Grace Mackay – Contributor

Lately, as I’ve reflected on conversations with friends and family, I’ve noticed a shift in everyday discourse. I can’t help but feel like something’s missing. Conversations are filled with talk of school, work and responsibilities, and less about the things that bring us joy. Nobody seems to talk about hobbies anymore – at least not the way they used to. The types of conversations that entangle interest and individuality in our everyday lives. Sure, people have a hobby here and there – you might like to pick up a book every once in a while, or maybe you sketch when you find the time, but it feels far different from what hobbies used to be. From this, I began to wonder why this could be happening.

This brought me to one question: Have rising screen times slowly robbed us of the time we once had for creative pursuits? While maybe our phones aren’t all to blame, they are certainly a large piece of the problem.

Image courtesy of Gabrielle Lalonde

Creativity requires boredom – an emotion people seldom get the opportunity to feel anymore. When I find myself in a state of boredom, it can almost feel like a luxury. In a society as fast-paced as ours, we are rarely given the opportunity to sit with ourselves in silence. Think about it, when was the last time you felt truly bored? This ability to sit with our thoughts is what drives creativity and personal development. However, without practice, boredom is uncomfortable. Our brain scrambles to find a way to fill it with anything available. This can be why phones become so addictive – It’s the simplest way to cure boredom, and perhaps one of the worst. 

I’m sure many of us know from experience, including myself, what a trap this can be. Sometimes, after a long day, I’ll get in bed, go on Instagram and realize two hours have passed in a blink. Not only have I done nothing, but I can’t recall a single thing I’ve read or looked at in those past two hours. I was simply scrolling to fill the time. 

This constant distraction eliminates our creativity, smothering our need for hobbies and personal creative outlets. This is why rising screen times have slowly robbed us of the time we once had for creative pursuits – the types of pursuits that brought colour into our lives. Instead of spending the spare time we once had on ourselves, developing our individuality and discovering little joys, we spend our time scrolling endlessly. 

This habit of filling every quiet moment with screens ties back to motivation. Boredom is a powerful driver of motivation; it sparks creativity. While interest also has the power to motivate us, even that is often drowned out by the instant gratification of phones.

If we all spend our time constantly scrolling, consuming meaningless information, and gaining little from it, where will our individuality come from? Our interests? Our passions? Hobbies may feel like a small piece of ourselves, but they are deeply impactful. They give us identity, allow us to slow down, and find joy in the mundane. Without this, who are we? 

I am not writing this to tell people that they’re doing something wrong, or even to instill motivation in anyone. I’m not trying to inspire people to start a hobby, although I wouldn’t mind if I did. I’m looking to point out a dynamic shift in our culture. This shift is shown in the everyday fast-paced society being shaped around us, moving away from a once slow, relaxing, and balanced way of life. Whether this shift is good or bad will only be determined with time.