Entertainment

10 Creative Hobbies to Take Your Mind off Stress

There are plenty of reasons to get stressed these days. We all have a job, school, family matters, high expectations, personal issues, social conflicts, civil unrest, and all the possible problems in the world one may experience. Those leave their mark on the majority of us and may lead to chronic stress. That is why one needs to have a hobby that will help them focus on something positive and maybe even relaxing and meditating.  

Writing is a terrific stress relieving hobby

Creative writing can be a way to express your feelings and share them with others. You can also write letters to anyone you would like to but without sending them. Just get out of your system whatever bothers you and forget about it. It is a kind of therapy that can help you get over some problems and even get rid of writer’s block. 

There is also another niche of writing that can become both your hobby and work. Being an academic paper writer at EssayPro may mean many things. You can write abstracts and admission essays or complete serious research papers and theses. Yet, for those who love literature and analyzing it, essay writing is an obvious choice. 

The thing is, there are quite many people for whom essays are a boring and torturous side-effect of their major. Yet, they do need to complete that major, so they opt for academic help from experts. You can become one of those professionals who write fascinating papers, help others, and even make a living off of it.

Photography

This kind of hobby might seem too ordinary or obvious, or not even a hobby. In the end, the number of people using smartphones with excellent cameras and posting beautiful pictures is so high that photography can be considered a part of everyone’s life these days.

However, there is more to it. Every hobby is, first of all, about learning its specifics.

As soon as you start paying attention to the details that make a photo a masterpiece, your mind is no longer in the world where you need to solve one problem after another. You can focus on the view outside of your window and spend an hour trying to catch an amazing sunset. All these 60 minutes will be not about quickly taking a picture and posting it on Instagram but about perspective, camera angle, light, and so on. No room for stress.

Zentangle

Remember those popular abstract sketches with repeat patterns and a bunch of details arranged in perfect order? Well, they actually have a name – zentangles. They are kind of methodical doodles. There may be no particular idea behind the drawing at all. Just let your hand draw abstract lines and symbols and repeat them. 

Impromptu Drawing

This would be another therapeutic hobby. If you don’t feel like writing about what bothers you, try to draw it. It can depict the pain you feel, the fear, and even the very stress. Whatever your mind prompts you when you think of the problems that stress you out, just pour it out. Don’t try to find a perfect combination of colors or shapes. 

Jigsaw Puzzles

It’s really hard to think about anything else when you have a pile of colored puzzles in front of you and try to find a match. It’s scrupulous work that improves your problem solving, attention to detail, and short-term memory. 

According to Sanesco Health, puzzles exercise both the right and left sides of your brain, which means they can help one restore creativity and improve their logical thinking skills. In addition, it is kind of a meditation exercise since you focus on one image and explore it long enough to get distracted from almost any issue, noise, or discomfort.

One thing that can deter people from playing traditional jigsaw puzzles is the cost of purchasing the physical game. Fortunately, there are ways to play jigsaw puzzles online! Check out this website, I’m a Puzzle, offers over one thousand jigsaw puzzles for free. You can customize all the settings to change the number of pieces, shape, style, and more. Additionally, you have the ability to upload your own image to create a puzzle and share the link so others can play. This is also a great option for those who don’t want to stress about having to put away all the puzzle pieces or those who don’t have enough space to play a classic jigsaw puzzle in their home.

Coloring Books

Just like jigsaw puzzles, these are both suitable for children and grown-ups. Their levels of complexity greatly vary. So, you can pick out whatever you are comfortable with and dive into the world of coloring. Also, try experimenting with the materials: watercolors, pen, oil pastel pencils, and other tools.

Handcraft

There is a whole range of stuff you can weave, build, sculpt, and so on:

  • dreamcatchers
  • candles
  • soap
  • pottery
  • jewelry, etc.

Handcrafting requires your full attention since there is usually a specific order of steps you should follow. Or, like with pottery, you should observe the curves and shapes and be very careful with the pressure you apply to the material. It’s also a kind of meditation that makes you focus on the here and now.

Scrapbooking

The most precious and meaningful things in our lives should never be forgotten or underrated. Whenever we feel sad or tired, it may be hard to recollect something positive. So, try scrapbooking, which will not only distract you from the stress but also help you preserve the memories you would like to hold on to. 

Scrapbooking gives you full freedom in terms of materials and style. What’s more, the former can be anything you may find in your flat, which allows you to experiment with textures and take your creativity to the next level!

Plant-Related Hobbies

Plants are well-known stress relievers, and cultivating them provides us with positive emotions since we take care of a living thing that is also good for us and the environment. 

It can be simply about growing plants at home and taking care of the whole garden or creating bonsais and terrariums – miniature gardens in various glass containers. In addition, this hobby costs you almost nothing unless you are into growing some rare plants.

Digital Design

Do you love sharing your views via visual means but lack drawing skills? Digital design is a nice alternative. Of course, learning how to use Photoshop can seem quite stressful itself, but it’s nothing in comparison to the everyday stress most people have to deal with. 

As soon as you master the software you’d like to use, you are free to shape your message however you like. Whether it is about global events or just funny stuff that will make someone smile on a bad day, the point is to help you express your feelings and work on something you are passionate about.

Also, digital design can be a good source of income. Social media thrive these days. Bloggers and businesses use them actively to reach a wider audience, and one company may have five social media profiles – all of them require proper management and unique content created by SMM specialists. 

Although those are able to come up with excellent ideas that will win over some customers, every idea needs visual support. Otherwise, one might not even notice the post in their feed. Here, your skills come into play.

Final thoughts

To tell the truth, anything you consider a hobby is a stress reliever if it doesn’t increase your adrenaline level. However, the hobbies listed above require little to no skills to start. They require no specific equipment and offer much more flexibility than activities like metalworking and welding. You can be creative in your approach, and nothing will go wrong – that is what is good about them. So, choose the one you feel is your cup of tea, and don’t let that stress gnaw you.

About the author

Malika Bowling

Malika is the author of several books including Culinary Atlanta: Guide to the Best Restaurants, Markets, Breweries and More! and the founder of Roamilicious. She is also a Digital Marketing and Social Media Consultant. Follow us @Roamilicious on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest for the content not shared on the blog. And don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter (subscribe box below) and never miss a contest, giveaway or the latest must visit restaurant!