It looks like the phone obsession that came amid the rise of smartphone popularity and internet access is waning.
Young people are increasingly engaging in so-called “grandma hobbies” to decrease the amount of time spent on their devices. Take 23-year-old Emma MacTaggart, who worked “long hours in investment banking” but immediately turned to her phone after clocking out, according to a New York Post report.
“Along with her roommates, she decided to hunt for a hobby that would replace that habit. They became ‘hooked’ on needlepoint, she said, a practice she had briefly learned from relatives as a child, but one that she hadn’t picked up in years. And she hasn’t turned back since,” the outlet wrote.
“It was a really therapeutic way to kind of distract yourself from either work or stress, but also just do something with your hands instead of doomscrolling. We became completely obsessed,” MacTaggart said.
She is just one of many young people who have picked up similar activities in an effort to limit their screen time, lower anxiety and express creativity.
“Some of these hobbies — knitting, gardening and, of course, needlepoint — have been ascribed the term ‘grandma hobbies’ online, referring to the older demographic that’s often been associated with them. But many other offline, tactile hobbies, like pottery, origami and even blacksmithing, have gained traction online with Gen-Z and millennials recently,” The Post explained.
This is also an extension of the effects of the pandemic, where people were left with more free time than ever and wanted to do something other than scroll through a fathomless well of bad news and fearmongering articles. Young people, who tend to want to be more social with their peers in their extra time, especially felt the isolation that the stay-at-home orders created.
MacTaggart’s love of needlepoint has gradually blossomed into “What’s the Stitch“, a business that sells modern and affordable needlepoint accessories, canvases and designs.
James Madison University Professor of Psychology Jaime Kurtz encourages people to find the time to engage in hobbies they enjoy, especially those who think they’re too busy to spend much time relaxing.
“Hobbies are really important, and a lot of us have lost them, or we just don’t prioritize them enough, or we think we’re too busy. But just finding little bits of time to carve out to do these kinds of things is a really wise use of time,” said Kurtz.
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
Sierra Marlee is a millennial whose hunger for the truth in a world of fake news has led her to write. Marlee also contributes to BizPac Review.
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.