It fills our evenings and nibbles away at our spare time but, a new study suggests, browsing social media brings us less joy than almost anything else we do for fun.
Scrolling was the least enjoyable way Britons spent their free time, the research found, yet it was the activity they returned to more than any other.
The study, carried out by psychologists at the University of Sussex, highlighted a disconnect between how people chose to spend their leisure hours and what made them feel good. From a list of 21 common pastimes, scrolling on social media ranked highest in terms of how frequently people engaged with it but came bottom for joy.
The research involved a survey of 2,182 adults. They were asked how often they engaged in different leisure activities and how much enjoyment each one brought them.
Listening to music was said to be much more pleasurable
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Listening to music topped the list for pleasure, charting an average joy score of 6.16 out of seven. A score of one meant people said they did not enjoy a pastime at all, while seven meant they enjoyed it tremendously.
Playing a musical instrument ranked second (6.04), followed by reading books (6.00). Crafting hobbies (5.92), such as making jewellery or pottery, and volunteering (5.84) also scored highly. However, most people said they did them relatively infrequently.
Watching television (5.69) appeared to be more satisfying than scrolling on social media (5.19) but lagged behind more active pursuits such as doing sports (5.84).
Overall, the findings suggested activities that involved creativity, effort or concentration tended to bring more pleasure than those that were more passive.
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Robin Banerjee, a professor of developmental psychology at the University of Sussex, who led the research, said: “The study provides compelling evidence that an important key to psychological fulfilment and wellbeing could lie in being more intentional with our leisure time. These findings highlight the importance of dedicating time to hobbies that are emotionally rewarding and socially enriching, offering a powerful blueprint for maximising personal wellbeing.
“It is also striking to see the activity we do with the most frequency, social media scrolling, is the activity that brings us least joy, suggesting that if we are led by what intrinsically motivates us as opposed to algorithms, we can move towards experiencing more joy in our lives.”
Reading ranked in the top three
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The findings come amid growing concern about how much time Britons spend on their phones. Data from Ofcom, the regulator, from 2025 shows that British adults spend an average of 4.5 hours online every day, with young adults aged 18 to 24 spending the most, at more than six hours a day.
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Ofcom also reported that most children in the UK received their first smartphone around the age of ten or 11 and that by the end of primary school the vast majority owned one.
Top five most-enjoyed leisure activities
1. Listening to music
2. Playing a musical instrument
3. Reading books
4. Crafting (such as jewellery-making or pottery)
5. Volunteering
And the bottom five …
17. Cooking or baking
18. Listening to programmes on the radio
19. Reading magazines
20. DIY projects
21. Browsing social media