Why Hobbies Are Great for Your Mental Health
Many people find it difficult to create any sort of free time for themselves. With hectic schedules that last the entire day and heavy responsibilities to take care of, it’s not easy trying to balance everything in your life. However, those precious free hours that you do have can easily be ruined if you don’t have a kind of plan or way of using them effectively. In fact, many of us can wind up wasting our free time because we’re tired from work or feeling depressed and stressed from various life issues.
One way to overcome this is to have a hobby. Giving yourself an interest and something to do is a fantastic way to overcome mental health issues and also optimize your free time.
I learnt this the hard way when I started working as a freelancer full-time for the first time in the last few months, especially when I first started out. I realised I was taking on a lot of work and wasn’t leaving enough time for myself and the free time I did have ended up sort of being wasted. Not having enough time did end up effecting my mental health and that’s when I took some time off blogging to try to get my schedule together. Thankfully, I was able to get myself together and find it much easier to balance everything now. One thing that really helped me relax was finding hobbies I enjoyed.
So in this post, I’ll be sharing three reasons why hobbies are such a huge help for your mental health.
Source: https://unsplash.com/photos/DqmjXvag51U (CC0)
Hobbies can help you engage in different ways
Engagement can mean a lot of things, but in the context of a hobby, it really does cover any potential case where you could interact with somebody else. For instance, keeping up with the latest sports on websites like https://sportnews.in/ can help create conversation topics for your friends and family members. Sports can also be a great hobby because it encourages you to get out and engage in physical activity. Whether you’re playing in a semi-professional team in your spare time, or if you’re just having a few casual matches with friends and family, sports is one of the best examples of a healthy hobby that encourages you to engage in different ways.
Other than sports, there are lots of other hobbies that can help you engage with other like-minded people. You could take a class in something you are interested in such as art, music, cooking, dancing etc. It’s a great way to learn something new as well as do some socialising.
Hobbies can reduce stress by giving you something to look forward to
Many of us go through depressive episodes because we feel like there’s nothing to really look forward to. This can affect more people than you might imagine. After long and stressful hours at work, the last thing we want to do is feel like there’s nothing for us to do. What we really need is something to look forward to at the end of the day.
Hobbies can be the kind of motivation that everyone needs to power through a tough workday. Instead of feeling like the workday will never end and that there’s nothing interesting to do later on, you’ll feel like you have something exciting and interesting to look forward to.
Hobbies can help create social connections
Lastly, we can’t forget the power that hobbies have in creating social connections. Whether you’re directly engaging with people in team or group activities, or just speaking to people and making new friends on the internet, there are plenty of ways for you to network when you pick up a hobby. This can help remove feelings of isolation and will encourage you to participate in more activities that involve other people.
After spending so much time on our own during the pandemic/lockdowns I think it’s important to remind ourselves how to socialise and make social connections. Social connections are great for mental health because it helps us have people who are there for you when you need them. It’s important to have a support system for times when you are feeling low and it’s always nice to have someone there to celebrate the good times with you too.
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed this post. I feel like I have been slacking a little on writing mental health posts even though they are probably some of my most requested and engaged with posts. I also hope this post helped to encourage you to get some hobbies and maybe try something new in your free time. Yes, working is important but it’s just as important to have time to ourselves to do things we enjoy.
Do you have any hobbies? If so, what are some of your favourite hobbies? Do these hobbies help you relax? Let me know in the comments below because I would love to hear your thoughts!
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You cover social interaction stuff. For the more introverted, we tend to need down time. My hobbies are knitting, crocheting, sewing, photography, and apparently writing blog, podcasting, e-books and Twitter and most days trying to figure out what is going on. I have other stuff . Of course not necessarily in that order. 😉
Yeah I absolutely get that too haha 😄
I tend to have hobbies that I can do by myself.. photography, reading & writing, crocheting, sudoku puzzles, Facebook games, and recently got started with macrame
Oh that’s great- a lot of people prefer hobbies they can do on their own.
Such a great post and so important Pooja!
I’ve so
Many hobbies, I haven’t enough time. It’s important not to turn hobbies into work!!
Love to arrange flowers, maybe sew.. the machine has sat there for 30 years, KKOW.. who Has time … ha.
I’ll be we be bored!💕
Haha yes absolutely it’s great to have hobbies! I technically know how to sew but I haven’t done it in forever either!
I totally agree with getting a hobby! Actually the more the better! I create art, write, make jewelry, take photos on my walks, collect random things from my walks to incorporate into art.
These are all things which have helped save my sanity!
This so great! Definitely does help keep us sane lol!
Oh my yes! Saved my sanity, was part of my self therapy, is a release, and of course is a pastime! 😊🥰
This is a really helpful post. I’ve had a really intense week of studying and it really put me in a slump. This made me realise how much I’ve been missing out on doing some sort of physical activity, which I know will help me get back on track again. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks! Yeah sometimes we need to take breaks and do things we enjoy too. It’s good to do some physical activities especially when you’re spending most of your time sitting and studying.
Great post, having hobbies and interest that you just enjoy has so many benefits. Definitely inspired me to pick up another hobby.
Thanks and good luck with picking a new one. 👍🏼
Oh, how I miss your posts! This is such a great perspective. I’ve noticed since I’ve picked up basketball with my bf, it’s been so fun inserting myself in random basketball convos and seeing how shocked people are at how much I know.
Aww thank you 🥰 Oh wow basketball sounds so fun! I haven’t played since high school but I really used to like it back then. Haha people must be surprised lol 😆
This is such a good read. I don’t think a lot of people realize the importance of a hobby to their mental health. A few of my hobbies are: reading, blogging and watching anime.
Yeah absolutely. Hobbies are so important for our mental health. Those all sound like such fun hobbies.
Although the last few years have been difficult, and I haven’t been able to fully benefit from many of my hobbies, I have managed a few. Probably why I still appear sane, compared to some people I know… It is important to have some time out!
Yeah it’s difficult due to certain circumstances sometimes but it’s important to have at least a couple of hobbies!
My bonsai save my sanity… 🪴
That’s so great!
I cannot tell you how much!
This is a very relatable post, Pooja. Infact, my blog centers around content creation and it is one of my hobbies which keeps my mental health at a good level. I also agree with the part of building community! It is a great form of socializing and building like minded connections
Thanks so much! That’s great and I absolutely agree.
Hobbies are so important! I find it sad that people tend not do engage in hobbies so much anymore because of constantly working
Absolutely and it really is sad that people have to work so much to survive that they have no free time left.
The four day workweek can’t come soon enough!
😫😫😫
I completely agree with you that we should have some hobby to engage ourselves especially when we feel low.
Yeah absolutely. It helps a lot.
I started woodworking about 3 years ago. I was an amateur carpenter for decades, but that was out of necessity. I love this post on what a hobby actually “gives you”. 🙂
Oh how interesting! What a fun hobby. Thanks 😄
I love to read. I also like to sing and dance to the Wii. Not doing much of that now, though, as my foot heals, but I’ll get back to the dancing soon. I am considering taking a class in all-natural beauty product making. It sounds very interesting.
Oh wow that sounds so interesting. I love using natural beauty products and it would be cool if you learn how to make them.
Right? I was thinking that I could always add some essential oils too.
Oh yeah that would be great.
Lovely post, hobbies can truly reduce stress and help one create social connection.
Yes hobbies can definitely do that and much more for us.
Thank you, now I understand why I feel so much better these last few months. Before my day was work, work and more work. Now I write poetry, I am taking music lessons and learning to blog with all the insights that professional bloggers like you give. Thanks 😃
Having hobbies and not only focusing on work can make a huge difference and really help you feel better. Thanks for the lovely comment ☺️
I love this post! Thank you for sharing your insight on this topic. Hobbies are so wonderful so many things, ESPECIALLY for fostering our mental health. Hobbies nourish our soul. I love it!
Happy to! Yeah hobbies are so vital for mental health and we absolutely need something to keep up happy.
My favourite hobby is creating art. It’s fun and relaxing to turn a blank page (or a blank canvas) into a work of art! Great post!
Thanks! That’s great. Art is such a wonderful hobby and I know from the work you’ve shared that you’re great at it.
Thank you
Beautiful post sis
Hobbies are really helpful. for mental health. I’ve seen with when im not blogging or creating anything, I feel depressed and I don’t like it
Thank you so much. I feel like that too since blogging is probably my favourite hobby.
Agreed
Great article! Thanks for sharing your insights.
Thanks so much!
Thank you for sharing. We do have hobbies, including reading, music, and craft cocktails. Although we have not done so lately, music helps us relax more than anything. It is a real cathartic experience for us. It actually inspired an earlier iteration of our blog, which you should check out.
I feel that wah absout music too. It really helps us relax. Thanks, I’ll check it out.
Definitely, and you’re very welcome.
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Hi, yes YOAST is a popular one that I’ve heard is quite helpful.
Many people find it difficult to create any sort of free time for themselves. With hectic schedules that last the entire day and heavy responsibilities to take care of, it’s not easy trying to balance everything in your life. However, those precious free hours that you do have can easily be ruined if you don’t have a kind of plan or way of using them effectively. In fact, many of us can wind up wasting our free time because we’re tired from work or feeling depressed and stressed from various life issues.
You are absolutely correct. How you choose to spend your free time is super important because it’s easy to waste our time.
Oh, I’m also that person with multiple hobbies. Since I remember I had at least one hobby at a time. Often they didn’t last long. But they give so much satisfaction. Especially if your work doesn’t bring you satisfaction – hobby is always something that brings sense of purpose.
I can be like that too and yes I agree, hobbies can really give you a sense of purpose and they make us happy.
Hobbies increase the pleasure chemicals in your brain and also give you a sense of purpose.
Yes, absolutely.
I would say, my hobbies are blogging and researching regarding this.
I like doing this. I also like to read books, but it has to be good. Because current book is boring tbh.
I love and respect this blog as, it’s very satisfying and helpful. Especially, people who need some advice, can help themselves with the blog. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much. Blogging was one of my favourite hobbies now it’s my favourite job haha.
I believe you are enjoying your job! 🙂
When we have bloggers like you, this experience becomes delightful.
I very much am!
Best thing