Mindless hobby where you can "zone out".

[Nevrknow]

Anyone else have one? What I mean by this is, it seems like life is 120mph/240kmh and things never seem to slow down. The brain is at max speed all day long. 
 

The job, the side business, the other 2 side businesses. The fam, the wife ( she gets her own category) 😁.

For me it's online slots and poker. A drink, a cigar and I think of absolutely nothing else for an hour or so. I guess you could call it my meditation. 
 

I used to call it giving away $$ for an hour. But getting older I don't think of it that way anymore. Everyone has their $ amount, but once you're ok, is it worth it to fry your brain over $ you know you'll never be able to spend? 

[Hammer Smokin']

I have an extremely stressful sales related job. I've been at it for 18 years...not sure how I haven't had a heart attack. 

On the weekends I need to completely tune out. Shut off. Like you said, mindless hobby where I zone out. 

For me that's an old turn based strategy video game. It's not online, and it's turn based. Which means you can walk away, zone out, or whatever...and the game waits for you. The strategy part if what keeps me going back. But a very simple (yet can get complex) strategy based game from 1999. Still runs on my Windows 10 platform. It has reached cult status (all us old guys still love the game) so it gets constant mods/updates. 

best part? it's free, lol. 

[Jack]

I’ve always been a fan of good films and TV (to an extent).

My present job requires me to work closely with media people so I’ve been catching up on TV and movies I’d never normally watch (HBO’s “White Lotus”, the new Disney+ “Star Wars” shows) and I can zone out and fast forward when it gets boring ~ as long as I understand what’s going on and pick up on some of the production items.

 

[cgoodrich]

For me, it’s wood working. 99% hand tools; old hand planes, chisels & gouges, hand saws, marking gauges, spokeshaves, etc. I don’t make much, but completely zone out when I do. It also led me to buy and restore old tools. Love working with my hands.

[Fuzz]

36 minutes ago, Hammer Smokin' said:

I have an extremely stressful sales related job. I've been at it for 18 years...not sure how I haven't had a heart attack. 

On the weekends I need to completely tune out. Shut off. Like you said, mindless hobby where I zone out. 

For me that's an old turn based strategy video game. It's not online, and it's turn based. Which means you can walk away, zone out, or whatever...and the game waits for you. The strategy part if what keeps me going back. But a very simple (yet can get complex) strategy based game from 1999. Still runs on my Windows 10 platform. It has reached cult status (all us old guys still love the game) so it gets constant mods/updates. 

best part? it's free, lol. 

Worms?

[BoliDan]

I brew beer. Turkey fryer and 10 gallon pot. Takes about an hour to get the mash and then another hour to boil. Pretty good space out hobby or shooting the poop with friends

[ChangBang]

1 hour ago, Hammer Smokin' said:

I have an extremely stressful sales related job. I've been at it for 18 years...not sure how I haven't had a heart attack. 

On the weekends I need to completely tune out. Shut off. Like you said, mindless hobby where I zone out. 

For me that's an old turn based strategy video game. It's not online, and it's turn based. Which means you can walk away, zone out, or whatever...and the game waits for you. The strategy part if what keeps me going back. But a very simple (yet can get complex) strategy based game from 1999. Still runs on my Windows 10 platform. It has reached cult status (all us old guys still love the game) so it gets constant mods/updates. 

best part? it's free, lol. 

Homm3 hota? 

[Thirds]

Fishing is the only activity I’ve found where I can tune it all out and truly relax.  Even better if fishing in a remote location where phone signal and email is not possible. 

[Ford2112]

I watch old wrestling matches

[Chucko8]

I find that exercising is the only way that I can truly zone out. Whether it be surfing, running or gym workout, it's only then that my mind can be free from having to be tempted into looking at the phone or checking in on something which in advertently leads to stress.

[RDB]

Rock climbing. If you don’t concentrate, you fall off. No option of looking at your phone. Simples!

[TroutBum]

Fly Fishing solo and Fly Tying 

[El Presidente]

.....another one for Fly Fishing.

.....another one for gym (weights).

 

[TobaccoRoad]

Reloading centerfire ammunition and bullet casting. Requires 100% attention. Make a mistake and you can go by "Lefty" for the rest of your life.

[OregonDuck]

I like to sharpen knives by hand. It’s rewarding to take an old beat up knife and make it better than new. 

[El Hoze]

I would say watching sports is what I do most to relax. Couch, cigar, beer and a game on is total chill time. I am not a total fanatic, just a fan! 

Zoning out definitely fishing. Alot of the fishing I do is tons and tons of preparation and you often get one shot at these fish so that moment no matter what is going on in my life all I am focused on is getting my cast in the right place and getting the fish in the boat (or legally caught). I’d say the same with more intense snowboarding out of bounds, etc. A mistake can cost you…well…alot! On most terrain though I still think  

I will also say I zone out at work. If I am in a big meeting or big presentation I block everything out. I lost my Mom when I was in my late 20s and I went right back to work. People thought I was a maniac but it definitely helped me distract myself even for an hour or so at a time. 

[tywindsor44]

I work roughly 240 hours a month and on my free time to decompress I enjoy spending time with my dogs. I have two black labs that love to get out of the house an explore. I’m fortunate enough to live in the foothills of Colorado so getting out in the mountains and watching them enjoy life really turns off the rest of the world for me.


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[dominattorney]

I'll do another plus 1 for weightlifting. Though I don't usually zone out doing it. It's nice because it gives me something else to focus on besides multitasking several things at once. It gives me hours of clarity afterward. 

Also reading. Specifically dense and challenging texts on philosophy or physics. Same reason. Requires inte se focus on a single thing for a sustained duration. 

[jakebarnes]

For me: cycling and lifting. Currently in dumb indoor trainer season where it's a bit harder to zone out on the bike since I am going nowhere in my basement, but once the weather cooperates it's my morning sanctuary when I can get out for a quick 40 miles with the sun coming up. 

Likely also why i've been too high strung lately as I've let these things sort of go by the wayside. Time to fix that.

[Hammer Smokin']

13 hours ago, ChangBang said:

Homm3 hota? 

you nailed it!

well done. 

I'm impressed. 

(seriously impressed)

[Hammer Smokin']

11 hours ago, Thirds said:

Fishing is the only activity I’ve found where I can tune it all out and truly relax.  Even better if fishing in a remote location where phone signal and email is not possible. 

People ask why I fish solo 90% of the time. 

I just smile. 

 

[Chibearsv]

Watching movies or TV is probably the most mindless activity for me.  It's hard for me to turn it all off.  Usually my mind is just going non-stop until I turn on the tv and pass out.  

[PigFish]

I cannot consider zoning out a hobby. For example. I just watch a promotional add from a servo company. Automated motion control is an interest of mine. I cannot get into it, because it is like me to obsess over it. That is not relaxing nor done in an hour.

My work with humidors is like this. It is not relaxing nor a short time endeavor, but it is a hobby. My hobbies are technical and quite consuming.

 I like old movies. That is my ticket to zone. My old NAS just melted down and with it a 1000 or so movie library. My hobby of computers is now colliding with my movie watching as I obsess over reloading my movies onto a new NAS. For years I meticulously backed up my library. But it interfered with my zoning out…. And here I am!

Here is the fun part. After years of watching the same pool of movies each night the same question is asked. What do you want to watch. Usually answered by my wife as, I don’t care I have seen them all a thousand times. This monotony mindset lasted about a day into the NAS being down!

 -Piggy

[PigFish]

4 hours ago, TobaccoRoad said:

Reloading centerfire ammunition and bullet casting. Requires 100% attention. Make a mistake and you can go by "Lefty" for the rest of your life.

A hobby not for people who zone out!

 

[bates40]

Listening to my wife.