Everyone knows that we are the average of the 5 people we spend the most time with. While I agree with that, I also believe that we are the average of the 5 activities we spend our time on.
For most people, our top 1 activity (other than sleep) is work. Then, the remainder of the day is spent in a haze. A large chunk of that is digital, mindless scrolling feeds and watching dopamine-spiking shows. It’s not surprising that more and more people feel unfulfilled in life.1
But I wouldn’t blame us. The system is rigged to make passive consumption in full HD the default mode. It’s 2024 and it is socially acceptable (and a norm) to binge watch or doom scroll in our beds until we pass out every night.
While some will argue that we are screwed as a society, my slightly optimistic view is that this will change. Like all things, we will pendulum back. And you can see the seeds of it already.
- Digital fatigue is setting in.2
- The conversation around quitting social media is becoming more mainstream.3
- We are seeing burnt out working adults switching to “dumb-phones”.4
- Society’s obsession with hustle culture seems to be cooling off.
- People are starting to ask “wait why do I not have a hobby?”.
- More are starting to prioritise health (thanks Andrew Huberman)
- And other more subtle signs
So, I think we are self-correcting.
In less than a decade, I believe we will see people intentionally integrating meaningful activities into their lives — building identities they’re proud of.
Scrolling social media and binge-watching Netflix will be like the “fast food” of leisure: quick and easy, but ultimately unsatisfying.
The “real food” will be pursuits that bring genuine fulfillment, like creating, learning, connecting, and moving.
The demand for better alternatives is going to skyrocket. And that’s where the opportunity lies.
We need platforms that make it easier to discover local workshops, clubs, or events that they are interested in. And better habit tracking apps, accountability communities and structured challenges to help people stay consistent. As new needs come up, we need more people solving for them to support this shift.5
Once we reduce the friction and increase the incentives to pick up active habits, I believe people will switch. Passive activities won’t remain the default.
Maybe I am too optimistic, but I would rather root for a better future.
Sindhu Mohan 