like Floridarama for anyone in Tampa Bay, or the Museum of Ice Cream, for New Yorkers or Angelenos) within 90 minutes of where you live
39. Grab a disposable camera and chronicle your week, handing it off to others to capture snippets of their day too—or your hangouts from their perspective
40. Give junk journaling a whirl (if you need inspo, there’s an entire book devoted to the topic)
41. Find five things in your home to donate
42. Visit a local museum (but first, check with your local library—some offer free passes to ones in your area!)
43. Attempt a round of pickleball, tennis or badminton
44. Finish a crossword puzzle
45. Quick-pickle vegetables (pickled onions are great to have on hand to add a tangy twist to any dish)
46. Play solitaire with actual cards
47. Try dry brushing as a way to exfoliate your skin and provide a gentle massage, stimulating your nervous system (according to the Cleveland Clinic)
48. Go on a hike—and finish with a picnic
49. Play charades
50. Check in on your goals—and road map what you can chip away at toward them over the next 30 days