Having a hobby is a great way to relax your mind, distract yourself from anxious or intrusive thoughts and increase your self-esteem. The modern world we live in is so full of pressure and expectations that it can feel impossible to find time to take care of yourself, but how can you take care of anyone or anything else if you’re always running on empty? So make self-care and time for YOU a priority! Try these fun hobbies to improve your mental health.
Build your hobbies into your daily plan, don’t think of them as an afterthought, they are essential. Don’t be afraid to say no to other things so that you have the time to take care of your own mind first. Just 15 minutes a day to work on yourself can make a huge difference, so even on super busy days, there is always a way! Personally, I try to spend at least one hour a day doing something I love, but this can be more or less depending on your circumstances.
Sitting around the house all day, or spending all your free time bingeing Netflix or scrolling on social media is not helpful to your mind and while it may be necessary some days this should not be your only source of me-time. You want to focus on things that bring you purpose and distract your brain fully, as well as giving you a sense of excitement and achievement. These 10 hobbies can do just that, give them a try and let me know how you get on in the comments or on the socials!
Reading
This is my personal favourite, I could get lost in books for hours (and quite often I do). Reading provides a real escape and I find that when I’m focusing on the words on the page, my brain cannot think about all the other things that I’m usually worried about. You can discover whole new worlds and immerse yourself within them.
Whether you like fiction or non-fiction, romance or thriller, there are literally millions of books out there for you. I would highly recommend reading a good variety of different genres and authors, this will allow you to find what you love and also improve your knowledge and brain power!
Read in the morning, read at night, or read on your daily commute, it’s a super easy hobby to pick up and find time for as you can do it anywhere.
If reading really isn’t your thing, try out some audiobooks, this is also a great way to get lost in these fantasy worlds!
Arts and Crafts
Another one that I just LOVE. Crafting is an amazing hobby to improve your mental health, not only does it distract your brain but it also gives you a great sense of achievement when you see the final product, which will give your self-confidence a boost too.
There are so many options with this one, and you don’t need to be an expert, you just need to enjoy it. Although, if you do get really good this is also a hobby that you can monetise should you wish.
Try some of these to find what you love:
- Painting (acrylics, oils, watercolours, gouache, spray painting, the possibilities are endless)
- Drawing (all you need is a few pencils and some paper and your off)
- Colouring
- Digital art (great for those who may need a little more help, Procreate is a fantastic, cheap and easy-to-use app if you want to give this a go)
- Knitting
- Crocheting
- Scrapbooking (allow yourself to remember and document all your favourite memories and adventures)
- Diamond Painting
- Jewellery Making
- Candle Making
- Flower arrangement
- Pottery
- Origami
You can find thousands of amazing tutorials on YouTube, just type in what you want to do and get learning.
Walking
Getting out into nature is one of the best hobbies to improve your mental health. Fresh air, vitamin D and exercise all rolled into one, what’s not to love?
Try walking somewhere picturesque, a local woodland area, a country park, by the sea; anywhere you find peaceful and relaxing. This will help make it more enjoyable and make you more likely to want to continue.
As you walk, allow yourself to take it everything around you, notice all the trees and plants (or maybe even wildlife), all the colours around you, think about what you can smell or hear, and touch the different textures. Really bring your senses into play and use this to fill your mind rather than the usual overactive worrying.
If you are new to walking, take it slow, you don’t have to walk for miles on end to see the benefits of this one. Gradually increase the amount of time you walk and it will become easier with time. Stop for breaks on benches or take some lunch with you and have a little picnic en route. You can even take a friend, partner or relative with you and build in some social interaction too!
Gardening
Another great way to connect with nature is to get out into the garden. This is super relaxing and, when you’re done you can sit back and admire your beautiful garden or even have friends over to enjoy it with you!
Try planting new seeds and flowers, do some weeding, grow your own herbs or vegetables, jetwash the patio, add a water feature… whatever you like, you can make it yours. If you don’t have a garden, you could grow house plants, or grow herbs indoors.
If you’re not sure how to get started check out this amazing beginner’s guide to gardening.
Yoga
Yoga focuses on breathing techniques, meditation and relaxation, making it one of the best hobbies to improve your mental health.
Regularly practising Yoga can also improve your posture, flexibility and balance, as well as help you sleep better and can even boost cardiovascular functioning. This means that it will have huge benefits to your physical health as well as your mental health so it’s a win-win!
I really like to spend 10-15 minutes in the morning on some Yoga, I find it really boosts my productivity and gets me pumped up for the day ahead. Check out these 16 science-based benefits of yoga.
Find some quick beginner’s routines you can try at home here.
Sports
Taking up a sport is a good way to improve your physical and mental well-being. I would highly recommend joining a club to learn your new sport, this will also allow you to meet new people and boost your social skills (which isn’t always easy when you have anxiety but I know you can do it!).
Here are just a few great ideas for sporting hobbies:
- Cycling
- Running
- Football
- Rugby
- Rachet Sports (tennis, badminton, squash etc.)
- Archery
- Basketball or Netball
- Surfing / Wind-Surfing / Kite-Surfing
- Skiing or Snowboarding
- Swimming
- Golf
- Weight-training
Check out your local gyms for classes you can join or google local clubs and sign up. I promise it will be worth it once you push through that fear!
Cooking or Baking
There is nothing quite like whipping up a storm in the kitchen, not only is it great for keeping your mind focused but you also get to enjoy something delicious to eat when you finish, I mean, what more motivation could you need for this one?
Challenge yourself to try something new each time, and learn different recipes from different cultures to really expand your skills. Start to bake cakes for family occasions or create stunning desserts to enjoy at the weekend. You can choose anything you like, buy recipe books, look online or take a cooking class.
This is one the whole family can get involved in, turn it into a date night or a rainy day activity for the kids. I’m sure everyone will thank you for taking this one up!
Photography
Photography is so much fun and the list of possible subjects is endless. Whether you want to photograph people, landscapes, animals, plants, clouds, sunsets, the ocean, or inanimate objects… the choice is yours.
Depending on the subjects you choose, this can also help get you out of the house and into nature, which as we have already established; is amazing for your mental health! You can also display your new photographs around your house to add a personal touch or sell prints online to make some extra money!
Remember: you do NOT need to be a world-class photographer to take up this hobby nor do you need top-class equipment to take good photos. Even if all you have is your smartphone you will amazed by the photographs you can produce. If you really get into it and want to invest in a professional camera then of course you can in time, but don’t avoid this one just because you think you don’t have the right camera.
Check out this cool 52 Photograph challenge if you want to mix up your subject matter.
Learn to play a Musical Instrument
This one is top of my list right now of new things I want to try! It’s just such a cool hobby to have and such an achievement when you finally learn your first piece of music! It takes concentration, focus and determination but once you master it, you will be so glad you persevered!
Music is food for the soul, it can make you feel so many emotions and help heal your mind. It’s a great escape and something you can do without having to socialise with others if you find this difficult.
Here’s some ideas of instruments you can try:
- Guitar
- Piano / Keyboard
- Drums
- Violin
- Chelo
- Saxophone
- Trumpet
- Flute
- Bongos
- Ukelele
- Percussion (triangle, tambourine, glockenspiel, castanets etc.)
- Harmonica
Check out YouTube for tutorials, buy books or take lessons to help you on your way.
Dancing
I may have left this one till last, but when it comes to hobbies to improve mental health, this one is up there with the best of them.
Whether you take up a class, follow a dance workout video, or just boogie around your living room to your favourite jam, this one is sure to boost your mood, get your blood pumping and loosen up all that tension you’re holding onto.
Let your body flow and express yourself, as the saying goes “Dance like nobody’s watching“!
That brings us to the end of my top hobbies to improve mental health. Remember self-care is your PRIORITY! Take a minimum of 15 minutes a day to do something you love and I promise you, you will see amazing results in all aspects of your life!
Let me know in the comments which hobbies you most want to try or tag me in your posts on socials of you trying some of these hobbies.
