Our phones suck away a lot of our time. Have you ever figured out how much time you spend on your phone in a day? There’s apps for that, but I’ll save you some time and stress… On average, people spend about three hours per day on their phones. How many people complain that they don’t have enough time to do other things? Come’on, raise your hand, mine is up.

Our phones bring a lot of negative into our lives. Do you catch yourself mindlessly scrolling and then think, why am I even looking at this? I get caught with this too. The big question is, what do you do once you catch yourself in this moment? Continue scrolling? Or get out of there and on with your day? We’re bombarded with negative messages, negative news, and a constant onslaught of you-need-this advertising and other timewasters. Let’s flip this around and use our time more wisely.

What could you do with an extra couple of hours a day? Here’s ten suggestions that will make you forget about your phone and reduce the stress load on your body too:

1. Get creative – Creativity comes in so many forms – write, journal, draw, paint, photograph, sculpt…
2. Get musical – Listen to tunes that make you feel good, sing, dance, strut, bounce, spin, close your eyes and get lost in the music.
3. Get physical – Move your body with gentle exercise or a vigorous workout. Whether it’s yoga, going for a walk, dancing or HIIT, moving our bodies means moving our muscles, gaining strength, making feel good hormones, and if you’re sweating it out then you’re releasing toxins too. There’s no negatives here. Move however makes you feel good. There is no wrong way.
4. Get cooking – Make a favourite recipe, or try a new recipe. It feels good to cook from scratch and be proud of what you create in the kitchen.
5. Get rested – Take a timeout or have a nap. It’s okay to sit and stare out a window, or even better if you can sit outside and notice the nature or world around you. Notice the birds flying by, squirrels in the trees, how the breeze makes the leaves dance. Take a few minutes or as long as your able and just take in the natural beauty of the present moment. 
6. Get laughing – Laughing makes us feel good and heals our bodies. Watch a funny movie or read a funny book, enjoy a fun conversation with a friend or family member, tickle your kids and be silly. Smile and laugh, your body, mind and spirit will thank you.
7. Get reading – Delve into another world with a good book.
8. Get gaming – No, not on your phone. When was the last time you played a card game or board game? Real life interaction with other people is important and games are a great way to have fun interaction. Winning or losing doesn’t matter here, it’s about enjoying the company you’re with.
9. Get into nature – Go hiking, swimming in a lake, sit by a campfire, plant and tend to a garden (even a tomato plant on your deck or balcony works), go for a walk in the park with your dog. Be outside, breathe in the fresh air, let your skin soak in the vitamin D from the sun.
10. Get breathing – Get comfortable, close your eyes and spend a few minutes focusing in on your breath. This is so important. Inhale deeply for a count of five, hold for a second, exhale for a count of five, hold for a second, repeat. You’ll feel tension slip away.

And there you have it, ten ideas that you can do instead of scrolling on your phone.