I’m a millennial who picked up these 5 boomer hobbies

My brain was constantly buzzing. My anxiety was through the roof. And despite being “connected” 24/7, I felt more disconnected from myself than ever.

Then something unexpected happened. I started picking up hobbies that my parents’ generation loves. The kind of activities that millennials usually roll their eyes at.

And you know what? These “boomer hobbies” completely changed my mental health for the better.

I’m not talking about a small improvement. I mean genuine, noticeable shifts in my anxiety levels, my ability to focus, and my overall sense of wellbeing.

So here are the five old-school hobbies that this millennial adopted, and why they’ve become non-negotiable parts of my life.

1) Gardening (yes, really)

I know, I know. Gardening sounds like the most stereotypically boomer thing ever.

But hear me out.

I started with a few herb pots on my balcony because I was tired of buying overpriced basil at the grocery store. Nothing fancy. Just some basil, mint, and coriander.

What I didn’t expect was how therapeutic it would become.

There’s something deeply calming about putting your hands in soil. About watering plants in the morning and watching them grow over weeks and months. It’s tangible progress in a world where most of my work exists in the digital void.

Gardening gets you outside, gives you vitamin D, and engages you in a way that’s completely different from staring at screens.

But here’s what really got me: gardening forces you to slow down.

You can’t rush a plant. You can’t hack growth. You water it, give it sunlight, and wait. That patience has spilled over into other areas of my life.

Now I’ve got tomatoes, chilies, and a bunch of other vegetables growing. And every time I pick something I’ve grown myself, there’s this quiet satisfaction that’s hard to describe.

It’s the opposite of instant gratification. And honestly? That’s exactly what I needed.

2) Jigsaw puzzles (the ultimate digital detox)

This one surprised me the most.

I bought a 1,000-piece puzzle on a whim one weekend when I was feeling particularly burnt out. I figured I’d try it for an hour and then get bored.

Three hours later, I was still at my dining table, completely absorbed.

Here’s why puzzles are incredible for mental health: they demand your full attention, but in a meditative way. You’re focused, but you’re not stressed. Your brain is engaged, but you’re not doom-scrolling or consuming content.

It’s active rest.

I’ve noticed that when I’m working on a puzzle, my phone sits forgotten on the couch. I’m not thinking about work emails or social media drama. I’m just… present.

Psychologists call this “flow state.” That sweet spot where you’re challenged enough to stay engaged but not so much that you’re anxious.

Plus, there’s something deeply satisfying about completing a puzzle. It’s a finished project. A small win. And in a world where most of my work never really feels “done,” that completion matters more than I thought it would.

Now I always have a puzzle going. It’s my way of unplugging without feeling like I’m doing nothing.

3) Reading actual physical books before bed

Okay, so reading isn’t exclusively a boomer hobby. But reading physical books? In bed? With no screens involved?

That’s definitely old school.

I used to scroll through my phone for an hour before bed. Twitter, Instagram, news articles I’d never finish. Then I’d wonder why I couldn’t fall asleep and why my mind was racing.

About a year ago, I made a rule: no screens in the bedroom after 10pm. Instead, I read.

Real books. Usually fiction. Something that takes me completely out of my own head.

The difference in my sleep quality has been massive. But beyond that, reading before bed has become this sacred time that’s just for me. No notifications. No demands. Just me and a story.

There’s also something about physical books that hits different. The weight of them. The smell of the pages. The ability to see your progress as you move through it.

Research shows that reading fiction actually increases empathy and emotional intelligence. It exercises your brain in ways that scrolling just doesn’t.

I’m not saying I’ve completely quit my phone before bed every single night. But most nights? I’m reaching for a book instead. And I sleep better because of it.

4) Bird watching (stay with me here)

I’m almost embarrassed to admit this one because it sounds so incredibly wholesome and dorky.

But bird watching is genuinely amazing.

It started during my morning runs along the river here in Saigon. I’d see these incredible birds and have no idea what they were. So I downloaded a bird identification app and started paying attention.

Then I got a basic pair of binoculars. And suddenly, my runs became less about hitting a time goal and more about seeing what birds were out.

Here’s what I love about it: bird watching forces you to be present and observant. You have to slow down. You have to actually look at the world around you instead of being stuck in your head.

It’s also unpredictable. You never know what you’re going to see. That element of surprise, that little dopamine hit when you spot something cool, is way healthier than the dopamine hit from social media likes.

Studies have shown that spending time observing nature reduces anxiety and depression. And bird watching specifically has been linked to improved mental wellbeing.

But beyond the science, it’s just… nice. It’s gentle. It’s a hobby that asks nothing of you except to notice and appreciate.

In a world that’s constantly demanding more productivity, more engagement, more everything, bird watching is radical in its simplicity.

5) Cooking from scratch (without following influencers)

This is the hobby that’s had the biggest impact on my daily life.

I’m not talking about watching cooking TikToks or making viral recipes. I mean actual, old-school cooking. Following recipes from cookbooks. Experimenting with ingredients. Taking my time.

I started doing this more seriously after my wife and I had our baby. We wanted to know exactly what was going into our meals, and honestly, we couldn’t afford to eat out as much.

But what began as a practical decision became something therapeutic.

Cooking is meditative when you’re not rushing. The chopping, the stirring, the smells, the process of taking raw ingredients and transforming them into something nourishing.

It’s creative without pressure. If it doesn’t turn out perfect, you still eat it. If it’s amazing, you’ve created something with your own hands.

There’s also something about feeding yourself (and others) that feels deeply grounding. It’s a basic human need that we’ve outsourced so much in modern life.

When I’m cooking, I’m not thinking about work stress or scrolling through my phone. I’m focused on not burning the garlic and getting the seasoning right.

Plus, there’s the added bonus of eating better food and saving money. But honestly, the mental health benefits are what keep me doing it.

The common thread

Looking back at these five hobbies, I’ve realized they all have something in common.

They’re slow. They’re tangible. They require presence.

They’re the exact opposite of how millennials were told to live. We were raised on speed, efficiency, multitasking, and constant connectivity.

But these “boomer hobbies” reject all of that. They demand patience. They ask you to use your hands. They happen in real time and real space, not in the digital world.

And that’s exactly why they work.

My anxiety hasn’t disappeared. I still have stressful days. But I have these anchors now. These quiet practices that pull me out of my head and into the present moment.

I’m not saying everyone needs to start gardening or bird watching. But I am saying that maybe the older generation was onto something with these slower, simpler hobbies.

Why this matters now

Here’s the thing that nobody talks about enough.

Our generation is experiencing unprecedented levels of anxiety and depression. We’re the most connected generation in history, but we’re also the loneliest. We have everything at our fingertips, but we can’t seem to sit still.

I’m not romanticizing the past. Boomers have their own issues, and I’m not suggesting we should live like it’s 1975.

But I do think we’ve lost something important in our rush to optimize everything. We’ve traded presence for productivity. We’ve swapped depth for breadth.

These old-school hobbies aren’t just about nostalgia. They’re about reclaiming practices that actually support human wellbeing.

They’re not flashy. You can’t really post them on Instagram (well, you can, but that kind of defeats the purpose). They won’t make you money or build your personal brand.

But they will make you feel more grounded. More present. More human.

And honestly? That’s worth way more than another achievement unlocked or follower gained.

Starting small

If you’re reading this and thinking “okay, but I don’t have time for hobbies,” I get it.

I run a media company and I have a young baby. Trust me, I understand busy.

But here’s what I’ve learned: you don’t need huge chunks of time. Start with ten minutes. Water some plants. Do a small section of a puzzle. Read a chapter.

The point isn’t to add more pressure to your life. It’s to create small pockets of slowness. Moments where you’re not consuming content or producing output.

You’re just… being.

And in our fast-paced, always-on world, that’s revolutionary.

So yeah. This millennial picked up boomer hobbies. And I’m not embarrassed about it anymore.

Because my mental health has never been better. And that’s worth more than being cool.