Ask Lemmy

Honestly it depends on your lifestyle and find hobbies based on what you like to do. Since you like to play video games and sports, going to or starting a a board game club would probably work for you. Or Magic the Gathering, I don't play it personally, but I know it's a good way to find others that like the same thing as you.

But if you're trying to broaden your horizons, try something out of your comfort zone.

I'm a gamer, and I can't really do it anymore, but I used to go for runs, and I enjoyed the runners high.

Lastly, a good Google search will tell you what there is to do around town. Bowling, golfing, Poker, Darts, Pool. There's a lot to choose from.

Hope this helps.

First off: time you enjoy is not time wasted. So, while gaming and watching TV (not just sports) may not be activities which provide some sort of self-improvement, they can be useful activities in providing for relaxation and stress relief. Humans generally don't do well when forced to be "on" every waking minute of the day. We need downtime to decompress and allow our brains to relax. "Play time" is a useful thing. Don't just abandon your enjoyed activities because they are looked down upon by some segments of society. Like all things though, they can be taken to an extreme. If you find that those activities were interfering with work, socializing or getting things done, which need to be done (e.g. home maintenance, self-care, etc.) that's when you should start worrying about addiction.

That said, if you are looking for other "play time" activities you can take up in the comfort of your own home, there are quite a few:

• Reading - find books you enjoy and read them.
• Model building - hit a hobby store and find models you find interesting, buy and build one.
• Model rocketry - Similar to model building, but you get to shoot them into the sky.
• Home brewing - It's like chemistry, but you get to drink the end products. Check your local laws before starting.
• Home distilling - As brewing, except the results are even more fun. Again, check you local laws.
• Painting/Drawing/Art - Why not make something you like to look at?
• 3d Printing - Learn to hate first layers. Maybe make something cool.
• Wood working - Build stuff, enjoy the smell of sawdust.
• Metal working - Whether blacksmithing or welding.

If you are willing to get out and "touch grass", instead of watching sports, you could do some. Though, this often costs money and means dealing with people. On the upshot, you might meet some nice people and improve your health.

In short, find something you enjoy doing and don't be ashamed of doing it. Just don't let it interfere with the things in life you need to get done.

"Passion isn't found, it's something that is developed over time".

You can find easy things that will entertain you in the short run (and they can often be worth doing), but I recommend going for something deeper and more rewarding.

Personally I've been finding AI like Claude.ai great for brainstorming and problem solving at all stages of whatever I'm working towards.

I guess my only question for you would be... Why did you stop doing the two hobbies you enjoyed? You called them addictions; were they interfering with your ability to work and get necessary chores/tasks done? Or were you only doing them in your free time?

If it's the former, then good on you for the self control! If it's the latter, I'd honestly just be confused as to why you gave up what you love doing and would just encourage you to stop punishing yourself.

Music .... learn music ... learn the piano ... or learn the guitar ... or whatever instrument you might have used before. Music really occupies your mind because it needs a lot of mental training. You have to coordinate your body to do things, your brain has to train to follow patterns, your listening has to coordinate with what you are doing and what you produce .... it's a full brain experience and once you get accustomed to it, time seems to change ... you play for an hour and it felt like you were there for five minutes but it also felt like hours passed by, it's amazing. I'm not a great musician, I know my basics but it's fun every time I do it.

To make it easier ... leave the instrument in your living space and make it easy to pick up ... park the piano in your living room where you see it every day ... or a guitar on a stand next to your seat .. etc

If you are not musical or want to learn music .... then try visual art ... drawing, painting

Just a simple pencil and paper to start with ... doodling and learning forms and human anatomy ... I used to do that for years when I was a teen and learned a lot but life got in the way and I got too busy to keep it up. But I have a few friends who kept it going and now produce beautiful artwork.

And it's all about training and time. If you play music or learn to draw in a month ... it probably won't sound great or look great ... give yourself a year and you'll be producing great things ... give yourself a few years and you'll be a musician or an artist recognized by others

There's a whole world of music to explore. There's also a whole world to explore. There's volunteering as well.

Tasty modern rock

www.modernrock.ca

One hobby that has been great for me is selfhosting. Still get to play on the computer but you’re learning Linux and coding and have immediate benefits through local and or public services

Reading. Walking. Setting timers for yourself to allow you to engage in your old hobbies in moderation.

Volunteering. Cooking or baking. Creating something.

Art or music. Documenting things. Data hoarding.

Check if your area has a Weed Warriors group/organization. They go around removing invasive plants that are smothering native plants. I find it fun and get a satisfaction of having done something nice while exercising.

If your area doesn't have that, there's most likely opportunities to volunteer with hiking trail maintenance at nearby state parks. Or just go hiking, start small and bring water!

Learn an artistic skill you think is cool.

Not in your comfort zone, but this is something that you can do on your own at least. Try riding a bike, if you're able to do so. I started a couple summers ago and I really enjoy it. The changes in how far, fast, long, I could ride became a big motivator after a couple of months. When it's hot, I like it because I make my own wind so I don't feel so hot. I got some candy to take with me that I only eat on bike rides, and I found a few places that I could ride to to get some ice cream or other treats. If you do decide to give it a go, I would suggest looking around for a used mountain bike to begin with, nothing special, just something that is mechanically sound and easy to ride.

Fishing and hiking are both fairly cheap and easy hobbies to start outdoors. Now might not be the greatest time, with the cold weather and all, but hiking can still be plenty rewarding now, though it needs more gear to keep warm.

I strongly advocate fishing because you can get started for less than $50 and it's a great way to familiarize yourself with what's around you in nature. Most any waterway will have fish in it and some near you may even be stocked for trout preservation programs.

It's a lot more than throw a worm on a hook with a bobber and wait (not that this is a bad way to fish!). There's a lot to study and learn and techniques to try and hone. You get to study what fish are in your area, their feeding habits and behaviors, and different things you can do to fool them into biting your offering.

Once the weather gets nice, it's fun to keep your rod and tackle in the car and just pull over to try a new fishing spot when you see some water. You also get great views of rivers, lakes, waterfalls and parks. I really relish pulling up to the local lake after a hard day at work and just casting as I watch the sun set. Depending on your area, not a bad time to pull out a joint and just relax.

Plus, eating the fish you catch is a treat in its own! There's many fun ways to prepare various fish and a lot are transferable to other species. Cooking is another fun hobby, but it's less outdoor focused unless you have a grill or other outdoor kitchen tools.

Find a hobby you enjoy. Look for places that offer classes in your area, even if it only somewhat interests you.

Get involved in volunteer work, you help people and it's fun, atleast I found it fun

I really need something fun to do that I enjoy.

You won't know if something is fun if you don't give it a chance. Have you tried anything already and how did it went?

so please recommend something inside my comfort zone

I don't think you told us what was your comfort zone?

As an alternative, I can tell you what I enjoy or have enjoyed doing. For years, I was into making scale models. That was fun... because I liked that a lot (always was into war planes since I was a child). I'm very much interested in playing chess and DIY (fixing stuff, even electronics, woodworking,...). I'm also much into taking long walks (a few years ago I was barely able to walk at all. So, yeah, some activities can have life-changing effects). Learning foreign languages too (that's how I learn(ed) English).

Above all, I'm a reader. I have been one most my life and will be one till the day I die. Do you like reading? Have you tried reading?

To put that question into perspective, I don't think I ever really experienced real boredom in my life. It's just alien to me. As a reader, I always have something interesting, exciting, or at the very least something fun to read with me. Like I told you, I love to take long walks but even when I go out for a walk you will never see me without a pocket book, just in case I need to wait and have time to waste. I also carry a notebook (I write) and often, I will also carry a sketchbook (I'm no artist, I just enjoy sketching stuff).

Have you checked where is located your closest public library and got your card to start borrowing books? In my country, France, they're free for book borrowing (one needs to pay for borrowing movies and music only).

What books could you read? Well, are there some kind of stories or type of content you're more interested in? Say, science-fiction or fantasy? Love stories? Historical or war novels maybe? Or would you find more interest in reading essays, history, sociology, or reading biographies? Whatever. If you really have no idea what light interest you, well, that's one reason more to get your library card: most librarians are nice people who will welcome you and help you make your first reading steps, no matter if you're a little kid that just started to read or an older dude like I'm ;)

Don't want to go to the library and meet real people? No big deal, use their ebook borrowing service instead, you just need an account and a computer.

What about indoor sports you can do alone (if other people being involved is an issue). But like darts, bowling, archery, range (gun) shooting (maybe country dependant).

As for things you don't need to go anywhere for: modelling (miniatures, cars, tanks, planes, Gundams, etc). There's kits you don't need paint or glue for (and not just made for kids ones, some can get quite complex). But also ones that need both paint and glue.

I'm also a fan of cooking, if that's something you think seems cool.

I mostly stay home and don’t go outside home except for work, so please recommend something inside my comfort zone

reads as:

please tell me how to find the fulfillment I'm missing without growing or changing

To which the only reasonable response is: No.

Make something. Electronic gizmos. Wooden thingamabobs. Textile whosawhatits. Repair lawnmowers. Whatever speaks to you. Find other people who do it already, learn from them.

Better still, make a better world—find a local civic group and volunteer. Put up animal boxes. Walk dogs at the shelter. Pick up garbage. Engage with vulnerable kids. Feed the needy.

What you're feeling is far from novel or singular. I have no idea how we as a society have managed to forget how to deal with it. It is the very reason anyone does any of those things.

I just like being in nature. When it comes to travel walking is first choice, then biking, then public transit and I like to do a route that will bring me closest to or through nature. forest preserves is possible and then parks but I like even seeing just neighborhoods and towns. destinations are just whatever. job, store, etc. doing that means you have to spend more time getting to destinations but turns unenjoyable things to more enjoyable for me.

Gardening? If you don't have any possibility maybe there's a community garden nearby. Sourdough bread? Fermenting stuff? Learning an instrument?

Photography, Biology, Geography, biking with friends, biking alone, gardening, guerilla gardening, hiking / walking in the woods, foraging. Oop, I read as far as "what fun stuff can I do outside." Walking, being outside at sunrise and even sunset can be glorious.

I’ve noticed the same thing, if I’m not working, gaming, with my child, making love, watching a movie, playing with cats, or drinking I feel bored as hell.

I joined catherineproject.org for similar reasons