How many times does this happen to you?
You’re tired.
Your brain is fried.
You reach for your phone—just to “check one thing.”
Thirty minutes pass.
Then forty.
When you finally look up, you feel that familiar fog:
- Distracted.
- Drained.
- A little disappointed in yourself.
Sound familiar? Yeah, me too.
And here’s the thing—this isn’t just about wasted time. It’s about what those scrolling sessions take from you. Every notification, every endless video, every “just one more” swipe chips away at your energy, attention, and creativity.
But what if you made a different choice in those moments?
The Guitar in the Corner
You know you have a guitar sitting somewhere in the house.
Maybe it’s in its case, or leaning on a stand.
Maybe it’s propped in the corner and the strings a little dusty from sitting too long.
It’s not buzzing.
It’s not flashing with notifications.
It’s just… there.
Quiet.
Waiting.
Now imagine this: the next time you feel that pull to mindlessly scroll, you reach for the guitar instead.
Not for an hour.
Not even for 30 minutes.
Just 10 minutes.
No Pressure. No “Practice Goals.” Just Play.
Here’s the key—this isn’t the time to work on something. Save that for when you’re alert and have more energy. You’re not trying to master a new scale or wrestle with a tricky chord change right now.
This is about letting your hands wander. Playing a riff you already know. Strumming your go-to chord progression. Maybe even making up something completely random that sounds amazing… or terrible—but still makes you smile.
Because sometimes, you need to step out of “I must improve” mode and just enjoy the simple feel of strings under your fingers.
What Happens When You Do This
It’s not magic, but it feels like it. In just a few minutes:
- Your brain calms down. The noise of the day fades a little.
- You create instead of consume. Which feels a lot better than it sounds.
- You relax. Your shoulders drop, your breathing evens out.
- You start having fun. And fun is underrated when it comes to music.
By the time you set the guitar down, something’s shifted. You’re not in a scroll-induced daze—you’re refreshed.
And later that night, when your head hits the pillow, you feel proud instead of depleted.
The Science Behind It
If you need the “why” before you’ll try it, here’s the short version:
- Playing an instrument engages multiple areas of your brain at once. This forces your attention into the present and crowds out the background noise of your thoughts.
- Making music (even badly!) releases dopamine—the same “feel good” chemical you get from scrolling. The difference is that scientific studies have shown that when you make music It’s more gradual and sustained, often leaving you with an afterglow rather than a crash.
- Using your hands in a tactile way (like fretting chords) activates neural pathways that are dormant during passive screen time.
In other words, you’re literally recharging your brain instead of draining it.
The Bigger Picture
I’m not saying guitar solves everything.
It won’t magically erase your stress or make your boss less annoying.
But it’s one of the few things in this world that feeds you back.
Scrolling takes.
Binge-watching takes.
Most of our “downtime” activities take.
Playing guitar gives.
Even if you just play the same three chords over and over. You’re still doing something creative, something physical, something that builds instead of erodes.
Try This Tonight
Here’s your challenge:
- The next time you catch yourself about to scroll, stop.
- Set a timer for 10 minutes.
- Grab your guitar and just play—anything, everything, nothing in particular.
Don’t think about whether it’s productive. Don’t worry if you “should” be working on something specific. Just enjoy it.
If you do this for even a few days, you’ll start to notice:
- You feel calmer after playing
- You’re more motivated to pick up the guitar again tomorrow.
- You start remembering little riffs and chord shapes without trying.
- You’re less tempted to grab your phone for “filler” time.
It’s a small shift, but small shifts add up.
From Ten Minutes to Something Bigger
What usually happens is this: you start with “just 10 minutes,” and before you know it, you’ve been playing for half an hour—and it didn’t feel forced. That’s the beauty of starting small.
Eventually, those quick 10-minute breaks become part of your day. Your guitar stops gathering dust. You start improving without even noticing. And one day, you realize you’ve replaced an energy-draining habit with an energy-giving one.
Final Thought
If you’ve been feeling stuck in the scroll, maybe it’s time to pick something that gives you energy instead of taking it.
And maybe—just maybe—that something has six strings, a wooden body, and a way of reminding you that you’re capable of creating something real.
So next time your brain says, “Let’s check Instagram,” try saying, “Nah… let’s see what the guitar has to say instead.”
You might be surprised at how much better you feel.
About The Author
Brian Fish is a professional guitarist who has been dedicated to helping other guitar players in Northeast Ohio pursue their musical dreams since 1994. He’s passionate about guiding others on their musical journey! He is the Guitar Playing Transformation Specialist, instructor, mentor, trainer, and coach at
Guitar Lessons Geauga.
Brian has also assisted people from around the globe in developing a solid sense of timing and enhancing their creativity through the fantastic rhythm course, “Ultimate Rhythm Mastery,” available at MusicTheoryForGuitar.com.
If you live in Geauga County / North East Ohio, Guitar Lessons Geauga can help you become the player you’ve always wanted to be.
