Feeling extremely stressed lately? You might be feeling the pressure of trying to be the perfect parent or trying to have that perfect work-life balance. Perhaps a relaxing hobby would be the perfect solution to ease your stress and anxiety. Clinical neuroscientist Catherine Carey Levisay (and wife of Craftsy.com CEO John Levisay) says that creating anything – like art, music, quilting, and drawing is actually beneficial to us.
1. Shooting hoops, going to the driving range, or swimming laps
Feeling anxious, dads? Practicing any sport can act as a mindless, repetitive task to calm you. Sports stimulate the body’s production of endorphins, which are commonly labed “the happy hormone.” And, not only does sports increase self-esteem and refocuses you for something like work tasks, practicing sports can relieve that mental stress by helping you sleep better.
2. Doing crossword puzzles
This is a classic hobby which, according to neuroscientists, have been found to relax and relieve stress. If you’re the type of person who likes figuring things out in words, this might be perfect for you. This doesn’t necessarily have to be The New York Times. You can buy a Jumbo Crossword Puzzles book of your own or Dell Crossword Puzzles which are surprisingly easy.
3. Getting into crochet, amigurumi, or knitting
When you start crocheting, hours will pass you by. You’ll get completely immersed in the activity that nothing else seems to matter. Once you get the hang of it, you can create anything from doilies, scarves, and beanies! Check out some YouTube tutorials to see if this would be right for you. Then, look for stores (whether physical or on the web) which sell crochet needles and yarn of your choice. If you’ve done this before, consider amigurumi (to create toys) or even knitting!
4. Studying watercolor painting and calligraphy
Surprisingly, a number of people have taken up painting landscapes to de-stress. You don’t really need to paint landscapes, though. You can start with basic watercolor painting and even combine it with calligraphy. Check out a couple of examples on Pinterest to see if this floats your boat. You may find that being creative may help you feel better instantly. You can even find a number of workshops for beginners, and an instant community for your questions (like paper thickness, brushes, brush pens, and techniques).
5. Diamond painting
Want to try something new? Diamond painting is incredibly simple yet produces the most aesthetically pleasing results. And you won’t really need to study complicated YouTube tutorials. You might want to check out YouTube and Pinterest again to see how the end result looks. Here’s a beginner video you can check out
You can simply buy a diamond painting kit with a design of your choice (and something that comes in a size that you can manage). Like other crafts, you’ll be entirely absorbed by this. Plus, you can even regulate negative emotions with this craft that you can even do with your kids.
