*BTW, this page contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you buy something through them.

We both know it’s probably (definitely) not great to spend hours on hours every day scrolling through photos and videos that are specifically designed for our reactions. Like, we know that. The thing is, whenever people say “phones/social media/doomscrolling is bad” (which they do, a lot), they rarely follow it up with an alternative. Like, okay, but now what? 

One of the reasons I like seeing Jacey Adler’s content is that she makes an actually realistic case for something we can do instead of scrolling: crafts. And I’m not talking about school assembly pipe cleaner stuff, either. 

Jacey’s a content creator and a homebody who takes her hobby of crafting very seriously — and it has seriously improved her mental health.  Jacey gave us some tips on how to put down our phones, get started on crafting (and what that actually looks like), and get to know ourselves better offline. 

“The difference I feel after 10 minutes of crafting versus 10 minutes of scrolling is wildly different,” Jacey says. 

Jacey explained that when we do a craft, we’re literally changing the mode our brain is in – our brains go into their default mode network, which helps us process emotions and make sense of our experiences. 

When we’re scrolling, our brain can’t rest — which feels obvious (we’re literally awake), but it turns out there are different kinds of rest. Crafting gives us “creative” and “sensory” rest. (BTW, there’s also physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual rest, which is exhausting to think about but obviously super important). 

Anyway, scrolling keeps us in a state of constant stimulation. If you find yourself comparing yourself to everyone you see online, or feel like you’re stuck in a scroll that doesn’t feel good but you can’t stop, it’s time to consider trying something new, like maybe a hobby that makes you feel good? Could you imagine? 

The key is putting together a kit you’ll actually want to use based on the crafts you actually want to do. Mine started with some acrylic paints I got as a birthday gift and a value pack of canvases — nothing crazy. You don’t need to get materials for everything you’ll ever want to do here — focus on one or two crafts to get you started and avoid burnout. 

The difference between crafting you may be used to and this is that these ideas are open-ended and personalized to what you actually want to do (which means they also have the potential to be really cute). 

Hence, a literal menu for yourself so you can order…exactly what feels right at that moment. Girl dinner for after your real girl dinner, if you will. Making a “menu” of low, medium, and high energy activities is good if you’re the kind of person who likes to have structure, but it’s not required to craft. It’s personalized to you, so you only have to pick crafts that sound fun to you, and then match your mood in the moment. 

Jacey helps out here. 

“If you're trying to do a high-energy craft when you have low energy, it's a mismatch, and you'll probably end up scrolling instead,” she said. Just meet yourself where you're at! 

If you have never crafted before, the first thing you make isn’t going to be, like, the Espresso of crafts. Accepting that is a part of the process. 

And if you’ve just decided that you absolutely must create the Espresso of crafts, may I remind you that Sabrina was making music for around 10 years before changing our lives with “cause I’m a singerrrrr.” Good things take time (fine, she was also a Disney star and opened for Taylor Swift, but you know what I mean). 

But how do you actually make something knowing it may not be good? Jacey suggests starting with a timer (which, in the spirit of getting off our phones, can be a super retro one). 

“Set a timer for 5 or 10 minutes and give yourself permission to do whatever you can in that time,” she says. “The more you expose yourself to imperfection, the less power it has over you.”

Jacey keeps an analog bag of craft supplies that’s always accessible, “so it's as easy to craft as it is to grab my phone.” She’s big on making sure she has a project started, so that when she goes to grab it, “it's less about deciding what to make and more about just continuing where I left off.” If you know you spend lots of time scrolling on the go, bring them in your school bag. If, like me, you’re more of an at-home crafter (and, for better or worse, scroller), keep your kit in your room somewhere you know you’ll see it.

Crafting forces you to slow down and take the time to actually work on something without the instant satisfaction our fried attention spans love so much. This is obviously a good thing, but it’s hard. Jacey says wanting to go too fast all the time might go deeper than we think.  

“A lot of times, the reason we're going so fast is because we're scared of what will come up if we take the time to slow down,” Jacey says. “The fastness is a coping strategy.” 

Slowing down is necessary for actually feeling your feelings, good and bad. 

“Crafting gives me permission to slow down without feeling guilty about it. When I'm working with my hands, it creates this gentle space where emotions can surface naturally,” Jacey says. “I'm not forcing anything, but I'm also not running from it.” 

Repetitive motions and focusing on a task can help process whatever’s going on in your life without getting stuck – and while making a really cute craft is a good outcome, actually processing your emotions is an even better one. 

“Sometimes moving through hard seasons looks like sitting quietly and stitching something together, or painting without a plan,” Jacey says. “The craft isn't the point. It's just what gives my mind and body something gentle to do while I let myself feel what I need to feel.”