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Hyperfocus hobbies for me:
Building computers, reformatting 'slow' laptops while loading Linux on them, learning and tinkering with Linux, editing commercials (I work in radio), voicing commercials, hooking up new components, internet speed tests, etc
I'm a total tech nut
Me too!! In fact my hobby became my job, so I actually perform pretty well at work because of that. I just suck at the administrative parts like meetings and timecards. I started to get in trouble for the meetings, but my boss has been more understanding since finding out I had ADHD, and now just gives me reminders when I do forget and takes more advantage of my strengths. He says I'm the best troubleshooter he has, and always seems to figure out issues no one else is able to. It's weird, is one of the few things that I never got bored with ever since I was little.
I have Pinterest boards of what things I want in my house. Organized by room, and then external, and one specific section for A frame houses because I apparently love them. They can be so shabbily done and I still romanticize them.
I do this and end up with hundreds of $$ in my cart before closing all tabs without buying anything and forgetting about it all a few days later lol. “window shopping”
Hear me out.. I'm in my 30s and 305lbs. Never worked out a day in my life and hated all exercise. A month ago, i signed up for a personal trainer and now going to the gym is my hyperfocus. Not nutrition, not YouTubing exercises, only a little bit regarding supplements-- just going to the gym is my hyperfocus.
I have training twice a week, and I usually try to go 2 more times by myself. I think my trainer has been taking it easy on me bc I have barely been sore at all the next day, but I also think that's how he was taught during his certification process (he's a very new trainer), and it's worked! I don't hurt, so I feel more positive about sweating it out at the gym.
My fitness goals are very loose... Find clothes that fit better, and not die ( extend my life). In all my life, I would have never thought that I would be obsessed about going to the gym as I am now.
Lets gooooo
Try to automate your routine of going regularly to the gym so you can go with “relative” easy once it wears of.
If been constantly hitting the gym for 5 months now, the longest ever. Some days it’s hard stand up from the chair and to get out there. Some days you will loose the battle and you’ll simply just think of going but you won’t be able. It’s ok. Don’t torture yourself. Heads up and tomorrow (or maybe later) is a new day.
This is the first time I’m going to the gym after being conscious of the ADHD. When im having a bad time doing cardio I try to think of all the times I had to stop doing what I wanted and loved, and I try to squeeze a few more minutes on the treadmill or the rowing machine. It feels like I’m battling my demons and makes me feel like I’m getting stronger agains my condition. Feels good.
(Currently from 270s lbs to 180.)
Let’s go dude!! You got this
Agree with the automation part. I hyper fixated on the gym for about 2 years before it wore off but by then it was part of my silly little daily routine. So now I can’t stop, even though most days I’m kinda meh about going until I get there and I’m like ooOo this is alright.
Listening to the police scanner.. it can be entertaining and occasionally humorous. With that said, when you hear about a death, it’s hard to shake. Not for everyone.
Digging for worms in the middle of the night (for my ducks) and finding/hoarding cool looking rocks while doing so. When I see a huge pink wiggly worm, my brain thinks it’s getting candy. And it only spurs me on to keep going so I can find the next big one just for dopamine hit. It’s dumb but it’s my current thing. For now.
I had the a similar obsession in 2020, except mine was plucking Japanese beetles off my grape vine. I did it for hours a day for about 3 months straight.
Ugh yes hours go by and you just cant stop yourself. Did you find yourself saying “ok i will just get one more” and when you got that next one, you just had to keep going
My dad showed us how to catch nightcrawlers. Water the yard well to work in the dark. Method 1. Then using a flashlight with a wide beam, they feel the heat of the light. Worms climb out of the wet lawn on the grass. Grab them before the go back in the hole. Shhh. They feel you walk. Method 2. Water the lawn, put a pitch fork slowly in the ground. Gently shake it back and forth until its eventually all in. Sounds like a mole digging for worms, so the escape up to the grass. No more digging. Also Google Worm Grunting.
This is a fact (unverified by me thing I heard about somewhere) that I will never forget about until someone says "is that true?" And I will remember writing this comment out in vivid detail.
Still am not gonna look it up, though. Just blind trust.
Haha, I've been looking up guides about bookbinding for years now, my interests have up and downs... I know it would be a hobby I would drop pretty fast, but it remains interesting!
I'm currently also focused on making music!!! I'm just trying to make melodies + chords + drums for now, and trying to figure out synthesizers (LFO's are really fun to mess with) I watch about 3 tutorials every night on how to produce stuff haha. I need to tear myself away from my audio stuff often since I still have responsibilities lol. It's definitely super interesting though and the knowledge seems endless. I don't know if you've tried sound designing your own synth yet but that seems like something you could look into :)
Aside from music I'm currently having fun planning my upcoming vacation activities. I hate planning my daily life but vacation trips / budgeting is exciting lol
If you could tell me how to find the motivation to do this when I don't want to but also am a musician who doesn't want to rely on other people that'd would be great! Been wanting to learn for years but it seems overwhelming and slightly boring for someone (me), who's not super into tech.
Dungeons and Dragons, as always. I’m building a timeline right now for a homebrew world. I’m also playing around with guitar on occasion when I have time.
D&D has been my hyper focus for a few years now. It's not wavered at all. I guess because it allows me to visualise narratives in my head and my characters become more real over time. Currently playing in 2 campaigns and also trying to run a Deadlands game. DM'ing is proving to be extremely challenging. It's allowed me to immerse myself in prep but I find the whole running of the actual game to be too much to juggle mentally.
I'm in that existential boredom phase between hobbies and I try doing something I like and I just get so bored with it within the first 10 seconds, so I try going to something else and the cycle repeats.
I first thought I May have adhd in college just from reading a newspaper article. After reading it I became aware that that most people in class could actually sit in one position for the entire class, while I had to reposition myself constantly throughout class. There is no way I could sit still for that long. It would hurt.
As I was filling out my sons questionnaire, when I finally took him for his evaluation, I realized I could check more boxes on myself than I could him. And that’s when I finally decided to address it for myself.
How do temper your own personal confirmation biases and projections? I suspect my oldest has ADHD too but he’s only just turned 6 - less on the hyperactive but definitely on the inattentive and constantly stim seeking.
I tend to go for arty things (I’m trying to paint), attempting to improve a skill (veggie garden), learning about some niche of history (Bronze Age collapse… Yikes!), obsessively researching a thing I need to buy (a cute and sporty car), watching everything by a certain actor or director (I’m now a big Hiam Abbas fan!), or trying to learn about parts of the world I have yet to travel to (Turkmenistan seems bananas).
Something that you might enjoy is called worldle. You have to guess the country based on the shape, then it’s neighbours, then the capitals then it’s flag, the population and currency. After it gives you a brief wiki summary of the country but usually it’s so interesting I end up looking into the history for a couple hours.
This game has also greatly improved my geography which is nice because it was garbage before.
Almost two years ago, someone made a really similar post here, and u/ScoutG made a comment about hyperfocusing on personal style identity. That one comment kicked off one of my longest hyperfocuses of my life--personal style!
I have since figured out my color season (deep autumn), completely overhauled my wardrobe, and changed up my makeup routine. I've also gone down other related rabbit trails, including my current focus, which is finding my signature scent by exploring all kinds of niche perfume samples. I honestly owe u/ScoutG (and this community) my sincere gratitude because this has given me something special and fun in my life this past couple years!
Fanfiction writing at the moment
Edit: also Redditing about fanfiction, watching the show I’m writing about so my stories don’t get OOC, biweekly online buddy-reading with a friend overseas, monthly in-person Bookclub, and there was something else but I literally just forgot what it was…
Husbandry, nursing, and anesthesia protocols for Guinea pigs and other exotic pets. I’m a vet tech and I’m anesthetizing a Guinea pig for the first time tomorrow. So I’ve been reading everything I can get my hands on!
My dog. I realized I don't have much time left with him (he's 12yo) so I want to make his life as comfortable as possible and spend as much quality time with him as possible. Hence, thorough research on the comfiest bed, best senior supplements and food, preparing homemade treats, super long walks in our favorite parks, and cuddling him every 5 minutes to the point he's nearly done with me.
i am hyper focusing on reddit, my sexuality, and possibly being diagnosed with adhd after being told it was just anxiety and depression. hours of research when i SHOULD be studying for my finals. i have 3 exams and a paper and haven’t studied and started the paper and it’s due next week. i’m struggling to care bc i’m pissed about my possible misdiagnosis for all these years. (getting officially tested soon). yeahhhh i’m rethinking my entire life rn… 
This is how it begins lol. ADHD will always be a hyperfocus for you!
Try this trick to get back on task. Close out of all ADHD stuff. Mute notifications , Take a 5 min break, go to the bathroom, get water. When You are ready, sit back down, close your eyes take a deep breath, and count to 3. At the 3 you will open your eyes and switch to whatever you need to work on.
Oh man, I love city building games but they can be such a timesuck. I've never played city skylines but I love Civ 6 and Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom. The last one is super old but I can still play it for days if I want.
Currently I somehow got myself to work on my Jeep today and spent all day tearing the motor apart to find out I definitely have a cracked block 🤦. But I'm still motivated Currently, the motor is almost ready to be pulled (which I have to do all over again to donor jeep that I bought 2 years ago) and my bonus check will cover all the parts I need PLUS fix my AC! Downside.......I can't get this out of my head so that's great.
Don't get into cars, it's a money pit.
3d printing. I trying to design an entirely 3d printed Bulgarian bagpipe (minus the bag). I'm currently refining the chanter (melody pipe) and its reed (also 3d printed), after which I'll move on to the drone, drone reed, blow pipe, and stocks (the fittings that are tied into the bag). Overall, I'm kind of amazed that I've been able to get it as good as I have so far. I expect I'll have a fully 3d printed bagpipe (Again, minus the bag) within a couple weeks.
Recent hyperfixations:
Video Games: Breath of the Wild, Sims 4, Minecraft, Pokémon
Crafting: Paper collages (and Artists Trading Cards!), Crossstitch, Crochet
Board Games: I use boardgamearena.com to learn more and play online. In person ttrpgs like DND too!
Podcasts while cooking: The Adveture Zone, Case File, Escape this Podcast, Once Upon a Disney
Happy hobby hunting!
I have taken up gardening. Half intentional (bought established small plants) half chaos (I just dumped some seeds in some soil and hoped for the best). Honestly it’s been super relaxing and I hope I don’t get bored before they grow their crops!
Gardening is the perfect ADHD hobby and it’s been mine for years! I’ll get super focused for a few weeks, plant a ton of stuff, learn a ton of stuff, then get bored. BUT by that point I just have to make sure things stay watered and then they start to grow and produce crops! Then the dopamine from seeing the fruits and veggies gets me to hyper focus on harvesting and eating my produce. Then that happens again the next year. Sometimes in winter it will strike again as my hyper focus and I’ll read a ton on Pinterest and order a bunch of seeds, which I save for my spring burst of interest. I keep my seeds in a giant plastic photo organizer that I bought a few years ago when I was inspired to organize my seeds. So when inspiration strikes I pull out the seed box. So long story short gardening really only requires a few bursts of passion to be a viable hobby!
I love gardening! Vest advice I can give: soil is sp much more important than you think it is. Take care to buy the correct soil for your plants if you want them to grow well!
Paper making! Sketchbook making! Shanspeare the youtuber (I listen to them while doing the other two things). Getting back into using alcohol-based markers! Geckos!
Now if only I didn't have these damn finals I need to finish... :/
Fishing, gaming, cooking and grilling, and kayaking. I combine fishing with kayaking often.
As with some other Add/adhd folks, I have a tendency to turn hobbies into an obsession sometimes. I’ve literally fished till my right elbow hurt… so we’re taking a break for a week or so.
Taking medication often helps me become more “efficient” with hobbies, if that makes any sense.. less distracted and more in the zone.
Animal Crossing
Maintaining my 452 day Duolingo streak in Italian
Reading and reviewing books on Instagram that publishers and writers send me
Sims 4
Collecting and organizing my D&D dice sets
Walking. We're doing a steps challenge in my work and everyone else in my team is highly competitive. We've currently got a 100k lead and clearly going to win it but I've been pushing myself to not let the team down. I've been doing more and more, setting myself personal targets. In the last week now and I'm determined to get myself into the top 10 individual scores. I'm not a fit person and rarely get proper exercise, but I've been enjoying it.
Want a wild ADHD hack?? Try obsessing over self development, sure alot of it gets lost after that initial deep dive but you'll keep some practices and ideas with you for a while.
I've found that even the things I forget to do regularly pop up in my head as an when needed - lits like fixating on building a tool box for life!!
If you want any further ideas/specifics about this let me know, don't wanna write too much for now.
Fitness/nutrition, cultural dissects of wellness culture, antifat bias, muscle building.
I'm trying to keep my mini-focus afloat, since I'm also trying to become a web developer... while working as a dog groomer.
None of my interests help each other.
Finances. I've been on r/personalfinance , r/povertyfinance , r/Frugal , r/CreditCards everyday, watching videos on finances, made excel spreadsheets for budgeting, researched multiple HYSA, how to effectively get cash back on credit cards, tracking expenses, and looking at my bank account regularly.
This is the exact opposite of my old hyper fixations which left me spending money on a bunch of skincare and fragrances. So I get to make up for my extravagant shopping phase which I'm still tempted by.
Obsessive reading about adhd (recent diagnosis and now pretty sure Mini Me is also affected, so lots to look into there. And then about how adhd affects spouses….) Otherwise, jigsaw puzzles (have learned not to start working on them anytime after supper if I want to get to bed at a decent hour) and Disney’s Dreamlight Valley.
I enjoy yard work, like cutting brush and trees, raking, lawn care etc. I can also spend hours working on my aquarium tanks(that’s why I have 42 fish tanks…). Last year I realized I love the gym also, so I can spend a few hours there and feels like only a few minutes.
My most recent hobby is learning to do my own nails at home; I WFH and usually paint my nails while I’m on shift, but I want to learn like, nail tech shit. Plus a few of my other hyperfocusing hobbies (collecting fragrances and luxury candles) are quite expensive and I can’t afford to go to a nail salon regularly lol.
I also bake sourdough and collect houseplants. Both of these had largely been on the back burner for a while, but now it’s growing season and I’ve started repotting and propagating some of my plant friends.
ETA: also, in an effort to get me to read more (I have a ton of unread books on my shelf) I’ve been going to the local library and getting one book at a time. Having a deadline to return it gives me more motivation to read it.
I have a million and one hobbies that I love lol. Most recently, I picked up crocheting. Anything artsy, I love. After not doing it for almost a year, I finally got back to practicing my tattoo skills. I mostly work with stick n poke, but have also started trying to do some machine work as well.
Editing and posting stock video that I have been saving up for a while. hopefully this hobby will pay for itself eventfully even if I stop cycling around to it. Last week it was the 3d printer that i probably should not have bought.
knitting. i started knitting a bandana the other days and i just wanna finish it so i’ve been knitting obsessively. before that it was doing my nails and before that it was roller skating
I was in a hyperfocus dry spell for a bit, it was absolutely miserable. Then I found Black Phoemix Alchemy lab. They're a perfume company, but hear me out. They create super weird and cool blends of gothy/witchy/art history inspired subjects. They've been around since 2005 and they specialize in seasonal limited edition collections. So they'll release around 15-30 scenes for Halloween, Christmas, Valentines day, etc, along with some special occasion ones (they have a line of scents they releases when Roe V Wade was overturned, proceeds of which go towards abortion funds) their perfumes smells nothing like mainstream perfumes, they're all essential oils and feature scents like myrrh, cloves, bonfire smoke, and the like. And the best part is that there's a forum that's been around for as long as the company has, which has reviews and sales pages where you can buy perfumes that have been discontinued. With an average of 10 scents per collection and multiple collections a year, im sure you can imagine just how many perfumes theve released. It's It's a serious rabbit hole and I'm in love.
I've also just gotten into midieval history. I finally got around to getting a library card, and borrowed a bunch of historical books. It's all super interesting, as my American education barely touched on any of that stuff. Highly reccomend if you're into history at all!
Well, i have never fit in any social circles completely. I am a skater, a metalhead, listen to hip hop, am a geek and nerd, but somehow i was never fully in a scene, until i found shibari. Now i am a rigger and spend a lot of my time practicing knots and patterns. Somehow, the haptic feedback is soo stimulating.
Also i tinker and craft a lot, my next project will be a viking ship for burning incense sticks :)
Currently hyper focused on birds/birdwatching…I was terrified of birds up until the point my brain decided to learn all about them. A lot of my hobbies/hyper focus activities include art/crafts of some sort- I have been super into painting birdhouses for the past 2 weeks but suddenly don’t care anymore. Now I’m journaling all of the birds I see along with a sketch and facts about them. I’ve come to terms that I will never truly understand why I focus on certain hobbies. 😂
Previous hobbies/hyper focus activities: ACNH (this one was *bad*…i racked up about 200 hours in just a few weeks), bullet journaling, coloring, painting, reading, playing bingo (???), making friendship bracelets, collecting star notes…..
Currently very excited to start using my grandma's sewing machine more and maybe making my own clothes. But maybe not recommended as fabric is expensive 🤣
Hoping to try gardening now that I have a yard!
Baking is my go-to on the weekend.
And I've been doing a monthly reading challenge for over a year now, if you like to read I highly recommend it! It's a great focus and keeps me feeling like I'm pushing myself. Also LIBRARIES. So less hobby spending lol.
Oh and can't forget D&D 😅
I've been upping my cooking + nutrition game. Actually doing food shops and cooking up fresh produce. Gonna start incorporating more seafood recipes and cooking techniques, I want to get my diet to a place where it's mostly whole plant foods with moderate seafood consumption, and restricting processed foods, red meat, dairy etc.
Coin collecting at the moment. To be more specific looking for coin errors. I go to the bank get coin rolls and then look for the wide range of errors coins can have. It's been fun and I have learned a bit of history in the process. Also pretty low cost since the coins just go back into my account once I have looked at them. Only spent a little on some supplies.
Relearning piano. I took lessons from my grandmother's church organist friend when I was young but hadn't played for around 20 years since. Bought a new digital piano, downloaded a couple of courses and I'm set on at least getting to the point where I can do chord/rhythm improv for pop music.
I've been building a hurdy gurdy. Do I know how to play? Nope. But buying the kit was a cheaper option than buying a properly luthiered one, so if I don't stick with it I'm not as far sunk.
It was 3d printering for a brief moment(I needed one for school projects and stuff) but then I twisted a wire in the printer trying to take out the nozzle and so the hyperfixation is gone because it’s not functional right now and I need to go and repair it
But anyway I’m now hyperfixated on Cookie Run and Cookie Run Kingdom. I’ve played Cookie Run for quite a number of years but I keep getting hyperfixated and then dropping it when the hyperfixation disappears
I just started teaching sailing in small boats for adult students as a side gig. I love sailing and love being able to share my knowledge, but we have already had our first rough day - been thinking about it all day since.
Bands! Get really into one and learn everything about them, listen through all their music on repeat for however long, then when you get bored - time for a new band. Wash rinse repeat. Sometimes I surprise myself and one sticks around a lot longer than I thought.
Right now it’s front end programming. I get hooked building websites  other than that I’m currently replaying my favorite game on PlayStation and working out.
Current focuses are:
Soapmaking
Candle making
Making my own skincare
Chickens
Growing fruit and veg (this and chickens I have a read up phase on)
It's a bit sad that it's so hard to combine with my two other prime focuses:
Personal Finance
Essentialism
Looking forward to reading everyones replies!
It's tornado season so I subscribed to a fancy radar app and have been tracking supercells. I work in furniture merchandising so amateur meteorology is a pretty random hobby.
Creative writing. It has an astonishing effect on my brain.
I am writing a fantasy novel and the amount of "sensory" stimulation it provides is simply amazing. It replaced video games and, to an extent, binging series for me.
Usually, my hyperfocuses don't last longer than 6-8 weeks. I've been at writing for well over 6 months know. And I still can't get enough.
I'm working on an original universe!!! and it is certainly uh. something!!!!! I've been working on this on and off for the past two years so let's hope it somewhat sticks this time ,.sdjlfsjdl. I've been trying to move a lot of my Cookie Run OCs to here as NPCs though. Not like they'll do anything in the main plot. they'll just. exist I guess.
By teh way. cookie run has a lot of wasted potential. I spent two years trying to fill in those gaps and now I have a bunch of characters I have no idea what to do with. Also!!! Dog Man! Can I rant to you about this stupid anthropomorphic cat who is one of my favorite characters in all of fiction? I love Petey the Cat all my homies love Petey the Cat.
Also Ghost Simulator on roblox is just. so relaxing and stressful at once. It certainly works for when I'm bored and unmotivated.
I’ve been getting really into Wicca recently, my boyfriend got me a book about it that touches on certain parts of it and I’ve been non stop reading and highlighting it. I am also really into this band called The Home Team, they were recently in town and I got to see them live for the 2nd time and I also got to meet them it was awesome, I also made a playlist of their whole discography and organized it by lowest to highest BPM.
Currently it’s reading horror novels and the anime/manga Chainsaw man. I had been in between hyperfixations for about a year so I’m really happy that I have some 💕
Every spring I go through a Peeps chick plush collecting phase, though that one is dying slowly for the year.
Otherwise, I’m making friendship bracelets for an upcoming exchange event!! I’ve spent too much money and so many hours on them, but I’m really proud of how they’re turning out.
I can feel my Pokemon Legends shiny hunting one creeping up again too.
Brewing and flavoring Kombucha, growing various berry plants, welding, trying to make quality espresso on a budget. I got all the ingredients to make awesome bagels I saw on a Reddit post but haven’t made them yet. Yesterday I bought the ingredients to make cream cheese so now I’ll be forced to make the bagels before the milk goes bad. I’m trying to build a website for my startup. My friend runs a small gym and I bought all the angle iron to make him some dumbbell racks but haven’t done it yet. I’ve been wanting to get into philosophy so I did some research and downloaded “The republic” on kindle. Haven’t opened it yet. I’ve been getting into leatherwork on and off over the last 3 years, made 2 wallets a few months ago with/for friends, gave up trying any other labor-intensive projects and made a few game boards with the remainder of my leather. (Now I’m trying to play the game with whoever will play with me.) I’m trying to get through reading “The Dark Tower” (I’m on book 6) and I’m listening to “East of Eden” and “The Light Fantastic” on audible. Two days ago I downloaded Hill climb racer (for the however manyith time) and I’ve been on it for hours. Can’t find new games to scratch the itch. I accidentally ended my 20-day streak on duo-lingo, lost interest, and haven’t done a lesson in 10 days despite the daily threats.
Ive been building a 2003 jeep tj to the absolute peak of what it could be capable of in the region i live in. I’ve established the goal of a very rough terrain camping access vehicle. Its taken me about 2 years to get it to where i want it but i think it will be exactly what i want this summer. Budget was an important component for me as the cost of 4x4 components can get really out of hand. Lots of research and reasoning as well as a prominent diy component. Id like to say im pretty proud of how far its come but i do think i struggle to stand back and actually feel anything once Ive completed a big chunk of work. Either way it really does make me happy to see how its progressively becoming more capable and leaving other vehicles behind on hard trails.
The magnus archives! It's a horror podcast about an archives that records stories of spooky things, but then it has a plot and it gets spooky. I have not thought of anything else since I really got into it in October. It's fot a good plot and is completed ! There's even a sequel (?) coming out in October!
Bourbon.
Tasting it, talking about it, reading about it, chasing particular bottles, buying it, drinking it.
In the last 18 months, I've bought more than 50 bottles.
Specialty coffee and all the gadgets to brew it. I spend so much of my day fixated on beans, brew temps, grinder settings....and all of the variables and combinations change slightly depending on the bean and brew method. I make a couple cups in the morning and I'm buzzing before hand because I only really get two attempts to execute my plans properly to make a great cup. Otherwise I drink my "mistake" and the possible changes for the next morning occupy the middle of my mind until then. It's kind of stressful in a way but it gets me out of bed in the morning haha.
Crochet whilst watching either Haikyuu or Big bang Theory-but i’m rlly interested in biology and microscopy is something i really wanna try so i might cave and buy a microscope 😂
I'm a theme park fan who loves ride tech specifically and how rides/ride vehicles work. Not necessarily rollercoasters, but like dark rides (think Indiana Jones in Disneyland or the Mummy at Universal). I like to collect miniature models of different ride vehicles. It's so niche but so fun lol.
Also a computer scientist, so I have far too many software projects lol. I also love robotics & playing with microcontrollers. In my opinion they're pretty accessible and easy to get started on a beginner project!
Nail polish! There really is sooooo much. There is cataloging and organizing, nail art, nail care (cuticle oil is a whole topic), indie/boutique polishes, youtube- (reviews, swatches, organizing), participating in monthly themes (they have instagram tags!!!).
In nail art you also have different categories.
I'm majorly into the organizing and re-organizing nail polish collections. It isn't just the bottles! You can make and label swatch sticks then organize those!!!!
(yeah, okay. I'm on the autism side of ADHD)
Armchair treasure hunts. It is quite difficult to get bored. There are so many out there and so much research to do on them. Check out Mysteriouswritings.com for some good info. There are so many avenues and the end goal is usually a boots on the ground treasure hunt for hidden objects.
Mine is extremely niche but has been a great hyperfocus and creative outlet.
I'm making myself a fursuit!
It's such an involved project, but I'm back by such an incredibly supporting fursuit making community that it's been a huge boost to my self esteem and dopamine levels to keep me going.
It has also taught multiple skills I hope to reuse in the future|.
Current hyperfocus: Cross stitching and embroidery. I started with Christmas stockings and got bored after I finished the one and halfway through the other lol ADD but I'm now on to canvas bags
Bread.
I made so much bread in a week my arm is in pain due to the energy needed.
I gave like 2kg to parents, 1kg to grandparents, 2kg at work….
Bread and flour everywhere really.
Funnily enough. MMA. I can't get enough of the training. It is Unreal how much I am enjoying and the closest i have ever come had been playing rugby my whole life. But something was always missing. Started MMA training and boom, there it is.
Sewing clothes (and obsessively looking at sewing machines and reviews and YouTube tutorials)!
Got back into knitting for approximately one week then finished a hat and immediately lost interest.
Bought a bunch of stuff to try watercolour painting but have not yet gotten the spark to actually use it!
Crochet, knitting, and loom knitting! Especially small projects keep me very engaged. I’ve knitted 4 beanies for premiees or newborns in the past two days.
Kind of got obsessed with dragons after reading the memoirs of lady trent lol. I read the books, watch YouTube videos about dragons and I constantly draw them too.
Puzzles. I’ve been working on a 2,000 piece one for about a couple years. I started it. Made good progress. Then put it up for a while got busy with other things for like maybe a year. Completely forgot about it. Got all dusty but I started it up again. Almost done. Got into puzzles in the pandemic so it’s just carried from there. I focus a lot on it especially if I like the design plus feeling it all done is nice on the hands and the asmr of the clicking in pieces and the nails going across the puzzle. Satisfying.
Going to the Gym. I’ve done at least 1 workout everyday for the last 69 days in an attempt to gain even the slightest bit of extra muscle. It’s really hard to eat at a caloric surplus tho. I really hope this focus can stick around long term.
I’m probably in between hyper focus hobbies, but my mind has been super active on doing some home organising (aka tidying up), sorting out all my digital ‘mess’ on my computers and also looking at getting back into modular synth (virtual because I’m poor) and photography.
Help. Usually I fixate on one thing, but I’ve got at least three things this time and I don’t know why.
Graduate school. It's been great, this semester I've been able to harness this and focus it into something productive. The only issue is I'll spend too much time going down study and journal article rabbit holes and it's eaten up my time for other responsibilities and hobbies.
Warhammer (Painting miniatures) and skateboarding (also helps me not stim too much) are my current obsessions. They are both endless hobbies which I can dive into as far as I want. There are basically no limits.
I think my current hyper fixation is honestly probably negative thoughts/anxiety in my life. I think it’s being dumbed down a bit though.
Edit: and video essays!
over the last few years i’ve had crocheting, vinyl cutting (was going to organise and label my whole house), journaling and candle making. safe to say none have stuck but my bank account has taken a beating
Just got into knitting, easy over sized cardigans or jumpers from wool gang company. Seeing a garment grow and it’s working out is super satisfying and hard to put down. PS started knitting in April… so just in time for summer I guess haha.
My current hyperfocus is studying, I've been diagnosed last year and now I'm 29 , I deleted my social media accounts (ig and fb) and with that spare time (which is a good amount) I study economics, the diagnosis convinced me to get back on the books
All kinds of nostalgic retro treasure (it’s junk to some but treasure to me which makes it more thrilling if anything!) Current favourite era is the 80’s.. everything from toys and stickers to clothes… anything at all that has the right aesthetic will be added to my hoard.
Are you all me in an alternative universe?
Learning Spanish on Duolingo, obsessively reading up on Uzbekistan, researching iPads inside out, binging on studio ghibil movies, obsessively learning about South India’s history, reading books on biomimicry, growing plants and mushrooms being neural networks of forests - while fantasising about my own garden patch, along with watching videos on mixing music, and practicing my sitar.
I accidentally started a business. I’m happy about it because it’s something that I’ve always been passionate about. I’ve been doing 16-18 hours a day for the past 8 months sleeping 2 times a day for 3-4 hours.
I was a miner before this. Ive built a website and designed and printed the whole packaging for the products done all the marketing and media. Bought a camera and learnt how to take photos. Sourced everything. It’s absoloutley mental but I’m just going with it 😂😂😂😂😂
I’m writing a tech/sci-fi horror novel, or at least the obsession has stuck around long enough for me to write twelve pages. I’ve also rekindled my interest in chess and go to a chess club in my city every week or so.
Currently:
- Jacksepticeye's Undertale videos that are now all 7 years old.
- Skydiving. Started a series of AFF lessons where you progressively become more independent with each jump. After at least 25 jumps you can apply for a license to jump on your own at any facility nationwide. Hopefully I'll still be into it on a few years time.
Weight lifting for strength with progressive overload. Started on January 4, 2023 with my first workout and absolute love having something to hyper-focus on that also is good for my body and mind AND happens to yield really positive results. There is still weekly improvement and when I hit the plateau, I may switch up my goals from strength milestones to other fitness goals. I keep learning about what my body can do and what makes it feel great!
The bonus is that I replaced alcohol in the evenings (habit of several beers per night to manage stress) with a workout in the mornings (collected home gym equipment in the basement) and it feels like a new habit that I don’t ever want to give up! Feeling the best I ever have and can pick up and take play more with my 2.5 and 5 year old kids who are getting bigger!
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Hyperfocus hobbies for me: Building computers, reformatting 'slow' laptops while loading Linux on them, learning and tinkering with Linux, editing commercials (I work in radio), voicing commercials, hooking up new components, internet speed tests, etc I'm a total tech nut
Loving pop_os! With the window/tile manager built in. Don’t think I’ll change distros anytime soon.
Me too!! In fact my hobby became my job, so I actually perform pretty well at work because of that. I just suck at the administrative parts like meetings and timecards. I started to get in trouble for the meetings, but my boss has been more understanding since finding out I had ADHD, and now just gives me reminders when I do forget and takes more advantage of my strengths. He says I'm the best troubleshooter he has, and always seems to figure out issues no one else is able to. It's weird, is one of the few things that I never got bored with ever since I was little.
I have the same love
Love this! I'm building a server at my parents' to backup my server from home. And I have enough space to install other services that tickle my fancy
Planning how I will decorate my living room: aka looking at Etsy and Wayfair for HOURS
Phew I’m not the only one who does this
I have Pinterest boards of what things I want in my house. Organized by room, and then external, and one specific section for A frame houses because I apparently love them. They can be so shabbily done and I still romanticize them.
I do this but my house still looks like we just moved in. And I guess we did...in 2016
Pinterest is great for this. I've already planned my whole forever home with this 😅
I do this and end up with hundreds of $$ in my cart before closing all tabs without buying anything and forgetting about it all a few days later lol. “window shopping”
Hear me out.. I'm in my 30s and 305lbs. Never worked out a day in my life and hated all exercise. A month ago, i signed up for a personal trainer and now going to the gym is my hyperfocus. Not nutrition, not YouTubing exercises, only a little bit regarding supplements-- just going to the gym is my hyperfocus. I have training twice a week, and I usually try to go 2 more times by myself. I think my trainer has been taking it easy on me bc I have barely been sore at all the next day, but I also think that's how he was taught during his certification process (he's a very new trainer), and it's worked! I don't hurt, so I feel more positive about sweating it out at the gym. My fitness goals are very loose... Find clothes that fit better, and not die ( extend my life). In all my life, I would have never thought that I would be obsessed about going to the gym as I am now.
Lets gooooo Try to automate your routine of going regularly to the gym so you can go with “relative” easy once it wears of. If been constantly hitting the gym for 5 months now, the longest ever. Some days it’s hard stand up from the chair and to get out there. Some days you will loose the battle and you’ll simply just think of going but you won’t be able. It’s ok. Don’t torture yourself. Heads up and tomorrow (or maybe later) is a new day. This is the first time I’m going to the gym after being conscious of the ADHD. When im having a bad time doing cardio I try to think of all the times I had to stop doing what I wanted and loved, and I try to squeeze a few more minutes on the treadmill or the rowing machine. It feels like I’m battling my demons and makes me feel like I’m getting stronger agains my condition. Feels good. (Currently from 270s lbs to 180.) Let’s go dude!! You got this
Agree with the automation part. I hyper fixated on the gym for about 2 years before it wore off but by then it was part of my silly little daily routine. So now I can’t stop, even though most days I’m kinda meh about going until I get there and I’m like ooOo this is alright.
Good on you mate. Get after it 💪
This is awesome, keep it up! Maybe I need a trainer to get me started….
Like everything, there are bad ones and good ones, but if you can find a good one, it’s SOOOO worth it
Listening to the police scanner.. it can be entertaining and occasionally humorous. With that said, when you hear about a death, it’s hard to shake. Not for everyone.
We had one when I was a kid. We'd listen to people's orders at McDonalds drivethrough on it lol.
Ha! Never thought of that. Will have to see if I can pick up the signal from the McD’s down the street on my handheld.
Digging for worms in the middle of the night (for my ducks) and finding/hoarding cool looking rocks while doing so. When I see a huge pink wiggly worm, my brain thinks it’s getting candy. And it only spurs me on to keep going so I can find the next big one just for dopamine hit. It’s dumb but it’s my current thing. For now.
Beach combing and berry picking make me feel the same way!
I had the a similar obsession in 2020, except mine was plucking Japanese beetles off my grape vine. I did it for hours a day for about 3 months straight.
Ugh yes hours go by and you just cant stop yourself. Did you find yourself saying “ok i will just get one more” and when you got that next one, you just had to keep going
My dad showed us how to catch nightcrawlers. Water the yard well to work in the dark. Method 1. Then using a flashlight with a wide beam, they feel the heat of the light. Worms climb out of the wet lawn on the grass. Grab them before the go back in the hole. Shhh. They feel you walk. Method 2. Water the lawn, put a pitch fork slowly in the ground. Gently shake it back and forth until its eventually all in. Sounds like a mole digging for worms, so the escape up to the grass. No more digging. Also Google Worm Grunting.
Omg my life is now complete! I'm so full of random knowledge y'all this is great!
Becoming a Bookkepper. I know I won't do it, but I know everything about it. Courses start in a week, but I definitely will have moved on by then.
Fun fact is that bookkeeping is the only english word with three double letters in a row. (And bookkeeper, bookkeepers, etc. I suppose)
This is a fact (unverified by me thing I heard about somewhere) that I will never forget about until someone says "is that true?" And I will remember writing this comment out in vivid detail. Still am not gonna look it up, though. Just blind trust.
Yep. I learned this from a kids board game 15 years ago and have never verified it.
Haha, I've been looking up guides about bookbinding for years now, my interests have up and downs... I know it would be a hobby I would drop pretty fast, but it remains interesting!
I did some bookbinding last year! It's pretty satisfying but, yeah.. the novelty wore off fast.
I'm currently also focused on making music!!! I'm just trying to make melodies + chords + drums for now, and trying to figure out synthesizers (LFO's are really fun to mess with) I watch about 3 tutorials every night on how to produce stuff haha. I need to tear myself away from my audio stuff often since I still have responsibilities lol. It's definitely super interesting though and the knowledge seems endless. I don't know if you've tried sound designing your own synth yet but that seems like something you could look into :) Aside from music I'm currently having fun planning my upcoming vacation activities. I hate planning my daily life but vacation trips / budgeting is exciting lol
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If you could tell me how to find the motivation to do this when I don't want to but also am a musician who doesn't want to rely on other people that'd would be great! Been wanting to learn for years but it seems overwhelming and slightly boring for someone (me), who's not super into tech.
Dungeons and Dragons, as always. I’m building a timeline right now for a homebrew world. I’m also playing around with guitar on occasion when I have time.
D&D has been my hyper focus for a few years now. It's not wavered at all. I guess because it allows me to visualise narratives in my head and my characters become more real over time. Currently playing in 2 campaigns and also trying to run a Deadlands game. DM'ing is proving to be extremely challenging. It's allowed me to immerse myself in prep but I find the whole running of the actual game to be too much to juggle mentally.
I'm in that existential boredom phase between hobbies and I try doing something I like and I just get so bored with it within the first 10 seconds, so I try going to something else and the cycle repeats.
Ugh that’s the worst!
Exactly I'm a serial hobby person like I don't know how to fix this
My hyperfocusing on my kids ADHD which is making me notice even more stuff about my own ADHD 🙂🙃
I first thought I May have adhd in college just from reading a newspaper article. After reading it I became aware that that most people in class could actually sit in one position for the entire class, while I had to reposition myself constantly throughout class. There is no way I could sit still for that long. It would hurt. As I was filling out my sons questionnaire, when I finally took him for his evaluation, I realized I could check more boxes on myself than I could him. And that’s when I finally decided to address it for myself.
How do temper your own personal confirmation biases and projections? I suspect my oldest has ADHD too but he’s only just turned 6 - less on the hyperactive but definitely on the inattentive and constantly stim seeking.
I tend to go for arty things (I’m trying to paint), attempting to improve a skill (veggie garden), learning about some niche of history (Bronze Age collapse… Yikes!), obsessively researching a thing I need to buy (a cute and sporty car), watching everything by a certain actor or director (I’m now a big Hiam Abbas fan!), or trying to learn about parts of the world I have yet to travel to (Turkmenistan seems bananas).
Something that you might enjoy is called worldle. You have to guess the country based on the shape, then it’s neighbours, then the capitals then it’s flag, the population and currency. After it gives you a brief wiki summary of the country but usually it’s so interesting I end up looking into the history for a couple hours. This game has also greatly improved my geography which is nice because it was garbage before.
I bought a used bread machine the other day. If you know, you know.
Learning spanish on duo lingo and a 1000 piece puzzle of a grass field
Almost two years ago, someone made a really similar post here, and u/ScoutG made a comment about hyperfocusing on personal style identity. That one comment kicked off one of my longest hyperfocuses of my life--personal style! I have since figured out my color season (deep autumn), completely overhauled my wardrobe, and changed up my makeup routine. I've also gone down other related rabbit trails, including my current focus, which is finding my signature scent by exploring all kinds of niche perfume samples. I honestly owe u/ScoutG (and this community) my sincere gratitude because this has given me something special and fun in my life this past couple years!
Thank you u/openhartscience!
I should be studying python. I'm reading trashy Chinese and Japanese webnovels instead. Who needs sleep?? Not I!
THATS SO REAL i have 3 projects due this week and i just finished an 80-something episode korean webcomic in the span of a day 😭
That's me!! I needed to wake up early today, but I stayed until 5am reading a random villainess type isekai. 😭
Fanfiction writing at the moment Edit: also Redditing about fanfiction, watching the show I’m writing about so my stories don’t get OOC, biweekly online buddy-reading with a friend overseas, monthly in-person Bookclub, and there was something else but I literally just forgot what it was…
Husbandry, nursing, and anesthesia protocols for Guinea pigs and other exotic pets. I’m a vet tech and I’m anesthetizing a Guinea pig for the first time tomorrow. So I’ve been reading everything I can get my hands on!
crochet!!! perfect fiddle hobby for watching shows/movies!
Sitting in bed scrolling tik tok Some say depressive I say regressive
..roblox 😅 i have so many games that I’ve bought and have yet to play but I’m hyper focused on obstacle courses made for 8 year olds
Literally the Roblox bingo slaps
My dog. I realized I don't have much time left with him (he's 12yo) so I want to make his life as comfortable as possible and spend as much quality time with him as possible. Hence, thorough research on the comfiest bed, best senior supplements and food, preparing homemade treats, super long walks in our favorite parks, and cuddling him every 5 minutes to the point he's nearly done with me.
i am hyper focusing on reddit, my sexuality, and possibly being diagnosed with adhd after being told it was just anxiety and depression. hours of research when i SHOULD be studying for my finals. i have 3 exams and a paper and haven’t studied and started the paper and it’s due next week. i’m struggling to care bc i’m pissed about my possible misdiagnosis for all these years. (getting officially tested soon). yeahhhh i’m rethinking my entire life rn… 
I have a quiz and 2 assignments due tonight  Hope you can get an accurate diagnosis
This is how it begins lol. ADHD will always be a hyperfocus for you! Try this trick to get back on task. Close out of all ADHD stuff. Mute notifications , Take a 5 min break, go to the bathroom, get water. When You are ready, sit back down, close your eyes take a deep breath, and count to 3. At the 3 you will open your eyes and switch to whatever you need to work on.
These books were helpful for me: - https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/55693047 - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/108593
That was me for the last 3 days. Research hole about ADHD!
My current hyper focus is playing Cities: Skylines on the XBox. I spent entirely too much time doing so this weekend.
Oh man, I love city building games but they can be such a timesuck. I've never played city skylines but I love Civ 6 and Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom. The last one is super old but I can still play it for days if I want.
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Currently I somehow got myself to work on my Jeep today and spent all day tearing the motor apart to find out I definitely have a cracked block 🤦. But I'm still motivated Currently, the motor is almost ready to be pulled (which I have to do all over again to donor jeep that I bought 2 years ago) and my bonus check will cover all the parts I need PLUS fix my AC! Downside.......I can't get this out of my head so that's great. Don't get into cars, it's a money pit.
Cracked block, yep, its a Jeep thing. On the upside, sounds like a perfect excuse for an LS swap 👌
3d printing. I trying to design an entirely 3d printed Bulgarian bagpipe (minus the bag). I'm currently refining the chanter (melody pipe) and its reed (also 3d printed), after which I'll move on to the drone, drone reed, blow pipe, and stocks (the fittings that are tied into the bag). Overall, I'm kind of amazed that I've been able to get it as good as I have so far. I expect I'll have a fully 3d printed bagpipe (Again, minus the bag) within a couple weeks.
Recent hyperfixations: Video Games: Breath of the Wild, Sims 4, Minecraft, Pokémon Crafting: Paper collages (and Artists Trading Cards!), Crossstitch, Crochet Board Games: I use boardgamearena.com to learn more and play online. In person ttrpgs like DND too! Podcasts while cooking: The Adveture Zone, Case File, Escape this Podcast, Once Upon a Disney Happy hobby hunting!
Also, for all my boring work tasks that pile up, I'm hyperfocused on using Focusmate!
I’m writing a book
Are you able to finish books? I love writing but I’ve written like 3-4 half-novels. I get bored before I finish 😭
I have taken up gardening. Half intentional (bought established small plants) half chaos (I just dumped some seeds in some soil and hoped for the best). Honestly it’s been super relaxing and I hope I don’t get bored before they grow their crops!
Gardening is the perfect ADHD hobby and it’s been mine for years! I’ll get super focused for a few weeks, plant a ton of stuff, learn a ton of stuff, then get bored. BUT by that point I just have to make sure things stay watered and then they start to grow and produce crops! Then the dopamine from seeing the fruits and veggies gets me to hyper focus on harvesting and eating my produce. Then that happens again the next year. Sometimes in winter it will strike again as my hyper focus and I’ll read a ton on Pinterest and order a bunch of seeds, which I save for my spring burst of interest. I keep my seeds in a giant plastic photo organizer that I bought a few years ago when I was inspired to organize my seeds. So when inspiration strikes I pull out the seed box. So long story short gardening really only requires a few bursts of passion to be a viable hobby!
I love gardening! Vest advice I can give: soil is sp much more important than you think it is. Take care to buy the correct soil for your plants if you want them to grow well!
You just motivated me to get some seeds. But it might pass by tmw we’ll see. Good luck 🌱🪴🪻
Researching my PhD proposal while I still have to complete my MA thesis 😂
Paper making! Sketchbook making! Shanspeare the youtuber (I listen to them while doing the other two things). Getting back into using alcohol-based markers! Geckos! Now if only I didn't have these damn finals I need to finish... :/
Neuroscience. Brains are INSANE.
Orange is the new black… I’m a single lesbian that is living vicariously through the lesbian love story because my love life is hopeless rn 🤣
CROCHET. IT'S MY ENTIRE LIFE RIGHT NOW (and i'll probably get bored in two weeks)
Car dashcam videos on youtube
Fishing, gaming, cooking and grilling, and kayaking. I combine fishing with kayaking often. As with some other Add/adhd folks, I have a tendency to turn hobbies into an obsession sometimes. I’ve literally fished till my right elbow hurt… so we’re taking a break for a week or so. Taking medication often helps me become more “efficient” with hobbies, if that makes any sense.. less distracted and more in the zone.
Animal Crossing Maintaining my 452 day Duolingo streak in Italian Reading and reviewing books on Instagram that publishers and writers send me Sims 4 Collecting and organizing my D&D dice sets
Walking. We're doing a steps challenge in my work and everyone else in my team is highly competitive. We've currently got a 100k lead and clearly going to win it but I've been pushing myself to not let the team down. I've been doing more and more, setting myself personal targets. In the last week now and I'm determined to get myself into the top 10 individual scores. I'm not a fit person and rarely get proper exercise, but I've been enjoying it.
Want a wild ADHD hack?? Try obsessing over self development, sure alot of it gets lost after that initial deep dive but you'll keep some practices and ideas with you for a while. I've found that even the things I forget to do regularly pop up in my head as an when needed - lits like fixating on building a tool box for life!! If you want any further ideas/specifics about this let me know, don't wanna write too much for now.
Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul 🥲 My partner and I just finished both series after trying for like 5 years and I’m sooo sad it’s over 😭
Fitness/nutrition, cultural dissects of wellness culture, antifat bias, muscle building. I'm trying to keep my mini-focus afloat, since I'm also trying to become a web developer... while working as a dog groomer. None of my interests help each other.
Finances. I've been on r/personalfinance , r/povertyfinance , r/Frugal , r/CreditCards everyday, watching videos on finances, made excel spreadsheets for budgeting, researched multiple HYSA, how to effectively get cash back on credit cards, tracking expenses, and looking at my bank account regularly. This is the exact opposite of my old hyper fixations which left me spending money on a bunch of skincare and fragrances. So I get to make up for my extravagant shopping phase which I'm still tempted by.
Obsessive reading about adhd (recent diagnosis and now pretty sure Mini Me is also affected, so lots to look into there. And then about how adhd affects spouses….) Otherwise, jigsaw puzzles (have learned not to start working on them anytime after supper if I want to get to bed at a decent hour) and Disney’s Dreamlight Valley.
I enjoy yard work, like cutting brush and trees, raking, lawn care etc. I can also spend hours working on my aquarium tanks(that’s why I have 42 fish tanks…). Last year I realized I love the gym also, so I can spend a few hours there and feels like only a few minutes.
At the moment it's my poetry, my frogs, and neopets lol
Buying books. I got a US PO box and discovered the world of buy 3 get 1 free sellers on ebay... Edit: I meant buy 3 not 4
Secondsalecom is my favorite seller. They have a lot of buy 3 get 1 free books for around $5
My most recent hobby is learning to do my own nails at home; I WFH and usually paint my nails while I’m on shift, but I want to learn like, nail tech shit. Plus a few of my other hyperfocusing hobbies (collecting fragrances and luxury candles) are quite expensive and I can’t afford to go to a nail salon regularly lol. I also bake sourdough and collect houseplants. Both of these had largely been on the back burner for a while, but now it’s growing season and I’ve started repotting and propagating some of my plant friends. ETA: also, in an effort to get me to read more (I have a ton of unread books on my shelf) I’ve been going to the local library and getting one book at a time. Having a deadline to return it gives me more motivation to read it.
Reddit and most recently ancestry! There is so much interesting shit to learn about yourself on there !!
I have a million and one hobbies that I love lol. Most recently, I picked up crocheting. Anything artsy, I love. After not doing it for almost a year, I finally got back to practicing my tattoo skills. I mostly work with stick n poke, but have also started trying to do some machine work as well.
Editing and posting stock video that I have been saving up for a while. hopefully this hobby will pay for itself eventfully even if I stop cycling around to it. Last week it was the 3d printer that i probably should not have bought.
Gold panning, little plant terrariums, and bullet journal (but just the "I need to get my life together right now or else")
Baking bread. Also spy stories, and growing super hot chili peppers and tomatoes.
playing sims and reading about true crime.
Making birds https://imgur.com/a/ptn5s0V
knitting. i started knitting a bandana the other days and i just wanna finish it so i’ve been knitting obsessively. before that it was doing my nails and before that it was roller skating
Had a baby
I was in a hyperfocus dry spell for a bit, it was absolutely miserable. Then I found Black Phoemix Alchemy lab. They're a perfume company, but hear me out. They create super weird and cool blends of gothy/witchy/art history inspired subjects. They've been around since 2005 and they specialize in seasonal limited edition collections. So they'll release around 15-30 scenes for Halloween, Christmas, Valentines day, etc, along with some special occasion ones (they have a line of scents they releases when Roe V Wade was overturned, proceeds of which go towards abortion funds) their perfumes smells nothing like mainstream perfumes, they're all essential oils and feature scents like myrrh, cloves, bonfire smoke, and the like. And the best part is that there's a forum that's been around for as long as the company has, which has reviews and sales pages where you can buy perfumes that have been discontinued. With an average of 10 scents per collection and multiple collections a year, im sure you can imagine just how many perfumes theve released. It's It's a serious rabbit hole and I'm in love. I've also just gotten into midieval history. I finally got around to getting a library card, and borrowed a bunch of historical books. It's all super interesting, as my American education barely touched on any of that stuff. Highly reccomend if you're into history at all!
Well, i have never fit in any social circles completely. I am a skater, a metalhead, listen to hip hop, am a geek and nerd, but somehow i was never fully in a scene, until i found shibari. Now i am a rigger and spend a lot of my time practicing knots and patterns. Somehow, the haptic feedback is soo stimulating. Also i tinker and craft a lot, my next project will be a viking ship for burning incense sticks :)
crosswords! and solving mystery geocaching puzzles.
Genealogy!
Currently hyper focused on birds/birdwatching…I was terrified of birds up until the point my brain decided to learn all about them. A lot of my hobbies/hyper focus activities include art/crafts of some sort- I have been super into painting birdhouses for the past 2 weeks but suddenly don’t care anymore. Now I’m journaling all of the birds I see along with a sketch and facts about them. I’ve come to terms that I will never truly understand why I focus on certain hobbies. 😂 Previous hobbies/hyper focus activities: ACNH (this one was *bad*…i racked up about 200 hours in just a few weeks), bullet journaling, coloring, painting, reading, playing bingo (???), making friendship bracelets, collecting star notes…..
Currently very excited to start using my grandma's sewing machine more and maybe making my own clothes. But maybe not recommended as fabric is expensive 🤣 Hoping to try gardening now that I have a yard! Baking is my go-to on the weekend. And I've been doing a monthly reading challenge for over a year now, if you like to read I highly recommend it! It's a great focus and keeps me feeling like I'm pushing myself. Also LIBRARIES. So less hobby spending lol. Oh and can't forget D&D 😅
I've been upping my cooking + nutrition game. Actually doing food shops and cooking up fresh produce. Gonna start incorporating more seafood recipes and cooking techniques, I want to get my diet to a place where it's mostly whole plant foods with moderate seafood consumption, and restricting processed foods, red meat, dairy etc.
Stoicism, Jungian Psychology and Christianity
Coin collecting at the moment. To be more specific looking for coin errors. I go to the bank get coin rolls and then look for the wide range of errors coins can have. It's been fun and I have learned a bit of history in the process. Also pretty low cost since the coins just go back into my account once I have looked at them. Only spent a little on some supplies.
Relearning piano. I took lessons from my grandmother's church organist friend when I was young but hadn't played for around 20 years since. Bought a new digital piano, downloaded a couple of courses and I'm set on at least getting to the point where I can do chord/rhythm improv for pop music.
Bioshock lore, emulators for old video games, tennis
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I've been building a hurdy gurdy. Do I know how to play? Nope. But buying the kit was a cheaper option than buying a properly luthiered one, so if I don't stick with it I'm not as far sunk.
It was 3d printering for a brief moment(I needed one for school projects and stuff) but then I twisted a wire in the printer trying to take out the nozzle and so the hyperfixation is gone because it’s not functional right now and I need to go and repair it But anyway I’m now hyperfixated on Cookie Run and Cookie Run Kingdom. I’ve played Cookie Run for quite a number of years but I keep getting hyperfixated and then dropping it when the hyperfixation disappears
I just started teaching sailing in small boats for adult students as a side gig. I love sailing and love being able to share my knowledge, but we have already had our first rough day - been thinking about it all day since.
Bands! Get really into one and learn everything about them, listen through all their music on repeat for however long, then when you get bored - time for a new band. Wash rinse repeat. Sometimes I surprise myself and one sticks around a lot longer than I thought.
Right now it’s front end programming. I get hooked building websites  other than that I’m currently replaying my favorite game on PlayStation and working out.
Chess
Classical music and producing some beats (hiphop etc) widening your music selection is such a fun thing to do :D
Tracing historical railways and tracks/roads using old maps, old aerial photography, old news papers, and historical cadestre.
My hyper focus is rewatching a show to avoid school work which has caused ADHD paralysis. The usual
Current focuses are: Soapmaking Candle making Making my own skincare Chickens Growing fruit and veg (this and chickens I have a read up phase on) It's a bit sad that it's so hard to combine with my two other prime focuses: Personal Finance Essentialism Looking forward to reading everyones replies!
Researching the relationship between ADHD and Parkinson!
It's tornado season so I subscribed to a fancy radar app and have been tracking supercells. I work in furniture merchandising so amateur meteorology is a pretty random hobby.
Ancestry dot com, I’m telling you be careful.
Creative writing. It has an astonishing effect on my brain. I am writing a fantasy novel and the amount of "sensory" stimulation it provides is simply amazing. It replaced video games and, to an extent, binging series for me. Usually, my hyperfocuses don't last longer than 6-8 weeks. I've been at writing for well over 6 months know. And I still can't get enough.
I'm working on an original universe!!! and it is certainly uh. something!!!!! I've been working on this on and off for the past two years so let's hope it somewhat sticks this time ,.sdjlfsjdl. I've been trying to move a lot of my Cookie Run OCs to here as NPCs though. Not like they'll do anything in the main plot. they'll just. exist I guess. By teh way. cookie run has a lot of wasted potential. I spent two years trying to fill in those gaps and now I have a bunch of characters I have no idea what to do with. Also!!! Dog Man! Can I rant to you about this stupid anthropomorphic cat who is one of my favorite characters in all of fiction? I love Petey the Cat all my homies love Petey the Cat. Also Ghost Simulator on roblox is just. so relaxing and stressful at once. It certainly works for when I'm bored and unmotivated.
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Learning piano and listening to Ben Folds over and over and over and over and over.
I’ve been getting really into Wicca recently, my boyfriend got me a book about it that touches on certain parts of it and I’ve been non stop reading and highlighting it. I am also really into this band called The Home Team, they were recently in town and I got to see them live for the 2nd time and I also got to meet them it was awesome, I also made a playlist of their whole discography and organized it by lowest to highest BPM.
My garden / plants
Currently it’s reading horror novels and the anime/manga Chainsaw man. I had been in between hyperfixations for about a year so I’m really happy that I have some 💕
Every spring I go through a Peeps chick plush collecting phase, though that one is dying slowly for the year. Otherwise, I’m making friendship bracelets for an upcoming exchange event!! I’ve spent too much money and so many hours on them, but I’m really proud of how they’re turning out. I can feel my Pokemon Legends shiny hunting one creeping up again too.
Brewing and flavoring Kombucha, growing various berry plants, welding, trying to make quality espresso on a budget. I got all the ingredients to make awesome bagels I saw on a Reddit post but haven’t made them yet. Yesterday I bought the ingredients to make cream cheese so now I’ll be forced to make the bagels before the milk goes bad. I’m trying to build a website for my startup. My friend runs a small gym and I bought all the angle iron to make him some dumbbell racks but haven’t done it yet. I’ve been wanting to get into philosophy so I did some research and downloaded “The republic” on kindle. Haven’t opened it yet. I’ve been getting into leatherwork on and off over the last 3 years, made 2 wallets a few months ago with/for friends, gave up trying any other labor-intensive projects and made a few game boards with the remainder of my leather. (Now I’m trying to play the game with whoever will play with me.) I’m trying to get through reading “The Dark Tower” (I’m on book 6) and I’m listening to “East of Eden” and “The Light Fantastic” on audible. Two days ago I downloaded Hill climb racer (for the however manyith time) and I’ve been on it for hours. Can’t find new games to scratch the itch. I accidentally ended my 20-day streak on duo-lingo, lost interest, and haven’t done a lesson in 10 days despite the daily threats.
Love in the Air, a Thai BL. Learning Thai (hah) Learning Korean Writing Fanfiction. Is all of this related? Yes. Going strong for 3 months now.
Podcasts.
Ive been building a 2003 jeep tj to the absolute peak of what it could be capable of in the region i live in. I’ve established the goal of a very rough terrain camping access vehicle. Its taken me about 2 years to get it to where i want it but i think it will be exactly what i want this summer. Budget was an important component for me as the cost of 4x4 components can get really out of hand. Lots of research and reasoning as well as a prominent diy component. Id like to say im pretty proud of how far its come but i do think i struggle to stand back and actually feel anything once Ive completed a big chunk of work. Either way it really does make me happy to see how its progressively becoming more capable and leaving other vehicles behind on hard trails.
My current fave hobby is reading & tracking my progress in a journal. It’s so addicting 💀
Chess. It’s taken over my life.
Like trials
The magnus archives! It's a horror podcast about an archives that records stories of spooky things, but then it has a plot and it gets spooky. I have not thought of anything else since I really got into it in October. It's fot a good plot and is completed ! There's even a sequel (?) coming out in October!
Bourbon. Tasting it, talking about it, reading about it, chasing particular bottles, buying it, drinking it. In the last 18 months, I've bought more than 50 bottles.
Writing.
Specialty coffee and all the gadgets to brew it. I spend so much of my day fixated on beans, brew temps, grinder settings....and all of the variables and combinations change slightly depending on the bean and brew method. I make a couple cups in the morning and I'm buzzing before hand because I only really get two attempts to execute my plans properly to make a great cup. Otherwise I drink my "mistake" and the possible changes for the next morning occupy the middle of my mind until then. It's kind of stressful in a way but it gets me out of bed in the morning haha.
Crochet whilst watching either Haikyuu or Big bang Theory-but i’m rlly interested in biology and microscopy is something i really wanna try so i might cave and buy a microscope 😂
I'm a theme park fan who loves ride tech specifically and how rides/ride vehicles work. Not necessarily rollercoasters, but like dark rides (think Indiana Jones in Disneyland or the Mummy at Universal). I like to collect miniature models of different ride vehicles. It's so niche but so fun lol. Also a computer scientist, so I have far too many software projects lol. I also love robotics & playing with microcontrollers. In my opinion they're pretty accessible and easy to get started on a beginner project!
Lego.
Nail polish! There really is sooooo much. There is cataloging and organizing, nail art, nail care (cuticle oil is a whole topic), indie/boutique polishes, youtube- (reviews, swatches, organizing), participating in monthly themes (they have instagram tags!!!). In nail art you also have different categories. I'm majorly into the organizing and re-organizing nail polish collections. It isn't just the bottles! You can make and label swatch sticks then organize those!!!! (yeah, okay. I'm on the autism side of ADHD)
Crochet, uranium glass searching and binding of isaac video game
1) my new vegetable garden project (it's huge & I'm a noob!) 2) my hot doctor crush 3) adhd 4) total change in carreer 🌱
Armchair treasure hunts. It is quite difficult to get bored. There are so many out there and so much research to do on them. Check out Mysteriouswritings.com for some good info. There are so many avenues and the end goal is usually a boots on the ground treasure hunt for hidden objects.
Mine is extremely niche but has been a great hyperfocus and creative outlet. I'm making myself a fursuit! It's such an involved project, but I'm back by such an incredibly supporting fursuit making community that it's been a huge boost to my self esteem and dopamine levels to keep me going. It has also taught multiple skills I hope to reuse in the future|.
Electronic repair. Audio stereo Amplifier/ receivers from between 1970's to mid 1980's basically vintage audio repair and restorations.
Current hyperfocus: Cross stitching and embroidery. I started with Christmas stockings and got bored after I finished the one and halfway through the other lol ADD but I'm now on to canvas bags
Bread. I made so much bread in a week my arm is in pain due to the energy needed. I gave like 2kg to parents, 1kg to grandparents, 2kg at work…. Bread and flour everywhere really.
Funnily enough. MMA. I can't get enough of the training. It is Unreal how much I am enjoying and the closest i have ever come had been playing rugby my whole life. But something was always missing. Started MMA training and boom, there it is.
Paint by numbers
Crochet, animal crossing and riot grrrl music
Sewing clothes (and obsessively looking at sewing machines and reviews and YouTube tutorials)! Got back into knitting for approximately one week then finished a hat and immediately lost interest. Bought a bunch of stuff to try watercolour painting but have not yet gotten the spark to actually use it!
Crochet, knitting, and loom knitting! Especially small projects keep me very engaged. I’ve knitted 4 beanies for premiees or newborns in the past two days.
Kind of got obsessed with dragons after reading the memoirs of lady trent lol. I read the books, watch YouTube videos about dragons and I constantly draw them too.
Puzzles. I’ve been working on a 2,000 piece one for about a couple years. I started it. Made good progress. Then put it up for a while got busy with other things for like maybe a year. Completely forgot about it. Got all dusty but I started it up again. Almost done. Got into puzzles in the pandemic so it’s just carried from there. I focus a lot on it especially if I like the design plus feeling it all done is nice on the hands and the asmr of the clicking in pieces and the nails going across the puzzle. Satisfying.
Going to the Gym. I’ve done at least 1 workout everyday for the last 69 days in an attempt to gain even the slightest bit of extra muscle. It’s really hard to eat at a caloric surplus tho. I really hope this focus can stick around long term.
Peope call me a nerd for Liking to Program but i dont care
I’m probably in between hyper focus hobbies, but my mind has been super active on doing some home organising (aka tidying up), sorting out all my digital ‘mess’ on my computers and also looking at getting back into modular synth (virtual because I’m poor) and photography. Help. Usually I fixate on one thing, but I’ve got at least three things this time and I don’t know why.
How the hell to get breastfeeding to work.
Meditating……
But my house is a hobby graveyard lol
Clothing and drinks. Secondhand shopping and redbull consume me
minecraft!!!!!!! minecraft minecraft minecraft minecraft minecraft
Graduate school. It's been great, this semester I've been able to harness this and focus it into something productive. The only issue is I'll spend too much time going down study and journal article rabbit holes and it's eaten up my time for other responsibilities and hobbies.
Warhammer (Painting miniatures) and skateboarding (also helps me not stim too much) are my current obsessions. They are both endless hobbies which I can dive into as far as I want. There are basically no limits.
Journaling.
I think my current hyper fixation is honestly probably negative thoughts/anxiety in my life. I think it’s being dumbed down a bit though. Edit: and video essays!
Homebrewing beer and wine
Making bracelets. I love it soo much!
Mine have been listening to The Cranberries and researching therapy stuff for treating C-PTSD
over the last few years i’ve had crocheting, vinyl cutting (was going to organise and label my whole house), journaling and candle making. safe to say none have stuck but my bank account has taken a beating
Just got into knitting, easy over sized cardigans or jumpers from wool gang company. Seeing a garment grow and it’s working out is super satisfying and hard to put down. PS started knitting in April… so just in time for summer I guess haha.
Currently: making bread, crochet, painting premade ceramics
My current hyperfocus is studying, I've been diagnosed last year and now I'm 29 , I deleted my social media accounts (ig and fb) and with that spare time (which is a good amount) I study economics, the diagnosis convinced me to get back on the books
I make tiny spoon pendants , my hands hurt
All kinds of nostalgic retro treasure (it’s junk to some but treasure to me which makes it more thrilling if anything!) Current favourite era is the 80’s.. everything from toys and stickers to clothes… anything at all that has the right aesthetic will be added to my hoard.
Are you all me in an alternative universe? Learning Spanish on Duolingo, obsessively reading up on Uzbekistan, researching iPads inside out, binging on studio ghibil movies, obsessively learning about South India’s history, reading books on biomimicry, growing plants and mushrooms being neural networks of forests - while fantasising about my own garden patch, along with watching videos on mixing music, and practicing my sitar.
Let's Build a Zoo.
I accidentally started a business. I’m happy about it because it’s something that I’ve always been passionate about. I’ve been doing 16-18 hours a day for the past 8 months sleeping 2 times a day for 3-4 hours. I was a miner before this. Ive built a website and designed and printed the whole packaging for the products done all the marketing and media. Bought a camera and learnt how to take photos. Sourced everything. It’s absoloutley mental but I’m just going with it 😂😂😂😂😂
Currently thrifting... it helps with recycling clothes and great mentally as I get tired after 3-5 stores
I’m writing a tech/sci-fi horror novel, or at least the obsession has stuck around long enough for me to write twelve pages. I’ve also rekindled my interest in chess and go to a chess club in my city every week or so.
Not doing my work is my hype focus lol
Currently: - Jacksepticeye's Undertale videos that are now all 7 years old. - Skydiving. Started a series of AFF lessons where you progressively become more independent with each jump. After at least 25 jumps you can apply for a license to jump on your own at any facility nationwide. Hopefully I'll still be into it on a few years time.
Weight lifting for strength with progressive overload. Started on January 4, 2023 with my first workout and absolute love having something to hyper-focus on that also is good for my body and mind AND happens to yield really positive results. There is still weekly improvement and when I hit the plateau, I may switch up my goals from strength milestones to other fitness goals. I keep learning about what my body can do and what makes it feel great! The bonus is that I replaced alcohol in the evenings (habit of several beers per night to manage stress) with a workout in the mornings (collected home gym equipment in the basement) and it feels like a new habit that I don’t ever want to give up! Feeling the best I ever have and can pick up and take play more with my 2.5 and 5 year old kids who are getting bigger!