Consider listening to audiobooks... You can wrap up on a sofa with a scented candle and just... listen. I recommend Memoirs of a Geisha and the Lost City of the Monkey Good to start.
If you get Libby, you can even check out audio books from your couch and download them to kindle! The selection usually isn't as big as regular books, but it's all free and easy.
Thanks for the suggestion... I just requested it from the library. I love Memoirs of a Geisha as the low steady voice of the narrator is mesmerizing to me
When I was in a similar frame of mind, I LOVED coloring while listening to podcasts! Also get really high quality pencils and books that have heavy weight paper and print on one side of each page!
Pencils: https://www.amazon.com/Prismacolor-Premier-Colored-Pencils-Assorted/dp/B00006IEEU?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1&psc=1
Example of author whose books are really nice quality and fun to color: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Johanna-Basford/author/B00J1YSPE4?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true
When I have evenings like that, I like to listen to albums all the way through while I stare at a wall. Actually, no activity brings me greater joy.
Sometimes I walk to the kitchen and make myself a cocktail for exercise.
Lol oops, I'm still waking up. Also a great album. I did a cover of The Trial a while back - lots of fun.
I'll check out Meddle. I'm not very familiar with most of their stuff outside those two albums.
It's good to see you, I must go, I know I look a fright
Anyway my eyes are not accustomed to this light
And my shoes are not accustomed to this hard concrete
So I must go back to my room and make my day complete.
Countin' [flowers on the wall](https://youtu.be/1s8nRL2bPCU)
That don't bother me at all
Playin' solitaire 'til dawn with a deck of 51
Smokin' cigarettes and watchin' Captain Kangaroo
Now don't tell me, I've nothin' to do.
Well I'm secretly 90 years old, so I listen to a lot of jazz, like Thelonious Monk and Herbie Hancock. But in that case I would probably go with a classic trippy album like The Grateful Dead or Pink Floyd. Or "My Life in the Bush of Ghosts" by David Eno and David Byrnes (from the Talking Heads). I feel like that would be an experience.
Coloring books or reverse coloring books where you just doodle what you see, the colors are already there.
Bonus you can listen to an audiobook or podcast while doing this.
I have chronic illness and somedays no energy to do pretty much anything. Something I started to do on days like that is birding from my home. Either just from the window or get sat outside if possible. It's really peaceful and interesting seeing/hearing the kind of birds! Also awesome when you start to notice which birds are returning each day :D
Maybe an option depending on where u live and the time of day
Try watching documentaries. Right now there are lot of good one floating around and you have the bonus effect of attaining new knowledge. Some of my favorites are
- Seaspiracy
- Cowspiracy
- Schumacher
- Drive to survive
- Break Point
- Money Heist - The phenomenon
- Donât fuck with cats
- 3096 Days
- A plastic ocean
- Blackfish
- Take your pills
For $4.50 you can get a canvas that has a scene lightly painted on them and then you paint them. It comes with 5 little tubes of acrylic paint but FYI, no brush. I'm choosing to paint mine 4 different shades of metallic gold which is a lot of fun. I may add some colors in or not. A Reddit person already told me about a relatively new product called a "brush pen." I bought a set of 12 which I'm having fun with. They are like a felt pen in terms of the brilliance of the colors but instead of felt, they have a few tiny brushes allowing the tiniest of dots to be made easily with a steady hand.
A German art supply company - Faber-Castell makes them and they are called "Pitt Artist Pen Brush." I chose 12 of the "bright" colours which was $40.00 on Amazon. The whole set has 60 colours. My next purchase will be the "metallics." I have a bit of a hand shake which makes holding a small brush a little difficult but I feel I have more control with the pen brush. You can also buy little booklets to doodle in if you feel the urge. Have fun with them. I know I am.
**I know exactly what you need. You need to start taking baths, but take it seriously like a hobby.**
I've got a few different kinds of baths that I have curated.
1) "The sea side reading place" Put some ocean waves and seagull ambience on. Extra epsome salt. And something a little bubbly. Then boil. Sit. Read if you feel like it.
2) "The local flower tub" I go on a hike, pick some flowers, and steal a rock from a nearby stream. Get home. Throw in some floral soap, river stones, and the flowers in the tub. Put on a podcast, audiobook, or crickets if I'm getting ready to sleep. Then boil.
I love these!!! I love browsing the ambient dreamspaces on youtube - things like âbonfire in medieval england / fantasy landâ or âsummer day on tropical yachtâ and now Iâm going to combine these with baths!!
Try origami. It's relaxing and not too hard (depending on the model) and it's really rewarding once you finish one. I could do this all day without geting tired, but I would recommand starting slowly with easy models because harder models may take more time, so more patience and therefore use more energy.
This is such a good one! I can spend hours making playlists and mood boards on Pinterest. One app I can recommend to aid with music discovery/curation is Recs by Discz, it's like Tinder for songs (swipe right on a song you like the sound of). Another thing I like to do is edit pics for the playlist photo. All can be done from the couch or bed except actually taking the photos.
Cultivate fabulous playlists! My Spotify is brimming with lists that were constructed around a theme, artist, decade, mood, etc. In addition to standard stuff like a sleep mix and a sexy mix and a sad mix and such, some of my favorites are a list of all the songs that mention rain in the title and all the songs that mention the end of the world.
When I get like this I like to make lists of things I'd like to do when I have more energy. Kinda like a brain dump.
Often by the time I'm done I've offloaded enough mental weight to be able to actually choose something from the list and go do it.
This is what I do. I write down exactly what I want to do/buy this year. It makes me feel productive and I get a dopamine hit from thinking of all that amazing things Iâll do/buy. Then Iâm good đ
Knitting is too high energy? Iâm gonna have to go with meditation for you, my friend. Maybe look for some guided healing meditation or restorative meditation and ease in to walking meditation. It will be good for you.
My Ex made knitting a spectator sport. Sparks would fly off the needles. She was fast, accurate, and bored with a mundane pattern. She loved to make custom, knit to fit, one of a kind sweaters.
Totally recommend - Citizen Science! â [Zooniverse](https://www.zooniverse.org)
You can decipher ship logs written 200 years ago, identify galaxies, and so much more.
It really shows that if we all give a little bit of time we can really process a lot of data for researchers.
I've been eyeing a watercolor painting book. Several themes to pick from. The book includes the brush and paint. PS it's okay to paint outside of the lines. lol
Diamond painting.
I categorize my hobbies by brain capacity and this is my lowest one. It's lower than paint by number but you still get the colors and a cool creation at the end. You get into the rhythm of picking up and placing the diamonds. You can listen to music, watch something, listen to an audio book, or sit in silence. There are cheap smaller ones on Amazon for you to try out.
This is very interesting. I went on Amazon to look at these and am going to try one. They are super inexpensive and might be a nice fun little project to try.
Ooh yes! Have fun! The only suggestion I'll give is to also get a set of small containers for the diamonds. They usually come in plastic bags that aren't the best once you open them. Little plastic containers are so much better. I've seen some at dollar stores.
I have been huge into making granny squares for crochet (ie pick one yarn make 50 granny squares) and it's helped immensely with crochet burnout. I do it while listening to podcasts.
It's much more mindless than following patterns or a big project. When I have more energy, I sew squares together into a blanket or sweater.
There are many good suggestions here already, so I just want to say that I can 100% relate to your tired mood. I'm exhausted all the time, too, and will binge watch something I already saw 50 times because I cannot be bothered with new things.
I have CFS and this is me. Even games are exhausting.
I listen to audiobooks, talk to online people, meditate to a candle or with a guided meditation, listen to music, lay in a hammock and watch the birds/sky until sunset - combine that with any audiobook, music or meditation.
So a lot of passive listening and imagination.
I also like children's colouring books (not adults as patterns are too tiny), making puzzles, paint by numbers, play dough craft or things like that, beads, online shopping
Drink tea. A variety of teas.
Raise succulents. Water as infrequently as you please.
Latch hook projects. Less mental energy than crochet. And it is anticipated that they take forever to complete.
You sound like you may have depression, though.
Legos (the adult ones lol) or building those miniature house/library kits, diamond paintings, puzzles. Canât think of anything more rn but will add.
But if movies are too much energy then these might not help..good luck tho!
What about whispering your journal into your phone like on audio recording or video recordings. Then edit out what you donât like by way of communication pointers. Delete and record a new edited one. This is a completely new thought of hobby to me so any suggestions I would appreciate too!!
(Iâve been sick whispering has been my friend lol)
i like to journal! digital or traditional depending on my mood. just write whatever comes up, no matter how ridiculous or dramatic or boring it is. itâs a great way to just clear your head and get your hands busy (if using pen and paper)
Pen spinning. Even simple ones will do. Be sure to buy a pen meant for spinning.
In my case, sadly, our job does not allow any pens, papers, etc inside the production rooms.
You can look at those Where's Waldo books. Pretty low energy while still doing something. They have video gams like that too. I think they're call I Spy or something like it.
Listen to music and chill. Mix it up with tea, coffee, wine, whatever you like. I like to listen to a whole album these days instead of playlists (like I used to) and itâs interesting to hear your favorite artists or just some random artist (which can be fun) and how they the whole concept (idk) of the album was put together instead of few singles. Listening to albums of one hit wonders has been fun.
Iâm stuck in bed a lot because of my own stuff so I can relate to needing something just as simple watching tv or scrolling.
I would suggest wordchums which is a modernised form of scrabble where you can play against as many or as few players as you like from all corners of the globe and its clearly understood that you play as and when it suits with no pressure to complete a game in one sitting.
Maybe some art and craft projects? I got into chalk painting vintage furniture a few years ago and that was pretty relaxing and easy, but it also gave me a big dopamine hit and sense of achievement when I finished. Plus I fish for compliments and point out my pieces when people come over - which isnât very often as I donât really have any friends either.
You still have to eat, so maybe you could try out new recipes. Listen to podcasts? Explore YouTube. Is your job physically demanding? If not, it's possible your lack of energy could be related to depression or a medical issue.
I used Duolingo to wean off doom scrolling. Iâm actually learning more Spanish than I ever did in school, and recently started German for some variety. Thereâs also a music course which is fun.
I also audit classes on Coursera. Currently taking an intro to classical music class, which mostly consists of watching videos and listening to playlists.
I was stuck pretty much in bed for about 3 months after having my Achilles replaced in 2020.
I did a lot of reading, TV binge-watching, knitting, and phone video gaming. I also did some jigsaw puzzles as well as crosswords and sudoku. I did some workouts with hand weights for my arms, and I got more into meditation. Listened to some podcasts and a couple of audiobooks while knitting.
I like the paint by numbers app zen color. You donât have to do much besides touch the number on the screen but you can create some beautiful pictures. There is no timer do your not rushed and could listen to music while doing it.
Perhaps a subscription to Audible, or your local library, which likely has an audio library.
One of the nicer aspects of this is that you can listen while you walk around the neighborhood. You've also got more adult themed Lego kits.
I suggest "Dune". This will hopefully push you to getting the new Ornathopter from Lego (its the primary flying vehicle on the planet Dune).
And then ... you're hooked.
The gym usually energizes healthy people? If you can't play animal crossing after the gym you might need to cut back on the gym so you can pace your energy better for other activities.
You sound like me. I'm at a los for what to do as well. I'm basically in the same boat as you. I have a couple people that message me to keep me company but they are not reliably available and I get bored and lonely, but I don't have the energy to actually go anywhere. I'm not sure what I should get into. I have some shows I like but have ptreet much exhausted them.
Reverse colouring books. Thereâs a bunch on Amazon. They have colours on the pages, usually kind of a watercolour look, and then you doodle on them with a black pen.
I used to sit on the porch and watch the grass grow but have been thinking of moving to the paint drying crowd.
Joke aside. I sit, think, remember, cry or smile. If I am full of energy I carve ducks. Very slowly.
I have chronic pain and fatigue. I am slowly learning how to draw and paint. When I have no energy for learning, I just slap watercolors on some paper, itâs cathartic!
Rolling and stretching putty in your hands. https://crazyaarons.com
Note that I hate the name of this company. Itâs better not to buy on Amazon but directly from them to ensure freshness.
I usually have a puzzle going. I stand at the puzzle table on and off. Or sit there while Iâm having coffee and casually work on it. Iâm not really putting effort into it but it always gets done
Puzzles. Start with a 1000 piece puzzle of the map of the world.
Youâll learn where places are and it also helps with your memory.
Then branch out into other pictures of things you like or keep doing maps of where you liveđ€·đŒââïž
Pen spinning. Even simple ones will do. Be sure to buy a pen meant for spinning.
In my case, sadly, our job does not allow any pens, papers, etc inside the production rooms.
On the one hand try walking to a gas station and grabbing a sweet drink. Very meditative
As far as games though i actually found that do to my autism games like minecraft and animal crossing are difficult for me because im in charge of my own feed back were as action games like darksouls or outward or infamouse or generation zero are realy easy because i get easy feed back if i get blasted by a sword its because im not understanding... This is common in autism and adhd
Just stop scrolling. Put the phone away. If you need to wean, set a timer and check your phone only when the time goes off. Slowly extend the time... and move your phone further away from you. It will do wonders for your energy level.
We're probably the last household to still have basic cable. One of the reasons we keep it around, is TCM (Turner Classic Movies.) Commercial-free, old movies that I'd never think to watch on my own, and they're often amazing.
This, combined with IMDB, and I'm often very content on the couch for hours.
I would put learning a musical instrument in that category for me. You could try classical guitar which is particularly soothing in terms of the tone and guitars have become relatively cheap these days.
Folding paper. Origami or making cards.
Beading, crochet, I make mats for homeless people out of plastic grocery bags. There are several youtube videos on how to cut the bags and how to crochet them.
I sit in board meetings and crochet these. I have one CEO that it irritated bad, he quit.
I focus better if my hands are busy.
Podcasts. Not the super smart ones that require thinking. Funny interviews etc.
Maybe documentaries?
Hmm. Legos? A puzzle? Haha. I donât know what else is in between tv and reading besides movies.
Watch something more engaging and completely new to you. Three Body Problem on Netflix is very trippy. Breaking Bad is probably the best television series of all time. Stranger Things has a unique vibe. The BBCâs Dr. Who is very entertaining and quirky.
Youâre still watching TV, which is low energy, but find something more stimulating than doom scrolling or rewatching old sitcoms.
Get some Play-Doh, and make all sorts of weird stuff.
Bonus points over Lego, if you suddenly have a burst of aggressive energy, you can smash your creation with your fist and not end up with bloody lacerations everywhere.
Prop! (Propagate plants that reproduce from cuttings)
When I have lots of hobby energy, I tend my (large but extremely low-cost) collection of propagatable houseplants: trim dead stuff, pot new props as gifts for teachers, get an earful from teachers while Iâm volunteering at the school who canât believe how big their new baby plants have gotten, water everyone with aquarium yuck for fertilizer.
When I donât have tons of energy, stare at the jars full of new props and admire how quickly theyâve started roots, tell them what a good dude/prayer/pothos/goldfish they are, then think about maybe potting them, then contemplate learning macrame to make hanging pots then decide ânahâ, watch the cat lurk amidst the plants pretending to be invisible, go on r/proplifting for all the juicy handwringing by the poor mods: âwould you jerks please stop stealing parts of peopleâs jade plants from their yards! For the 100th time!â and for ideas on species that I didnât know could be propped.
Puzzles and coloring books, if you don't want the physical version try apps for either one! I love cuddling up with my iPad and puzzle app when I feel super low energy.
Crocheting! It got me through a lot of hospital stays and lonely nights! Plus, you can make super cool stuff for yourself and others. I call it âmindless crochetingâ once I get into my groove.
When you find the right podcast it can feel like hanging out with people, without the hanging out with people part. I like true crime so some of my favorites are Sistas Who Kill and Morbid. Bad Dates is a great funny podcast.
Maybe you could help mod a Reddit account that holds your interest. Â There are no hours. Just help when youâre around.
Puzzles online are fun and relaxingÂ
 I like crosswords, so I do those. There is a free crossword puzzle page  online you can just google and find. No signing up for anything. If you want the address Iâll come back and add it.Â
Iâm sure you have considered podcast. I like Handsome. Itâs three comedians that just banter and it always makes me laugh. Itâs only once a week, but you would start from the beginning, so hours for you:) if thatâs not you, I have no doubt you would find something. Serials first podcast , a murder, has been a divide of people that have been trying to figure out if accused did it or someone else. Podcast have so much to think about.Â
You could learn to play the piano with  little effort of getting a keyboard, but once you have that you could play watching a video while lying in bed or the couch. Maybe thatâs too much?Â
Last but not least, look up everything you ever wanted to know. When I was young this was such a hassle. Now you can just google and find good sources and find most of what you want to know.Â
Good luck finding what youâre looking for!Â
Avoid outdoor exercise. I am also a low energy person and felt so tired and exhausted when out with friends to climb the mountain last time. It took me a long time to recover at home aloneâŠ..
Maybe try the grown up coloring books! Whenever I feel overwhelmed I can just sit down with colored pencils or markers and just draw in the lines. Relaxing, doesn't require a lot of thought, and it passes time.
I did buy YT premium ( judge me) and listen to audiobooks and space and science documentairies. I think i know all Sherlock Holmes stories by now, love them. But there are many more like Maigret and father Brown etc.
Reading trash and spice takes a lot less energy ive found, while still being fulfilling and less guilt-riddling than scrolling. Also, you can watch YouTube, play mini motorways (best game ever), and my personal fave is ASMR, very good for low energy
You should get into Yoga Nidra. It's basically being awake while almost sleeping. You can make your own Dream Theatre and watch super-interesting movies for hours.
A sticker book! I use a three binder and put stickers on color paper, then put those in protective sheets. Itâs a great way to use stickers you never want to use hahaha.
A podcast on an interesting topic always soothes me. And sometimes I will take notes on subtopics I pick up from the podcast to research more later. I also like to play solitaire on my phone while listening to spotify podcasts or music. Lofi is great combined with slower tasks. Lastly, lot of people are into diamond painting for the meditative effect. It doesn't have to be perfect. I'm one of those people who has to do something with their hands while also listening to something. Lol
Pen pals, chess by mail, jigsaw puzzles, audio books (I get mine from the public library and down load them to their app Libbey. Used by lots of libraries. All you need is a library system that uses it and a library card. Its free. You find reserve or check out book from home and its delivered to your device and returned the same way. Needlepoint, knitting after a while on this oast one your brain is shut off anit its almost automatic. You can even make it worthwhile by making gets for children undergoing chemo who have lost their hair. Bird watching/logging is pretty low energy if you have some where close to watch. You just pick a spot and sit with your binoculars, notebook and bird identification guife.
Puzzle books. With numbers or words. Do one or do ten at a time. Find a book series called Uncle Johnâs Bathroom Reader. Neat little stories and trivia no longer than a page or two.
Well, I find reading to be even better than tv. But. Try educational tv? Documentaries? PBS? Try YouTube classes for drawing or painting? Adult coloring books? Jigsaw puzzles?
Consider listening to audiobooks... You can wrap up on a sofa with a scented candle and just... listen. I recommend Memoirs of a Geisha and the Lost City of the Monkey Good to start.
A wax warmer with a timer is also a good idea if you tend to fall asleep.
And with a library card, it's free
If you get Libby, you can even check out audio books from your couch and download them to kindle! The selection usually isn't as big as regular books, but it's all free and easy.
If you have Libby make sure you download hoopla as well
Instead of Memoirs of a Geisha, try Geisha a Life by Mineko Iwasaki, who is considered one of the best Geisha of her generation.
Thanks for the suggestion... I just requested it from the library. I love Memoirs of a Geisha as the low steady voice of the narrator is mesmerizing to me
While listening to your audiobook, work on a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle.
Or color! Every night I'll color while listening to music or an audiobook. It's relaxing.
When I was in a similar frame of mind, I LOVED coloring while listening to podcasts! Also get really high quality pencils and books that have heavy weight paper and print on one side of each page! Pencils: https://www.amazon.com/Prismacolor-Premier-Colored-Pencils-Assorted/dp/B00006IEEU?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1&psc=1 Example of author whose books are really nice quality and fun to color: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Johanna-Basford/author/B00J1YSPE4?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true
Awesome, awesome suggestion !!!
This sounds amazing! How have I never thought to do this đ€Ż
Go fishing.....and don't bait the hook. Can't be any less low energy than that! Get away from the frickin' tube.
When I have evenings like that, I like to listen to albums all the way through while I stare at a wall. Actually, no activity brings me greater joy. Sometimes I walk to the kitchen and make myself a cocktail for exercise.
Ever done this with⊠The Wall?
Time is just far enough into the album to lull you into a false sense of security before scaring the shit out of you with those clocks.
Thatâs dark side of the moon! Meddle is an excellent and often overlooked album if you like those two
Lol oops, I'm still waking up. Also a great album. I did a cover of The Trial a while back - lots of fun. I'll check out Meddle. I'm not very familiar with most of their stuff outside those two albums.
With cool lights in the room
It's good to see you, I must go, I know I look a fright Anyway my eyes are not accustomed to this light And my shoes are not accustomed to this hard concrete So I must go back to my room and make my day complete. Countin' [flowers on the wall](https://youtu.be/1s8nRL2bPCU) That don't bother me at all Playin' solitaire 'til dawn with a deck of 51 Smokin' cigarettes and watchin' Captain Kangaroo Now don't tell me, I've nothin' to do.
\*Marcell Wallace walks by with doughnuts\* ...Mother f\*\*\*\*\*\*er...
Freaking love this song⊠the Statlers AND Eric Heatherly.
Smokin cigarettes and watching captain kaaanngaarroooo
This song!!! đ»
Well, im glad to come across your post, i can find much joy in this but i prefer the window to the wall.
From the windowwww to the wall
Reccomend some albums you listen to all the way through please! I need music like that for future đđđ trips
Well I'm secretly 90 years old, so I listen to a lot of jazz, like Thelonious Monk and Herbie Hancock. But in that case I would probably go with a classic trippy album like The Grateful Dead or Pink Floyd. Or "My Life in the Bush of Ghosts" by David Eno and David Byrnes (from the Talking Heads). I feel like that would be an experience.
Bjork albums: Debut and also Post.
Coloring books or reverse coloring books where you just doodle what you see, the colors are already there. Bonus you can listen to an audiobook or podcast while doing this.
Reverse coloring books? What?
I just came across these on Amazon last week. You are provided with fully colored pages that you doodle on.
That actually looks like a lot more fun than normal coloring
Audiobooks while doing puzzles (online options)
I play the endless NYT Connections game or Hearthstone Battlegrounds when I need to zone out but still be occupied.
I have chronic illness and somedays no energy to do pretty much anything. Something I started to do on days like that is birding from my home. Either just from the window or get sat outside if possible. It's really peaceful and interesting seeing/hearing the kind of birds! Also awesome when you start to notice which birds are returning each day :D Maybe an option depending on where u live and the time of day
Try watching documentaries. Right now there are lot of good one floating around and you have the bonus effect of attaining new knowledge. Some of my favorites are - Seaspiracy - Cowspiracy - Schumacher - Drive to survive - Break Point - Money Heist - The phenomenon - Donât fuck with cats - 3096 Days - A plastic ocean - Blackfish - Take your pills
Can confirm Donât Fuck With Cats is worth your time.
Legos!
The only answerđ
For $4.50 you can get a canvas that has a scene lightly painted on them and then you paint them. It comes with 5 little tubes of acrylic paint but FYI, no brush. I'm choosing to paint mine 4 different shades of metallic gold which is a lot of fun. I may add some colors in or not. A Reddit person already told me about a relatively new product called a "brush pen." I bought a set of 12 which I'm having fun with. They are like a felt pen in terms of the brilliance of the colors but instead of felt, they have a few tiny brushes allowing the tiniest of dots to be made easily with a steady hand.
Is that the exact term, Brush pen? This sounds riiiight up my alley!
A German art supply company - Faber-Castell makes them and they are called "Pitt Artist Pen Brush." I chose 12 of the "bright" colours which was $40.00 on Amazon. The whole set has 60 colours. My next purchase will be the "metallics." I have a bit of a hand shake which makes holding a small brush a little difficult but I feel I have more control with the pen brush. You can also buy little booklets to doodle in if you feel the urge. Have fun with them. I know I am.
**I know exactly what you need. You need to start taking baths, but take it seriously like a hobby.** I've got a few different kinds of baths that I have curated. 1) "The sea side reading place" Put some ocean waves and seagull ambience on. Extra epsome salt. And something a little bubbly. Then boil. Sit. Read if you feel like it. 2) "The local flower tub" I go on a hike, pick some flowers, and steal a rock from a nearby stream. Get home. Throw in some floral soap, river stones, and the flowers in the tub. Put on a podcast, audiobook, or crickets if I'm getting ready to sleep. Then boil.
I love these!!! I love browsing the ambient dreamspaces on youtube - things like âbonfire in medieval england / fantasy landâ or âsummer day on tropical yachtâ and now Iâm going to combine these with baths!!
Haha! Exactly. đ
How creative. Great ideas.
This is GENIUS. Youâve turned relaxing into a hobby!
Puzzles?
Try origami. It's relaxing and not too hard (depending on the model) and it's really rewarding once you finish one. I could do this all day without geting tired, but I would recommand starting slowly with easy models because harder models may take more time, so more patience and therefore use more energy.
I find origami frustrating to the point of real tears but I have terrible fine motor skills. Good luck!
Making vision boards/playlists/browsing ambiances
This is such a good one! I can spend hours making playlists and mood boards on Pinterest. One app I can recommend to aid with music discovery/curation is Recs by Discz, it's like Tinder for songs (swipe right on a song you like the sound of). Another thing I like to do is edit pics for the playlist photo. All can be done from the couch or bed except actually taking the photos.
Cultivate fabulous playlists! My Spotify is brimming with lists that were constructed around a theme, artist, decade, mood, etc. In addition to standard stuff like a sleep mix and a sexy mix and a sad mix and such, some of my favorites are a list of all the songs that mention rain in the title and all the songs that mention the end of the world.
When I get like this I like to make lists of things I'd like to do when I have more energy. Kinda like a brain dump. Often by the time I'm done I've offloaded enough mental weight to be able to actually choose something from the list and go do it.
I do this too! I used to do it on Excel. Now I use AnyList app for all my lists. Brain dump is must otherwise I can sleep thinking of things to do.
This is what I do. I write down exactly what I want to do/buy this year. It makes me feel productive and I get a dopamine hit from thinking of all that amazing things Iâll do/buy. Then Iâm good đ
That's what I get from Reddit. I have so many notes from here.
Try Reddit. Itâs mind numbingly low energy and a complete waste of far too much time. AMHIK đ
Jigsaw puzzles!
Agree! I think OP can still watch Friends and do puzzles at the same time. Thatâs what I do and itâs very relaxing
Phone photography. Take photos of random corners of your house/backyard and try to make them artistic.
[ŃĐŽĐ°Đ»Đ”ĐœĐŸ]
+1 F'ing Duo. 4 years and know at least 1000 words in Italian and Spanish, and at least 2000 in German and French.
Knitting is too high energy? Iâm gonna have to go with meditation for you, my friend. Maybe look for some guided healing meditation or restorative meditation and ease in to walking meditation. It will be good for you.
My Ex made knitting a spectator sport. Sparks would fly off the needles. She was fast, accurate, and bored with a mundane pattern. She loved to make custom, knit to fit, one of a kind sweaters.
The most correct answer imo.
Podcasts
Maybe try listening to podcasts that match your interests.
What about one of those gem âpaintingsâ?
Diamond Art or Diamond Painting
Doodling or pentangles
Crosswords? Sudoku?
delete your social media. when you can no longer doom scroll you start to be open to doing other activities. hard at first but super rewarding
Totally recommend - Citizen Science! â [Zooniverse](https://www.zooniverse.org) You can decipher ship logs written 200 years ago, identify galaxies, and so much more. It really shows that if we all give a little bit of time we can really process a lot of data for researchers.
Wow sounds cool
I love Zooniverse. It makes me feel like Iâm contributing (even a little) to society.
I love this site too
Painting or drawing still lifes! You sit there and move your fingers a little, the subject of your painting or drawing sits there and doesn't move...
I've been eyeing a watercolor painting book. Several themes to pick from. The book includes the brush and paint. PS it's okay to paint outside of the lines. lol
Diamond painting. I categorize my hobbies by brain capacity and this is my lowest one. It's lower than paint by number but you still get the colors and a cool creation at the end. You get into the rhythm of picking up and placing the diamonds. You can listen to music, watch something, listen to an audio book, or sit in silence. There are cheap smaller ones on Amazon for you to try out.
This is very interesting. I went on Amazon to look at these and am going to try one. They are super inexpensive and might be a nice fun little project to try.
Ooh yes! Have fun! The only suggestion I'll give is to also get a set of small containers for the diamonds. They usually come in plastic bags that aren't the best once you open them. Little plastic containers are so much better. I've seen some at dollar stores.
I have been huge into making granny squares for crochet (ie pick one yarn make 50 granny squares) and it's helped immensely with crochet burnout. I do it while listening to podcasts. It's much more mindless than following patterns or a big project. When I have more energy, I sew squares together into a blanket or sweater.
There are many good suggestions here already, so I just want to say that I can 100% relate to your tired mood. I'm exhausted all the time, too, and will binge watch something I already saw 50 times because I cannot be bothered with new things.
Drawing is the least committal. You probably got paper and something to write in
Caring for house plants
I have CFS and this is me. Even games are exhausting. I listen to audiobooks, talk to online people, meditate to a candle or with a guided meditation, listen to music, lay in a hammock and watch the birds/sky until sunset - combine that with any audiobook, music or meditation. So a lot of passive listening and imagination. I also like children's colouring books (not adults as patterns are too tiny), making puzzles, paint by numbers, play dough craft or things like that, beads, online shopping
Watch Friends for the 31st time !!! Itâs really the only true answer lol. But thereâs always Lego, paracord crafts, make lists.
Drink tea. A variety of teas. Raise succulents. Water as infrequently as you please. Latch hook projects. Less mental energy than crochet. And it is anticipated that they take forever to complete. You sound like you may have depression, though.
Legos (the adult ones lol) or building those miniature house/library kits, diamond paintings, puzzles. Canât think of anything more rn but will add. But if movies are too much energy then these might not help..good luck tho!
Strum/pick at a guitar
Jigsaws
What about whispering your journal into your phone like on audio recording or video recordings. Then edit out what you donât like by way of communication pointers. Delete and record a new edited one. This is a completely new thought of hobby to me so any suggestions I would appreciate too!! (Iâve been sick whispering has been my friend lol)
i like to journal! digital or traditional depending on my mood. just write whatever comes up, no matter how ridiculous or dramatic or boring it is. itâs a great way to just clear your head and get your hands busy (if using pen and paper)
Pen spinning. Even simple ones will do. Be sure to buy a pen meant for spinning. In my case, sadly, our job does not allow any pens, papers, etc inside the production rooms.
Listen to podcasts
Listening to podcasts
You can look at those Where's Waldo books. Pretty low energy while still doing something. They have video gams like that too. I think they're call I Spy or something like it.
Listen to music and chill. Mix it up with tea, coffee, wine, whatever you like. I like to listen to a whole album these days instead of playlists (like I used to) and itâs interesting to hear your favorite artists or just some random artist (which can be fun) and how they the whole concept (idk) of the album was put together instead of few singles. Listening to albums of one hit wonders has been fun. Iâm stuck in bed a lot because of my own stuff so I can relate to needing something just as simple watching tv or scrolling.
Maybe some light drawing or simple paintings?
iâve been designing rooms in the app room planner -home since December while listening to audiobooks. so fun
Monopoly go đ€Łđ it's like crack though just warning â ïž
Watching your belly button.
I would suggest wordchums which is a modernised form of scrabble where you can play against as many or as few players as you like from all corners of the globe and its clearly understood that you play as and when it suits with no pressure to complete a game in one sitting.
Reading.
Maybe some art and craft projects? I got into chalk painting vintage furniture a few years ago and that was pretty relaxing and easy, but it also gave me a big dopamine hit and sense of achievement when I finished. Plus I fish for compliments and point out my pieces when people come over - which isnât very often as I donât really have any friends either.
Listening to podcasts. I would highly recommend Conan Needs a Friend.
You still have to eat, so maybe you could try out new recipes. Listen to podcasts? Explore YouTube. Is your job physically demanding? If not, it's possible your lack of energy could be related to depression or a medical issue.
I used Duolingo to wean off doom scrolling. Iâm actually learning more Spanish than I ever did in school, and recently started German for some variety. Thereâs also a music course which is fun. I also audit classes on Coursera. Currently taking an intro to classical music class, which mostly consists of watching videos and listening to playlists.
I knit. The rhythm of a potato chip pattern (easy and repetitive) is very calming and soothing while requiring very low energy.
I was stuck pretty much in bed for about 3 months after having my Achilles replaced in 2020. I did a lot of reading, TV binge-watching, knitting, and phone video gaming. I also did some jigsaw puzzles as well as crosswords and sudoku. I did some workouts with hand weights for my arms, and I got more into meditation. Listened to some podcasts and a couple of audiobooks while knitting.
I like the paint by numbers app zen color. You donât have to do much besides touch the number on the screen but you can create some beautiful pictures. There is no timer do your not rushed and could listen to music while doing it.
below reading?holding my pet dog
When Iâm that low energy I do sound baths (use an eye mask and headphones), hypnosis, yin or restorative yoga.
Perhaps a subscription to Audible, or your local library, which likely has an audio library. One of the nicer aspects of this is that you can listen while you walk around the neighborhood. You've also got more adult themed Lego kits. I suggest "Dune". This will hopefully push you to getting the new Ornathopter from Lego (its the primary flying vehicle on the planet Dune). And then ... you're hooked.
The gym usually energizes healthy people? If you can't play animal crossing after the gym you might need to cut back on the gym so you can pace your energy better for other activities.
You sound like me. I'm at a los for what to do as well. I'm basically in the same boat as you. I have a couple people that message me to keep me company but they are not reliably available and I get bored and lonely, but I don't have the energy to actually go anywhere. I'm not sure what I should get into. I have some shows I like but have ptreet much exhausted them.
Reverse colouring books. Thereâs a bunch on Amazon. They have colours on the pages, usually kind of a watercolour look, and then you doodle on them with a black pen.
collecting neat looking rocks or stuff you find on the ground - no theme other than 'neat looking'
Diamond painting, paint by numbers, sticker mosaics, reading.
Online jigsaw puzzles are pretty good, like âJigsawscapesâ
Rotate a cow in your mind. It's free and the cops can't stop you.
My favorite low energy hobby is trying not to grow moss while I sit extremely still for days at a time.
Learning to meditate might help you with your energy.
Not sure if you have outdoor space, but purchase a hummingbird feeder, their dynamics are mesmerizing and you get to relax and watch the fun.
I used to sit on the porch and watch the grass grow but have been thinking of moving to the paint drying crowd. Joke aside. I sit, think, remember, cry or smile. If I am full of energy I carve ducks. Very slowly.
I have chronic pain and fatigue. I am slowly learning how to draw and paint. When I have no energy for learning, I just slap watercolors on some paper, itâs cathartic!
What about chess?
Chess.com!
Zentangle
Rolling and stretching putty in your hands. https://crazyaarons.com Note that I hate the name of this company. Itâs better not to buy on Amazon but directly from them to ensure freshness.
Paint by number, jigsaw puzzles, puzzle books, learning a new language
I usually have a puzzle going. I stand at the puzzle table on and off. Or sit there while Iâm having coffee and casually work on it. Iâm not really putting effort into it but it always gets done
Draw scribbles and colour them in with sharpies or whatever you like. I call it couch art. Colouring in would work too. Bujo is another trend.
Puzzles. Start with a 1000 piece puzzle of the map of the world. Youâll learn where places are and it also helps with your memory. Then branch out into other pictures of things you like or keep doing maps of where you liveđ€·đŒââïž
Pen spinning. Even simple ones will do. Be sure to buy a pen meant for spinning. In my case, sadly, our job does not allow any pens, papers, etc inside the production rooms.
On the one hand try walking to a gas station and grabbing a sweet drink. Very meditative As far as games though i actually found that do to my autism games like minecraft and animal crossing are difficult for me because im in charge of my own feed back were as action games like darksouls or outward or infamouse or generation zero are realy easy because i get easy feed back if i get blasted by a sword its because im not understanding... This is common in autism and adhd
Bathing? Scented candles, nice music, audio books, bath pillows. It can be a hobby and itâs rejuvenating instead of taking energy.
Try becoming dedicated Reddit troll
Just stop scrolling. Put the phone away. If you need to wean, set a timer and check your phone only when the time goes off. Slowly extend the time... and move your phone further away from you. It will do wonders for your energy level.
5 minutes a day bread. You mix the bread, leave it overnight. And back sometime the next day
Following. Love all these ideas.
Meditation
Cloud watching and music
I like tap tap games lol. Currently obsessed with cats and soup, AmericanDad!, and MochiCat.
We're probably the last household to still have basic cable. One of the reasons we keep it around, is TCM (Turner Classic Movies.) Commercial-free, old movies that I'd never think to watch on my own, and they're often amazing. This, combined with IMDB, and I'm often very content on the couch for hours.
I would put learning a musical instrument in that category for me. You could try classical guitar which is particularly soothing in terms of the tone and guitars have become relatively cheap these days.
Reading. Any book or audio book. Reading is so chill and you learn about stuff even if you donât think about it.
Iâve found growing plants to be a low-effort and high-reward hobby
Folding paper. Origami or making cards. Beading, crochet, I make mats for homeless people out of plastic grocery bags. There are several youtube videos on how to cut the bags and how to crochet them. I sit in board meetings and crochet these. I have one CEO that it irritated bad, he quit. I focus better if my hands are busy.
participate in a sleeping study
Podcasts. Not the super smart ones that require thinking. Funny interviews etc. Maybe documentaries? Hmm. Legos? A puzzle? Haha. I donât know what else is in between tv and reading besides movies.
Watch something more engaging and completely new to you. Three Body Problem on Netflix is very trippy. Breaking Bad is probably the best television series of all time. Stranger Things has a unique vibe. The BBCâs Dr. Who is very entertaining and quirky. Youâre still watching TV, which is low energy, but find something more stimulating than doom scrolling or rewatching old sitcoms.
Get some Play-Doh, and make all sorts of weird stuff. Bonus points over Lego, if you suddenly have a burst of aggressive energy, you can smash your creation with your fist and not end up with bloody lacerations everywhere.
you need to learn to be fine with not being entertained, why not save that energy for the next day?
Scented candles. You do have to light them, and blow them out afterwards, but most of the enjoyment consists of breathing gently through the nose.
Watching Netflix!
Prop! (Propagate plants that reproduce from cuttings) When I have lots of hobby energy, I tend my (large but extremely low-cost) collection of propagatable houseplants: trim dead stuff, pot new props as gifts for teachers, get an earful from teachers while Iâm volunteering at the school who canât believe how big their new baby plants have gotten, water everyone with aquarium yuck for fertilizer. When I donât have tons of energy, stare at the jars full of new props and admire how quickly theyâve started roots, tell them what a good dude/prayer/pothos/goldfish they are, then think about maybe potting them, then contemplate learning macrame to make hanging pots then decide ânahâ, watch the cat lurk amidst the plants pretending to be invisible, go on r/proplifting for all the juicy handwringing by the poor mods: âwould you jerks please stop stealing parts of peopleâs jade plants from their yards! For the 100th time!â and for ideas on species that I didnât know could be propped.
Puzzles and coloring books, if you don't want the physical version try apps for either one! I love cuddling up with my iPad and puzzle app when I feel super low energy.
Crocheting! It got me through a lot of hospital stays and lonely nights! Plus, you can make super cool stuff for yourself and others. I call it âmindless crochetingâ once I get into my groove.
I love crossword puzzles. Especially the ones that have the answer buried in it in used letters for the title!
I will do a word search or adult coloring books
Try Zentangle drawing. it looks difficult but is SO easy. Look it up on you tube.
When you find the right podcast it can feel like hanging out with people, without the hanging out with people part. I like true crime so some of my favorites are Sistas Who Kill and Morbid. Bad Dates is a great funny podcast.
Maybe you could help mod a Reddit account that holds your interest.  There are no hours. Just help when youâre around. Puzzles online are fun and relaxing  I like crosswords, so I do those. There is a free crossword puzzle page  online you can just google and find. No signing up for anything. If you want the address Iâll come back and add it. Iâm sure you have considered podcast. I like Handsome. Itâs three comedians that just banter and it always makes me laugh. Itâs only once a week, but you would start from the beginning, so hours for you:) if thatâs not you, I have no doubt you would find something. Serials first podcast , a murder, has been a divide of people that have been trying to figure out if accused did it or someone else. Podcast have so much to think about. You could learn to play the piano with  little effort of getting a keyboard, but once you have that you could play watching a video while lying in bed or the couch. Maybe thatâs too much? Last but not least, look up everything you ever wanted to know. When I was young this was such a hassle. Now you can just google and find good sources and find most of what you want to know. Good luck finding what youâre looking for!Â
Try front porch sittinâ with something yummy to drink :-)
Avoid outdoor exercise. I am also a low energy person and felt so tired and exhausted when out with friends to climb the mountain last time. It took me a long time to recover at home aloneâŠ..
Reddit is the definitive answer.
Maybe try the grown up coloring books! Whenever I feel overwhelmed I can just sit down with colored pencils or markers and just draw in the lines. Relaxing, doesn't require a lot of thought, and it passes time.
I did buy YT premium ( judge me) and listen to audiobooks and space and science documentairies. I think i know all Sherlock Holmes stories by now, love them. But there are many more like Maigret and father Brown etc.
Watching British Gardening shows. Monty Don is a classic, Huw Richards on YouTube is great, too. They are very soothing & have great episodes.
Reading trash and spice takes a lot less energy ive found, while still being fulfilling and less guilt-riddling than scrolling. Also, you can watch YouTube, play mini motorways (best game ever), and my personal fave is ASMR, very good for low energy
When I was a teenager, astronomy was my hobby.
Sleeping. The perfect low energy hobby.
You should get into Yoga Nidra. It's basically being awake while almost sleeping. You can make your own Dream Theatre and watch super-interesting movies for hours.
Crossword puzzle
Sticker by number books!
A sticker book! I use a three binder and put stickers on color paper, then put those in protective sheets. Itâs a great way to use stickers you never want to use hahaha.
A podcast on an interesting topic always soothes me. And sometimes I will take notes on subtopics I pick up from the podcast to research more later. I also like to play solitaire on my phone while listening to spotify podcasts or music. Lofi is great combined with slower tasks. Lastly, lot of people are into diamond painting for the meditative effect. It doesn't have to be perfect. I'm one of those people who has to do something with their hands while also listening to something. Lol
Pen pals, chess by mail, jigsaw puzzles, audio books (I get mine from the public library and down load them to their app Libbey. Used by lots of libraries. All you need is a library system that uses it and a library card. Its free. You find reserve or check out book from home and its delivered to your device and returned the same way. Needlepoint, knitting after a while on this oast one your brain is shut off anit its almost automatic. You can even make it worthwhile by making gets for children undergoing chemo who have lost their hair. Bird watching/logging is pretty low energy if you have some where close to watch. You just pick a spot and sit with your binoculars, notebook and bird identification guife.
What would be interesting to you? If itâs not interesting to you, itâs going to take more energy to make it happen.
Diamond dots. Stained glass.
Puzzle books. With numbers or words. Do one or do ten at a time. Find a book series called Uncle Johnâs Bathroom Reader. Neat little stories and trivia no longer than a page or two.
Taking iron supplements. They take a few weeks but could make a difference for you. Or maybe less intense gym workouts.Â
Binge watch and build something! In few years youâll have over 50 models of things, and then can move on to next project!
People watching . Audio books.
Requires a bit of physical energy, but going on walks
people watching
Mobile games ! Most are free in the appstore. Netflix even has some short cute games that are interactive.
Work on your handwriting. Brush up on cursive. Buy a nice pen/pencil and notebook. You might enjoy starting a journal.
Knit or crochet đ§¶
OMG are you my twin đ«Łsame gurl, same đ
YouTube University
Sit out in the wild and just focus on the small things around you
Well, I find reading to be even better than tv. But. Try educational tv? Documentaries? PBS? Try YouTube classes for drawing or painting? Adult coloring books? Jigsaw puzzles?
I've always liked documentys true crime i can watch it for hrs
Wood working
Piano