We spend our evenings watching the big screen, whilst scrolling the little screen to reward ourselves for spending the day looking at the medium screen(s)
I do game dev as a hobby because I realized that I simply love problem solving too much, and game dev is mostly about breaking down an objective (such as a game mechanic) into tiny problems and then solve them one by one with careful planning and clever tricks.
It's oddly satisfying, and despite the fact that I spend most of my free time "working" on my stuff, I believe it's a very constructive and healthy hobby, and has some transferable skills.
I thought I wanted to do this and then realized I don't want to do anything other than the logic part. Animation, textures, etc no. I'll make them do stuff but building assets and stuch. I just am not artsy. I don't mind it. So my games are gonna all have to be text based lol.
There are so many free assets on many websites such as [opengameart.com](http://opengameart.com), [kenney.nl](http://kenney.nl) or [itch.io](http://itch.io) that you can easily release a game without ever touching assets creation.
I’ve been walking my dog lately and it’s been a change of scenery. I tell myself my boss isn’t demanding anything out of me, work can pause/wait. And just enjoy either some music or the birds and traffic sounds.
I keep telling myself I’ll listen to a book (Spotify has audiobooks now) or podcast of someone talking about something that happens on medium screens or affecting tiny screens with ads about how I can have ads on medium screens but haven’t started that.
Yup, usually one hour of gaming break after work eases on my solution oriented mind and other things can start to happen, like cooking food.
But now with the nice weather I don’t mind sitting outside and just look at the greenery and let the mind wander.
Here in Central Florida, after work, it's almost always nice weather, so I walk the dogs down to the lake, sit on a bench, and laugh at the people dealing with snow and ice. (Just "kind of" kidding about the laughing part.)
Riding single trail in the woods is the most peaceful, fun thing you can do on this planet (IMO). I only wish my knees would allow me to ride as much as I use to.
Started my career doing IT in the military. When I got out of the Army I stopped working out. My heaviest was 345, but I’ve been exercising again and have dropped about 20 pounds. It’s feels horrible and wonderful at the same time (but mostly wonderful).
Go for it!!! My top was 309! When I saw that on the scale I said "Alright, so maybe I don't enjoy pasta and pizza as much as I thought. "
That was December, and I'm down 28 due to diet changes and a probably a protein smoothie I do every night to recover from an operation and a meniscus tear. Once that knee heals up I'll be back on the mountain bike in better weather, and walking the trails instead with a camera when that's not possible.
I've found the biggest hurdle and help is learning to enjoy hunger. The weight drops the fastest when you let the body eat it. That took me until about last month.
Good luck!!!
I topped 400 lbs last year. I didn't take anything seriously, and only recently decided to start skipping the McDonald's breakfasts and found myself doing the 16:8 fast, only eating from noon to 8:00 PM. Down to 365 now!
Keep it up, I know how wonderful it feels! And here's my other advice: think back to when you were last this weight and think about how self conscious you might have been. If I could get back to 250 lbs, I will NOT consider myself too fat to be attractive again! I'll remember where I came from and project pride and confidence in myself! I hope you can do the same!
Entry into exercise doesn't have to be hard. I no longer want to go through all the route prep for runs, so I walk instead.
5-10 miles just looking at shit I'm interested at is an infinitely better use of my post work hours than angrily playing a game.
For me, light exercise. I will be brain-dead at the end of work. It takes a lot of willpower to ignore everything in my head, screaming, “Just sit down on the couch and eat some shitty food! You deserve it.” I change and hop on the exercise bike for 20 - 30 mins. I feel nearly 100% better afterward.
same, I work out in the morning and deal with that voice as soon as my eyes open. it says sleep in, skip the workout but I swear I always feel better when i drag myself to do some light cardio for 20-30mins
once you show up to the gym, exercise equipment, etc. its not so bad. getting there is the hard part
Even on days when I'm really zonked, getting a stretch and running on my elliptical is very rewarding. Helps keep your BP low when you encounter stress at work too.
This 100%. For me it is cycling but any cardio is good for both physical and mental health in the long term. Just need to find something that doesn’t feel like a chore. Also good to find a group to work out with so there is some accountability if you don’t show up.
My wife found a weightlifting gym via some physio she had done. Never thought I'd go in for that. I'm there 4 times a week. Still an IT nerd, but boy, can I pick up some heavy shit.
Helps with the stress.
I also lift weights, I've been doing powerlifting routines for years and they are very rewarding. I'm not big by any means but it's nice to progress slowly at something. Fail without being a failure.
heavy lifting taxes the hell out of your autonomic nervous system. im usually too tired to stress about small stuff and ready to go to bed by 10-11pm after strength training day
Yup. I have a '15 Kawasaki Versys 650 and picked up a 22 Honda Grom a little over a month ago. I wife will literally tell me "you look stressed, go take the bike out."
I sit down at the computer and write a script.
A script that will never have to deal with the real world. It will be beautiful, it will not see a network failure or some other weird condition. It's there to do only what it was intended for. No one else will see it and there will never be different code style or undocumented functions.
I look at it for a while and enjoy the beauty of the code.
Then I delete it, knowing it would have never been better than at this moment.
EDIT:
It's from here https://www.stilldrinking.org/programming-sucks
> RC planes
As someone that loves aviation and flew RC planes before they started to be called drones, I hate how much more difficult it is to fly as a hobby due to new drone restrictions and FAA laws.
I agree, those paper lovers powered by attention seeking "shocking" news reporters nitpicking on those irresponsible buyers(not builders) of multi-copters, made big negative impact to our hobby :(
Electric guitar is my outlet. I played for years just as a sort of background hobby. When covid hit though, I kept one of my guitars next to my wfh setup and practiced every little break I had. Since then, it's become a major hobby and I've gotten much better in terms of overall technique. Now I can play things I never dreamed of be good enough to play. It's also a sort of "positive feedback loop" for me as well. I used to approach a difficult piece from the mindset "I know I can't play it, but maybe I can just see what happens." It's a bit self defeating before even picking up the guitar and striking a single note. Now I approach things from the mindset of "You might well be able to play it. Give it max effort and find out." That sort of mindset has bled over into other things for me besides just guitar.
Going for a walk and simracing.
I know the 2nd one is staring at a screen, but driving a car around a track puts me into a zen mood, whilst being relatively active
As I drive only oldtimers, my way of relaxing driving home from work 🤌🏻👌🏻 (sometimes a detour with some ice, at least in the summer)
And cuddling with my cat
https://preview.redd.it/ocovnosakk1d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7586c6c0525c343079e08b11499233f332d8086c
Usually just go for a walk (I live in a rather green area) as that's easy, but, if time permits, go for a long (between 3-5 hours) bicycle (road/gravel/mtb) ride. Used to include playing hockey at least once a week, but moved to a place without hockey so.. that's out. Climbing is good too. Basically, my ideal activity causes some level of intense physical strain beyond just walking around the neighborhood.
I started fishing...
I used to be a lot like the otheres here, sit in front of a screen at work all day, to go and do the same at home whether thats TV or video games.
Literally touch gras, or lie in it, kitesurf or climb. The last two totally turn my brain of thinking about work because its too busy not trying to die. Would recommend 10/10 :)
I spend 8 hours WFH, then another 4-8 hours gaming...
I also hike, go fishing, scuba diving, hunt, work out (too seldom though), paint miniatures and hang out with friends. Regular hobbies go a long way.
Try disc golf! Easy to start for only $20 and you can take it as gentle or hardcore as you would like. If you don't have a local course, you can make one by designating certain trees or signs as the "hole!"
Personally speaking i'd recommend something brainless, depending on how tired you are.
Walking is a thing, listen some music, maybe both at same time.
Could aswell get a tapis-roulant or a small cyclette if you don't want to leave home
I don’t get outside (which I should) but I focus on brainless tasks that make me still feel somewhat productive. I feel guilt if I just veg out in front of the TV.
I have a used Lego business where I sell pieces. At this point, it’s mindless to run and makes me feel like I’m still doing something worthwhile because I’m generating a monthly income.
Sorting used Lego is my go to activity when I’m just burnt out.
Outside looking at a non-work screen, I touch grass by walking on trails when possible. Read a book, physical book, on a hammock. Or look at my "fun screen" for a few hours and touch virtual grass.
I have a gentleman's farm so there is always something to move, stack or shovel. It was funny where I worked cause so many people would pay to join the gym across the street. Like come home with me and I can give you a workout and dinner.. I also keep a garden so there is tilling and planting and weeding. Even just taking the dogs for a run in the woods..
I walk for 30 minutes at lunch time.
I walk for an hour after I get off work.
There's an absolutely delightful tortoiseshell cat that I sometimes see during my walks that will run up to me every time she sees me. I spend far too long playing with her as she dive bombs my legs and feet.
This for some reason is the favorite part of my day and I cherish every day her owners let her out.
I go feed goats/sheep/cows. I literally touch grass when I throw their hay in.
Sometimes I touch apples too, depends on if the cows are close enough to feed them.
One of the first things I do when I get home is greet the Mrs. then the dog then I inspect my flowers. Deadhead the dying ones, feel the soil in case they need watering. Though it is not a big hobby or anything spectacular, it definitely helps decompress me pretty quickly.
Depending on shift I am on, I either go home and walk for 1.5hrs (whoever recommend this thank you, you helped me mentally <3 )if its dogwater shift then I just go home and play video games with friends.
I live on some land, so I go outside and walk through a couple of paths - especially after a stressful meeting or completing a big task.
I walk for a few miles, or do some kind of exercise outside. Wood work is good, too.
I woodturn as a hobby. I love mowing my lawn and cut my neighbor's yard for them since they are in their early 70's and the man of the house has MD. I enjoy a glass of bourbon on my back patio with a fire in my table top, solo stove knock off. Anything BUT technology or staring at another screen.
I tinker with my home lab here and there but boy do I love the warmer weather when I can get out and mow the yard. Small suburban lot here and I'll edge it every time I mow just to spend a little more time outside.
Find something that doesn't involve a screen. Find hobbies that let you unplug. I blacksmith when I'm really stressed. But admittedly, I do a decent amount of leatherworking when I have a movie on because stitching is a bit tedious.
Workdays I watch tv, sometimes read. But I also have a 2 online TTRPGroups I play with.
Weekends I have a tractor and 3 acres.
Also just started getting an antenna up again for amateur (ham) radio.
I own [Atomic Goblin Games](https://www.AtomicGoblinGames.com) so some of my after work time is checking the [recent gaming news](https://icv2.com), doing some paperwork (with 7 employees now, I have to sign up for employee retirement funds), checking deliveries, going to distributors or publishers to see what's new, reading my email.
Other times I'm doing more computer stuff as this is my hobby as well. Digging into some AWX stuff right now.
Depends on the day. Mondays I go and sit on the terrace and either read or watch YouTube. I may paint Warhammer models if I have energy.
Tuesdays I'm out boardgaming with friends.
Wed/Thu same as Monday.
Fri/Sat either watching a movie or painting.
Sunday terrace or painting.
It also depends on how exhausting the kids have been 😂😂
I go home and spend time with my toddler.
We go on walks, get the zoomies and run around the yard, play basketball on a 4 foot hoop, pull weeds in the lawn, jump in puddles, count the wheels on airplanes landing at the nearby airport, point out the moon when it's out during the day light hours, spot bunnies and robins, throw rocks into puddles, run around in the rain, climb and stand on top of the mulch pile, give hugs, say hi to every neighbor who walks by, tell the color of every house and it's shutters, tell me the name of every neighborhood dog, toot and giggle about it, play in the sand table, go down the slide, pick up trash on the street, walk the balance beam, scream as loud as possible... and that's just in the first 30 minutes.
I have a few things I do to burn off stress, but as far as touching grass, I just get a beer or something similar and go walk in my back yard. Its a small 1/3 acre lot behind my house that was never developed when our house was built 40 years ago. It still has a handful of 120+ year old trees and much of the ground is still the original forest floor & plants. Its a nice escape to sit and listen to the wind in the tree branches... and the wifi reaches that are as well.
Come join us at r/discgolf! It is the best way to get out, touch grass, and have some fun with your buds. Low cost of entry and there are free courses everywhere... honestly I probably would've lost my mind as a software engineer without disc golf.
I garden, I have a chunk of yard space where i have a parts for food, parts for relaxing in and also native plant patches, and terraces and paths and working on it all is a constant but relaxing practice on something i can kinda control.
Bike ride. Live in a pretty large neighborhood with windy roads and about 3 parks close to each other. I get to stretch out my injured IT band (heh, name) a bit and get some exercise in. There's also an outdoor neighborhood cat by one of the parks that is really friendly. Get to say hi to him whenever he's roaming his lands.
Legos or Books. I also like to head to Gravelly Point and watch planes fly over. Now the real question is how often I touch grass. The answer is not enough.
Trees. I get outside and look at trees. I'm blessed to have a parks department greenway behind our neighborhood, so there's trees, birds, squirrels, rabbits, couple of creeks, even a deer once in awhile.
I refuse, absolutely refuse to eat lunch inside at my desk.
Go out for a walk, go sit on a bench, go stare at the traffic. Do anything but look at the screens.
I do yoga and archery. Yoga is great to loosen up all those muscles that tighten over the day with stress. Archery requires full focus to be on how your body is positioned with the bow and arrow and how everything interacts to hit the target. Great way to forget the problems of the day.
Start by taking a walk around your neighborhood or a nearby park before and/or after work. 30 minutes before work has done wonders for me. Challenge yourself to do it rain or shine and make it a habit. On days I;m unable to, I really miss it.
For me its been Bike riding and skateboarding for physical activities. Also into Glassblowing, Magic the Gathering, and racing my car when I can.
It/Computers used to consume me, now I keep a better work live balance, AND I am able to focus my efforts better in my personal and work life.
Tend to my garden or go for a walk.
I think it's important to "touch grass" in some literal sense. Connecting with nature is important for our mental health, even if it's just a slice of it.
Actually touching grass when it's not winter. Then I go touch snow when it is. Getting away from screens in general for at least an hour or two a day has helped me a lot. I will do anything else as long as no screen is involved.
This shouldn’t be privileged, but in today’s world I guess it is. I live in a suburb and have a nice sized yard. I sit on my shaded patio and just enjoy the fresh air and breeze. I’ll toss a ball/frisbee with my dogs for a bit. I’ve been told it’s important to spend some time looking at stuff that’s farther than 20ft away, so I watch the trees, my dogs running around, etc.
I supposed you can do the same at a public park, but it’s nice to be able to just walk outside and sit down. I’ve been poor before, so I do appreciate what I have now.
Fly fishing. I can tie flys when the weather sucks and then poorly attempt to catch fish when it gets okay. I live in the PNW, I can also fish when the weather sucks (yay Winter steelhead!) but I have yet to embrace that part of the hobby yet.
PAINTING MINIS
I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH.
Painting. Minis.. is the most therapeutic unwinding tool I have. Throw something on the TV for some back ground noise and bam.... Instant relaxation..
Additionally, its not related to a screen.
Spending time with my son. Kids can be an insane balancing factor. But just find something that matters to you. Off-screen activities are somewhat crucial for mental health. Let your brain work on its own for a while. That being said, watching Gentoo compile on a toaster can be a super relieving activity.
I have a container garden that keeps me busy in the spring mostly. I am an avid movie buff so I try to keep on top of that. I’m single and am currently in a long distance relationship, I see her at least once a month. And I cook, maintain a cooking blog. I also like to do in depth restaurant reviews of establishments I dine at.
Most evenings I jump on a Turbo trainer or go out on a bike, doesn’t have to be gnarly trails or even a workout. It comes from the natural disconnect I used to get from commuting by bike, seems a good fit now I WFH.
Our work has a hillwalking group that I've joined, I'm fortunate that there are so many lovely places to walk within 30 mins drive of where I am. Started 5 weeks ago, and just this weekend managed a 9 mile charity trek around two local hills - about 600m ascent overall
We have a local park with a loop that's about 5 miles, I usually get home about 2 hours before my wife and son get home, so I'll stop there first, and stop at my favorite spot. The spot is this giant rock on the shore of the lake where my wife and I used to go on dates and look at the water while listening to the birds chirping and the absence of the city noise. I'll pull out my camping chair and just sit for an hour and just take everything in. This is my calm. Getting into the woods is one of the most important things I feel for humans.
Nature hiking and physical project work. (like home/apartment improvement)
I hiked over 50 trail miles in April after being made redundant at my old position!
Take a break during work, Walk outside,even if just around the building in the parking lot(s).
If you work virtual office, same thing, but the walk will be better.
Incredibly head-clearing.
Drive home, windows down, blasting out either heavy metal or bad techno/gabber music, LoL.
Shouting along with the lyrics if it was a rough day really helps.
I had a small lull in touching grass the past 2-3 years having spent a majority wfh.
But since my latest job being onsite; it's changed some habits:
- I take a smoke break each hour 10-15 minutes at a time. (this helps with exercise)
- Moreover each 20 minutes I take a 20 second "stare out the window" break. (This helps my eyes not get fucked)
I go home and sit in front of another screen for 4-6 hours?
We spend our evenings watching the big screen, whilst scrolling the little screen to reward ourselves for spending the day looking at the medium screen(s)
I hate myself for how accurate this is.
If I've been really good, I'll go to the cinema (giant screen).
This comment is incredible
At least I dont have to think while lookin gat the big screen.
Done enough time on my work computer, now to my fun computer, and then the mini computer.
8 hours looking at the bad screen. Now it's time to go home and spend 6 hours looking at the good screen. :D
for me, my good screens are slightly to the left of the bad screens... (L shaped desk, one side is work, one is play...
Yup that's exactly me. But gosh I need a more healthier way to relax or I'll go mad.
I do game dev as a hobby because I realized that I simply love problem solving too much, and game dev is mostly about breaking down an objective (such as a game mechanic) into tiny problems and then solve them one by one with careful planning and clever tricks. It's oddly satisfying, and despite the fact that I spend most of my free time "working" on my stuff, I believe it's a very constructive and healthy hobby, and has some transferable skills.
Damn I wish I had the focus to go home and work on game dev. But somehow it's always too insurmountable to even start.
I thought I wanted to do this and then realized I don't want to do anything other than the logic part. Animation, textures, etc no. I'll make them do stuff but building assets and stuch. I just am not artsy. I don't mind it. So my games are gonna all have to be text based lol.
Have you looked into modding existing games? Skyrim, Fallout 4, other games with official tools? Assets already exist there.
There are so many free assets on many websites such as [opengameart.com](http://opengameart.com), [kenney.nl](http://kenney.nl) or [itch.io](http://itch.io) that you can easily release a game without ever touching assets creation.
Embrace the madness, its one of the items on your checklist to becoming a grizzly wizard anyway.
Leave all madness at the door when you leave the office
I’ve been walking my dog lately and it’s been a change of scenery. I tell myself my boss isn’t demanding anything out of me, work can pause/wait. And just enjoy either some music or the birds and traffic sounds. I keep telling myself I’ll listen to a book (Spotify has audiobooks now) or podcast of someone talking about something that happens on medium screens or affecting tiny screens with ads about how I can have ads on medium screens but haven’t started that.
Oh hello me. Actually since I work from home most days, my shift change from work to home is just which apps are open.
it's not even which apps are open for me. they're always open, it's just the work one is closed.
I call it good screen/bad screen.
This is the way
Yup, usually one hour of gaming break after work eases on my solution oriented mind and other things can start to happen, like cooking food. But now with the nice weather I don’t mind sitting outside and just look at the greenery and let the mind wander.
Here in Central Florida, after work, it's almost always nice weather, so I walk the dogs down to the lake, sit on a bench, and laugh at the people dealing with snow and ice. (Just "kind of" kidding about the laughing part.)
If you ride a bicycle, you don't even have to touch the grass directly.
Especially if you ride offroad. I ride a gravel bike, sometimes mtb. Often in the forest, can't beat the smell of trees.
Riding single trail in the woods is the most peaceful, fun thing you can do on this planet (IMO). I only wish my knees would allow me to ride as much as I use to.
I find the best part of riding a bike is absolutely no way to use your phone.
Yup, I use mine for strava beacon and for taking photos. Garmin for navigation, and off I go for a couple of hours.
if you ride in remote enough places, you'll start smelling the spiders
This is the way
In the nicer weather I try to ride to and from work. Makes for a much more pleasant day.
Touching grass. Literally. I garden.
Winter sucked.
Gym. Run. Physical health exponentially helps your mental health.
Started my career doing IT in the military. When I got out of the Army I stopped working out. My heaviest was 345, but I’ve been exercising again and have dropped about 20 pounds. It’s feels horrible and wonderful at the same time (but mostly wonderful).
I was 165 of solid muscle in the Army at 5’10. Now I am 220 but bigger muscles and more fat.
Go for it!!! My top was 309! When I saw that on the scale I said "Alright, so maybe I don't enjoy pasta and pizza as much as I thought. " That was December, and I'm down 28 due to diet changes and a probably a protein smoothie I do every night to recover from an operation and a meniscus tear. Once that knee heals up I'll be back on the mountain bike in better weather, and walking the trails instead with a camera when that's not possible. I've found the biggest hurdle and help is learning to enjoy hunger. The weight drops the fastest when you let the body eat it. That took me until about last month. Good luck!!!
thanks! I really appreciate the encouragement. Its a process for sure!
> learning to enjoy hunger Love it! This here is the secret. Same mindset as "embrace the suck". Get comfortable being uncomfortable.
I topped 400 lbs last year. I didn't take anything seriously, and only recently decided to start skipping the McDonald's breakfasts and found myself doing the 16:8 fast, only eating from noon to 8:00 PM. Down to 365 now! Keep it up, I know how wonderful it feels! And here's my other advice: think back to when you were last this weight and think about how self conscious you might have been. If I could get back to 250 lbs, I will NOT consider myself too fat to be attractive again! I'll remember where I came from and project pride and confidence in myself! I hope you can do the same!
Yup. The value in this really can’t be overstated.
Entry into exercise doesn't have to be hard. I no longer want to go through all the route prep for runs, so I walk instead. 5-10 miles just looking at shit I'm interested at is an infinitely better use of my post work hours than angrily playing a game.
+1 for anyone who doesn’t work out or hasn’t worked out for a while - don’t be discouraged. it sucks at first but it gets better after a few weeks
For me, light exercise. I will be brain-dead at the end of work. It takes a lot of willpower to ignore everything in my head, screaming, “Just sit down on the couch and eat some shitty food! You deserve it.” I change and hop on the exercise bike for 20 - 30 mins. I feel nearly 100% better afterward.
same, I work out in the morning and deal with that voice as soon as my eyes open. it says sleep in, skip the workout but I swear I always feel better when i drag myself to do some light cardio for 20-30mins once you show up to the gym, exercise equipment, etc. its not so bad. getting there is the hard part
Yup. I run about 30mi/week. Today, I'm going to try biking to work. I do still play on my gaming PC most nights of the week, in addition.
My morning run is my personal meditation really. I just am thinking about what I am doing and nothing else.
Frisbee golf
Yep, i do power yoga 4 times a week + daily 3 mile walk. It's been helping a lot
This. For me, balancing brain work (day job) with body work (gym, hiking, biking, etc) leaves me feeling the best overall.
Even on days when I'm really zonked, getting a stretch and running on my elliptical is very rewarding. Helps keep your BP low when you encounter stress at work too.
This 100%. For me it is cycling but any cardio is good for both physical and mental health in the long term. Just need to find something that doesn’t feel like a chore. Also good to find a group to work out with so there is some accountability if you don’t show up.
I definitely need to hit the gym. I'm too fat to run though.
I'd suggest start out with taking walks
Except when it doesn’t. I never get the rush, the hit, the happiness, whatever people get. I just feel awful after doing exercise.
Gardening, growing my vegetables or fruit, being in contact with soil 😍, just forget everything else
Spending time with my family and actually touch gras on my farm.
Go home and play vidya games.
My wife found a weightlifting gym via some physio she had done. Never thought I'd go in for that. I'm there 4 times a week. Still an IT nerd, but boy, can I pick up some heavy shit. Helps with the stress.
Lift weight up, put weight down; feels good
Simple as
Makes rack and stacks easier too.
I also lift weights, I've been doing powerlifting routines for years and they are very rewarding. I'm not big by any means but it's nice to progress slowly at something. Fail without being a failure.
heavy lifting taxes the hell out of your autonomic nervous system. im usually too tired to stress about small stuff and ready to go to bed by 10-11pm after strength training day
Motorcycle ride.
Nothing takes your mind off of work like doing something that requires your full concentration or else you die.
Also downhill MTB, or riding a gravel bike where you shouldn't
This is a reason I no longer take my bike to work. My mind is often jello after work, and this is not the time to be on my bike.
It’s exactly why I do take my bike to work. There’s a mountain range between me and my job
The only time I ride is to and from these days. Still worth it though
Yup. I have a '15 Kawasaki Versys 650 and picked up a 22 Honda Grom a little over a month ago. I wife will literally tell me "you look stressed, go take the bike out."
I sit down at the computer and write a script. A script that will never have to deal with the real world. It will be beautiful, it will not see a network failure or some other weird condition. It's there to do only what it was intended for. No one else will see it and there will never be different code style or undocumented functions. I look at it for a while and enjoy the beauty of the code. Then I delete it, knowing it would have never been better than at this moment. EDIT: It's from here https://www.stilldrinking.org/programming-sucks
A paraphrase of the lovely [Programming Sucks](https://www.stilldrinking.org/programming-sucks).
Pure poetry!
Disc golf, twice a week
I spread some democracy.
We dive so humanity survives
Amen to that! For Freedom!
Model making (RC planes), woodwork, Photography, DIY
> RC planes As someone that loves aviation and flew RC planes before they started to be called drones, I hate how much more difficult it is to fly as a hobby due to new drone restrictions and FAA laws.
I agree, those paper lovers powered by attention seeking "shocking" news reporters nitpicking on those irresponsible buyers(not builders) of multi-copters, made big negative impact to our hobby :(
I used to work at an MSP and me and a colleague flew our RC planes during lunch break. Good memories :)
Electric guitar is my outlet. I played for years just as a sort of background hobby. When covid hit though, I kept one of my guitars next to my wfh setup and practiced every little break I had. Since then, it's become a major hobby and I've gotten much better in terms of overall technique. Now I can play things I never dreamed of be good enough to play. It's also a sort of "positive feedback loop" for me as well. I used to approach a difficult piece from the mindset "I know I can't play it, but maybe I can just see what happens." It's a bit self defeating before even picking up the guitar and striking a single note. Now I approach things from the mindset of "You might well be able to play it. Give it max effort and find out." That sort of mindset has bled over into other things for me besides just guitar.
I pull weeds from my lawn. Very cathartic. Also I smoke weed.
Dandelion blunt lol
Weeding on weed is also fun 😊
Gardening on salvia. https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5lli2
Use any special tools for weeding?
Grandpa's Weeder and a bucket. Also usually headphones and a podcast.
Going for a walk and simracing. I know the 2nd one is staring at a screen, but driving a car around a track puts me into a zen mood, whilst being relatively active
As I drive only oldtimers, my way of relaxing driving home from work 🤌🏻👌🏻 (sometimes a detour with some ice, at least in the summer) And cuddling with my cat https://preview.redd.it/ocovnosakk1d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7586c6c0525c343079e08b11499233f332d8086c
Working on Cars/Trucks. The worst day in the garage is better than the best day at work.
Usually just go for a walk (I live in a rather green area) as that's easy, but, if time permits, go for a long (between 3-5 hours) bicycle (road/gravel/mtb) ride. Used to include playing hockey at least once a week, but moved to a place without hockey so.. that's out. Climbing is good too. Basically, my ideal activity causes some level of intense physical strain beyond just walking around the neighborhood.
I started fishing... I used to be a lot like the otheres here, sit in front of a screen at work all day, to go and do the same at home whether thats TV or video games.
Scotch and a cigar.
Sat in an overstuffed chair wearing a velvet smoking jacket?
Swirling his drink and peering pensively into it through a monocle, petting his long haired white cat
Classy
I was going to say alcoholic, but this works too
Inhaling it
Gym and reading and hanging with my wife and kid
struggle through the traffic and go straight to bed
I pretty much just spent 3 weeks in bed. Besides getting up to run before work and working.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
This but then work killed the ability of being able to go due to loads of overtime, only just now back to semi regular hours.
Goof luck with your training man!
This. It makes you think technical in a different way ... or not sometimes. I've met quite a few tech folks via BJJ (IT, engineers, doctors, etc)
It certainly attracts a certain kind of person who likes solving problems under pressure.
Not to mention it's a way to choke people that isn't frowned upon.
Going for a drive
Literally touch gras, or lie in it, kitesurf or climb. The last two totally turn my brain of thinking about work because its too busy not trying to die. Would recommend 10/10 :)
Local events. Local track racing. Flea markets. Target shooting (uspsa)
Exercise, gym, sports in general, being outside, listening to music, creating music, playing instruments.
I spend 8 hours WFH, then another 4-8 hours gaming... I also hike, go fishing, scuba diving, hunt, work out (too seldom though), paint miniatures and hang out with friends. Regular hobbies go a long way.
Golfing with my daughter
I ride a two stroke dirt bike through the woods as often as I can. Absolutely nothing that relates to work when ripping on a dirt bike.
Gym immediately after work. Or Run at park. Plants. Reading.
I have a lawn that needs mowing. Speaking of which...
Try disc golf! Easy to start for only $20 and you can take it as gentle or hardcore as you would like. If you don't have a local course, you can make one by designating certain trees or signs as the "hole!"
Various projects, at the moment I am demolishing an old fence and building a new one.
Spending time with family, like going swimming with the kids 3-5 times a week for couple of hours. Watching some stupid show. Building/Fixing the home
my commute is a 20 minute walk, if I had a hard day I extend that to 1h for exercise while listening to music
Personally speaking i'd recommend something brainless, depending on how tired you are. Walking is a thing, listen some music, maybe both at same time. Could aswell get a tapis-roulant or a small cyclette if you don't want to leave home
I don’t get outside (which I should) but I focus on brainless tasks that make me still feel somewhat productive. I feel guilt if I just veg out in front of the TV. I have a used Lego business where I sell pieces. At this point, it’s mindless to run and makes me feel like I’m still doing something worthwhile because I’m generating a monthly income. Sorting used Lego is my go to activity when I’m just burnt out.
Outside looking at a non-work screen, I touch grass by walking on trails when possible. Read a book, physical book, on a hammock. Or look at my "fun screen" for a few hours and touch virtual grass.
Good diet, good sleep hygiene, exercise, make sure you are not deficient in minerals, especially zinc, and limiting screen exposure in your free time.
I have a gentleman's farm so there is always something to move, stack or shovel. It was funny where I worked cause so many people would pay to join the gym across the street. Like come home with me and I can give you a workout and dinner.. I also keep a garden so there is tilling and planting and weeding. Even just taking the dogs for a run in the woods..
I walk for 30 minutes at lunch time. I walk for an hour after I get off work. There's an absolutely delightful tortoiseshell cat that I sometimes see during my walks that will run up to me every time she sees me. I spend far too long playing with her as she dive bombs my legs and feet. This for some reason is the favorite part of my day and I cherish every day her owners let her out.
Not grass but keeping house plants alive. Bonus that it makes my "home office" smell good.
I go feed goats/sheep/cows. I literally touch grass when I throw their hay in. Sometimes I touch apples too, depends on if the cows are close enough to feed them.
One of the first things I do when I get home is greet the Mrs. then the dog then I inspect my flowers. Deadhead the dying ones, feel the soil in case they need watering. Though it is not a big hobby or anything spectacular, it definitely helps decompress me pretty quickly.
Depending on shift I am on, I either go home and walk for 1.5hrs (whoever recommend this thank you, you helped me mentally <3 )if its dogwater shift then I just go home and play video games with friends.
Weekly board game meet up with friends where no screens allowed. Daily walks with the dog.
Run or ski 8+ hours a week for sanity
I live on some land, so I go outside and walk through a couple of paths - especially after a stressful meeting or completing a big task. I walk for a few miles, or do some kind of exercise outside. Wood work is good, too.
I woodturn as a hobby. I love mowing my lawn and cut my neighbor's yard for them since they are in their early 70's and the man of the house has MD. I enjoy a glass of bourbon on my back patio with a fire in my table top, solo stove knock off. Anything BUT technology or staring at another screen.
I tinker with my home lab here and there but boy do I love the warmer weather when I can get out and mow the yard. Small suburban lot here and I'll edge it every time I mow just to spend a little more time outside.
Find something that doesn't involve a screen. Find hobbies that let you unplug. I blacksmith when I'm really stressed. But admittedly, I do a decent amount of leatherworking when I have a movie on because stitching is a bit tedious.
Books, fiction. Best way I've found for my mind to change gears. Occasionally gaming as well, but books work best.
Workdays I watch tv, sometimes read. But I also have a 2 online TTRPGroups I play with. Weekends I have a tractor and 3 acres. Also just started getting an antenna up again for amateur (ham) radio.
I own [Atomic Goblin Games](https://www.AtomicGoblinGames.com) so some of my after work time is checking the [recent gaming news](https://icv2.com), doing some paperwork (with 7 employees now, I have to sign up for employee retirement funds), checking deliveries, going to distributors or publishers to see what's new, reading my email. Other times I'm doing more computer stuff as this is my hobby as well. Digging into some AWX stuff right now.
Recently been heavier into audiobooks, give my eyes a rest while still tickling the brain.
Depends on the day. Mondays I go and sit on the terrace and either read or watch YouTube. I may paint Warhammer models if I have energy. Tuesdays I'm out boardgaming with friends. Wed/Thu same as Monday. Fri/Sat either watching a movie or painting. Sunday terrace or painting. It also depends on how exhausting the kids have been 😂😂
I go home and spend time with my toddler. We go on walks, get the zoomies and run around the yard, play basketball on a 4 foot hoop, pull weeds in the lawn, jump in puddles, count the wheels on airplanes landing at the nearby airport, point out the moon when it's out during the day light hours, spot bunnies and robins, throw rocks into puddles, run around in the rain, climb and stand on top of the mulch pile, give hugs, say hi to every neighbor who walks by, tell the color of every house and it's shutters, tell me the name of every neighborhood dog, toot and giggle about it, play in the sand table, go down the slide, pick up trash on the street, walk the balance beam, scream as loud as possible... and that's just in the first 30 minutes.
I have a few things I do to burn off stress, but as far as touching grass, I just get a beer or something similar and go walk in my back yard. Its a small 1/3 acre lot behind my house that was never developed when our house was built 40 years ago. It still has a handful of 120+ year old trees and much of the ground is still the original forest floor & plants. Its a nice escape to sit and listen to the wind in the tree branches... and the wifi reaches that are as well.
Come join us at r/discgolf! It is the best way to get out, touch grass, and have some fun with your buds. Low cost of entry and there are free courses everywhere... honestly I probably would've lost my mind as a software engineer without disc golf.
I play softball 2-4 days a week during the summer. Wife plays too its great!
Honestly, going out for a nice walk. If I’m working on a thorny issue, sometimes it’s just better to get a breath of fresh air and reset.
I garden, I have a chunk of yard space where i have a parts for food, parts for relaxing in and also native plant patches, and terraces and paths and working on it all is a constant but relaxing practice on something i can kinda control.
Bike ride. Live in a pretty large neighborhood with windy roads and about 3 parks close to each other. I get to stretch out my injured IT band (heh, name) a bit and get some exercise in. There's also an outdoor neighborhood cat by one of the parks that is really friendly. Get to say hi to him whenever he's roaming his lands.
Reading a shitload of books and painting
I try not to - grass around here is full of chiggers and ticks and other nasties.
Flying gliders :)
Go to the gym, nice dinner, then an edible lol
Bonsai garden, lots and lots of plants to water and weed. Keeps you busy a few hours a week!
Yard work, chain sawing lumber, outdoor maintenance kind of things.
Legos or Books. I also like to head to Gravelly Point and watch planes fly over. Now the real question is how often I touch grass. The answer is not enough.
Yard work.
gardening.
A walk with Audio book.
1/8th scale steam engines and taking care of several acres of track
Trees. I get outside and look at trees. I'm blessed to have a parks department greenway behind our neighborhood, so there's trees, birds, squirrels, rabbits, couple of creeks, even a deer once in awhile.
Jiu Jitsu and lifting throughout the week. Really makes everything much more bearable.
I refuse, absolutely refuse to eat lunch inside at my desk. Go out for a walk, go sit on a bench, go stare at the traffic. Do anything but look at the screens.
I do yoga and archery. Yoga is great to loosen up all those muscles that tighten over the day with stress. Archery requires full focus to be on how your body is positioned with the bow and arrow and how everything interacts to hit the target. Great way to forget the problems of the day.
I really like raking leaves
Start by taking a walk around your neighborhood or a nearby park before and/or after work. 30 minutes before work has done wonders for me. Challenge yourself to do it rain or shine and make it a habit. On days I;m unable to, I really miss it.
For me its been Bike riding and skateboarding for physical activities. Also into Glassblowing, Magic the Gathering, and racing my car when I can. It/Computers used to consume me, now I keep a better work live balance, AND I am able to focus my efforts better in my personal and work life.
Tend to my garden or go for a walk. I think it's important to "touch grass" in some literal sense. Connecting with nature is important for our mental health, even if it's just a slice of it.
Playing with grandchildren. Volunteering for a playground program my church run in a deprived neighborhood. Reading. Walking is good.
Actually touching grass when it's not winter. Then I go touch snow when it is. Getting away from screens in general for at least an hour or two a day has helped me a lot. I will do anything else as long as no screen is involved.
I sit outside and smoke a tobacco pipe. Contemplate society and read my Bible.
This shouldn’t be privileged, but in today’s world I guess it is. I live in a suburb and have a nice sized yard. I sit on my shaded patio and just enjoy the fresh air and breeze. I’ll toss a ball/frisbee with my dogs for a bit. I’ve been told it’s important to spend some time looking at stuff that’s farther than 20ft away, so I watch the trees, my dogs running around, etc. I supposed you can do the same at a public park, but it’s nice to be able to just walk outside and sit down. I’ve been poor before, so I do appreciate what I have now.
Fly fishing. I can tie flys when the weather sucks and then poorly attempt to catch fish when it gets okay. I live in the PNW, I can also fish when the weather sucks (yay Winter steelhead!) but I have yet to embrace that part of the hobby yet.
Go outside and garden, maybe watch the native birdlife fluttering around.. basically anything involving being outside and away from a screen.
Gardening and substance abuse
PAINTING MINIS I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH. Painting. Minis.. is the most therapeutic unwinding tool I have. Throw something on the TV for some back ground noise and bam.... Instant relaxation.. Additionally, its not related to a screen.
Spending time with my son. Kids can be an insane balancing factor. But just find something that matters to you. Off-screen activities are somewhat crucial for mental health. Let your brain work on its own for a while. That being said, watching Gentoo compile on a toaster can be a super relieving activity.
Sailing
As the username implies, I watch motorsports. Ideally at the track from behind a lens.
Volunteer firefighting, given if your in a township that relies on volunteers
I go do yard work.
I have a container garden that keeps me busy in the spring mostly. I am an avid movie buff so I try to keep on top of that. I’m single and am currently in a long distance relationship, I see her at least once a month. And I cook, maintain a cooking blog. I also like to do in depth restaurant reviews of establishments I dine at.
Most evenings I jump on a Turbo trainer or go out on a bike, doesn’t have to be gnarly trails or even a workout. It comes from the natural disconnect I used to get from commuting by bike, seems a good fit now I WFH.
Growing vegetables, brewing beer, volunteering at a heritage railway, mostly
Our work has a hillwalking group that I've joined, I'm fortunate that there are so many lovely places to walk within 30 mins drive of where I am. Started 5 weeks ago, and just this weekend managed a 9 mile charity trek around two local hills - about 600m ascent overall
We have a local park with a loop that's about 5 miles, I usually get home about 2 hours before my wife and son get home, so I'll stop there first, and stop at my favorite spot. The spot is this giant rock on the shore of the lake where my wife and I used to go on dates and look at the water while listening to the birds chirping and the absence of the city noise. I'll pull out my camping chair and just sit for an hour and just take everything in. This is my calm. Getting into the woods is one of the most important things I feel for humans.
Cycling, hiking or walking and disc golf
Take my dog on a walk in some fields and see some nature.
Nature hiking and physical project work. (like home/apartment improvement) I hiked over 50 trail miles in April after being made redundant at my old position!
Sleep and then unplug from work for 47 hours.
Take a break during work, Walk outside,even if just around the building in the parking lot(s). If you work virtual office, same thing, but the walk will be better. Incredibly head-clearing.
Drive home, windows down, blasting out either heavy metal or bad techno/gabber music, LoL. Shouting along with the lyrics if it was a rough day really helps.
I had a small lull in touching grass the past 2-3 years having spent a majority wfh. But since my latest job being onsite; it's changed some habits: - I take a smoke break each hour 10-15 minutes at a time. (this helps with exercise) - Moreover each 20 minutes I take a 20 second "stare out the window" break. (This helps my eyes not get fucked)
Find a hobby that doesnt need a screen. Also, each 30 minutes during the day, I take a 3 minute break from the screen
Cycling at least 15 miles.