Unplug With Dr. Elizabeth Sirois

My name is Elizabeth Sirois, and I spend too much time looking at screens. Don’t we all? I use a computer all day for work, and then I get home, and it’s so easy to spend my free time scrolling, gaming, or streaming. While there’s not a problem with these things in moderation, they can quickly suck up all my free time and leave me sedentary, isolated, and with a headache from the eye strain. 

With devices being so central to our society, it takes effort to turn to non-screen activities, but I think we all need some hobbies that allow us to unplug. Here are four that I have found to be easy to start with, engaging, and rewarding: 

There are so many ways to get creative! A fun project can be sculpting with oven-bake clay – my sister and I used to make our favorite Pokémon characters. This can be a great project for families to do together. 

Sketching books are available at most libraries that teach about perspective, shading, and different styles of drawing. If you’re frustrated with your skill level, there are ways to improve, and the growth is pretty cool to look back and see. 

My favorite area of art is ceramics. Community art centers often have classes for people interested in trying out pottery; at the very least, you go home with something that is uniquely yours! 

I got a little too into houseplants during Covid (emotional support plants, anyone?), but I have loved learning about their care, and they brighten up my home! House plants led to gardening. I’ve found cucumbers and tomatoes to be more forgiving than some of the other plants I tried to grow. A great benefit from this is that you might get some healthy food to enjoy in the end. If you have kids who are picky about vegetables, being involved in their care and growth might help them get more excited about giving them a try. 

I absolutely love a good story that is well told. Fantasy and science fiction is a personal favorite for me – if you’re looking for a good stand-alone science fiction novel, Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir was a really great read, and it’s being made into a movie that will be out next year. 

If you don’t know where to start, go to your library and talk to the librarian. Tell them a favorite book you’ve read, or even just a movie you like. They can give you some suggestions as to stories you might enjoy. Your library also likely has an app (like Libby) where you can get access to audiobooks, if you prefer to listen to a story. When someone tells me they don’t enjoy reading, I just say they haven’t found the right books. 

Last fall, I mastered fried chicken wings, which may not have been the healthiest place to start, but it was certainly delicious. If your friends don’t mind sampling experimental cooking projects, it can be a fun reason to gather. Where to start depends on what you want to cook: if you want food you can pack for lunch, look up easy meal prep recipes. If, like me, you watch cooking shows and want to try a challenge, oftentimes the chefs from those shows have recipes online. Look up your favorite celebrity chef and get their personal recommendations on how to make a new dish! 

A lot of these activities can be started at the library. I’d encourage everyone to look at their local library and community centers for resources and events to branch out and try new things!