One friend collects vintage buttons, while another dries flowers for custom stationery kits.
Where would you find the time to engage in such leisure activity, and what would you even do if you could?
The truth of the matter is that hobbies are more than just craft boxes and collections, but a real, quality addition to your life- one that you may be better off having.
When one thinks of a hobby, they think of activities they like to do in their free time.
And if we were at liberty to play it fast and loose with the word “like”, that would mean mom’s hobby is folding clothes and trying to pack a somewhat balanced lunch for the kids.
But it is so much more than that.
A hobby is an activity you engage in that allows you to de-stress from all the chaos going on in the world – or in your living room.
It is a chance to unwind and demonstrate to your sister-in-law that you are good at something other than keeping your kids alive (which is undoubtedly a worthy feat).
Before the idea of doing something outside of home and work duties seemed impossible, but now with just about the entire nation on lockdown you have a little more time on your hands than you did at the start of the year.
But why have we waited this long to do something fun for ourselves?
“People, especially women, don’t give themselves ‘permission’ to play, because our culture forbids it,” says Terri Bacow, Ph.D., a psychologist in New York to Women’s Health.
Especially as a mother, we feel guilty for having an interest apart from the family, or spending time that is not directly investing in their well-being.
However, every member of the family has a right to grow personally, which can look different for everyone.
“Outside interests help you form a multilayered sense of identity,” Bacow says.
You are more than your title or role.
Being a mom or supervisor is amazing and worthy of all the positive connotations those positions merit, but they don’t encompass the whole of you.
According to a study in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine, hobbies reduce stress and lower your heart rate.
Now we know it is healthy physically and psychologically to have a hobby, but what do I do?
Start small. No need to convert the guest room into an art studio quite yet, but getting some supplies together to fuel your interests is a good idea.
If you like to draw, pack a sketchbook in your purse and doodle in those moments you would normally grab your phone in, Women’s Health suggests.
Pickling may be your thing, so pick one or two vegetables to pickle over the weekend.
You want to pick a hobby that encompasses something you don’t already do every day as part of a routine or your job.
And if you are serious about self-care then you need to schedule time for yourself.
Maybe Wednesday nights the family watches a movie while you whittle in the garage for a couple of hours.
Or, you can paint as the sunrises instead of watching the morning news.
Make a list of the things that interest you, or that you have always thought about doing, and make small steps to accomplish one.
Just remember hobbies aren’t perfected overnight so buying a 1965 Mustang won’t automatically give you the knowledge and experience of rebuilding an engine, but it’s a start.
You will quickly find that having a hobby brings more to your life than unproductive hours.
Find your outlet today and expand your mind and skillsets to take your health and happiness to the next level.