The best self care might start with putting down your phone

Self-care has become a billion-rand industry of supplements, skincare routines, mindfulness apps and expensive wellness trends. Yet one of the simplest ways people are beginning to look after themselves is also one of the oldest. PsychologistElize Thesnersaid the growing appeal of creative hobbies hints at something many people have been missing.

While phones and streaming platforms promise relaxation, they often leave people feeling mentally depleted rather than restored. Creative activities ask something very different of the brain. They require focus, participation and imagination instead of passive consumption.

“Scrolling trains the brain to expect frequent small rewards,” Thesner said. “What begins as passing time can become lost time through intermittent reinforcement, similar to how gambling machines work.” “Instead of switching off after a demanding day, many people unknowingly replace one source of mental stimulation with another. Creative hobbies produce almost the opposite effect, Thesner said. Whether someone is writing, painting, gardening, making pottery, or returning to a childhood pastime, the brain begins to engage in ways that encourage restoration rather than exhaustion.