In a day and age where side-hustles are prominent, we often forget the importance of leisure activities. While we are focused on making money and working till we die, we often forget how enriching life can be when we participate in activities just for our enjoyment. Burnout is a real struggle that many people experience because our society has held onto the narrative that we should be hustling day in and day out. This is an extremely unrealistic expectation.
With today's fast-paced and stressful lifestyles, more and more health experts believe that hobbies can significantly reduce mental tension and stress.
Breaking away from "hustle culture", which has shown signs on being extremely toxic and can lead to burn out. It goes beyond simply "working hard" or being productive, but it completely takes over your life and dominating your time in a very unnatural way. We see an influx of people on social media talking about their side hustles and how successful they are because they work all the time. However, social media only shows us part of the full story and though we see that they are happy, we cannot be certain that they truly enjoy their life. While this can be appealing to some, we tend to ignore the implications of not taking a day off.
It is often difficult to take time off from daily duties; However, having a hobby can do you good. Medical science has documented the adverse effects of stress on our mental, physical and emotional health. Hobbies can not only relieve stress, but also boost creativity, self-esteem, passion, happiness and a sense of accomplishment. Hobbies keep your mind and body active, and are a great distraction from everyday stressors. Different hobbies can target different needs, such as a person who wants to engage their mind would opt for doing puzzles or reading. On the other hand, a more creative person would choose to take up painting or knitting. It is important to choose a hobby that works best for your lifestyle.
The more hobbies the merrier! Having a few different activities that you bounce around from can not only keep life interesting, but can also help you not get too hung up on one activity. Hobbies can turn into passions, and are just a great way to hone your creative side. Finding which type of hobby suits you is the first step and sometimes can be the most difficult. To start searching for hobbies you can try out, we recommend checking out Pinterest. This social platform is a wonderful source of inspiration where you can discover all kinds of new activities, even ones you never thought of before.
But if you do not want to browse through Pinterest, we have some ideas for you. Due to all of the health benefits of hobbies and the many options out there, here is a list of some fun hobbies to try in your free time.
Take scenic walks
Master the art of photography
Learn a musical instrument
Master the art of meditation
Get a sketchbook and start drawing
Grow a garden
Learn to sew or quilt
Pick up a new sport
Start a blog
There are hundreds of more hobbies and plenty of opportunity to find one that fits your interests and needs. The best part of picking up a new hobby, whether it be crocheting or baking, is that you don't have to be perfect at it. Hobbies are meant for personal enjoyment, so once you no longer enjoy that activity, you can simply choose something else. Whatever hobby you choose, rememeber to enjoy the simple things.
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