Lots of people suffer from some form of anxiety nowadays. Watching television or scrolling through social media can increase anxiety so it’s important to have other kinds of hobbies.
One of the great benefits of having a hobby is that it can redirect your focus from your anxiety thoughts to something that you enjoy doing and give you a sense of purpose. So, in this post, I’m going to share a few hobbies that are great for people who want to calm their overactive minds. Feel free to try at least one of these hobbies or activities. Just choose what feels good for you!
📷 Photography
Photography is a wonderful hobby for mental health. It allows you to be present at the moment, so those intrusive thoughts will be long gone and your mind will be at ease. It can help give you a little motivation to leave the house and take some long walks in fresh air to explore nature through the lens of a camera.
📚 Reading
Reading helps you relax because you give your mind a break from anxious thoughts by getting caught up in a book. Reading allows you to go to other places that will help take your mind off of your own anxiety.
🧵 Crafting
Anything crafty can be a great distraction and relaxing. It can be doing a DIY gift, crocheting, doing an activity jar, sewing and so much more.
✍🏼 Journaling
Journaling can be extremely beneficial to your anxiety and overall mental health. By writing everything down you can easily process your thoughts and feelings. Maintaining a journal can be a great hobby that will help you gain control of your feelings and improve your mental wellbeing.
🏃 Exercise
Any exercise is good for anxiety and stress relief. Just choose what works best for you. But in my personal opinion, the best exercise for anxiety is doing yoga.
👩🏽🍳 Cooking
For some people it can be stressful, for others it’s a very therapeutic hobby. Also, the food you eat can also affect your mood. So, cooking healthy meals is also good for your overall mental health.
🎨 Coloring
The act of coloring can be relaxing and the finished product offers a sense of reward. You’re also practicing mindfulness because you reconnect to the present moment. You can easily find tons of adult coloring books to help relieve stress and anxiety.
🚶♀️ Going for walks
Go outside and go for a walk. Surround yourself with trees, or by the beach, somewhere away from buildings and people. It’s one of the best things to clear the mind and feeling relaxed. Try using a fitness tracker and hitting a step goal every day.
Having something to help you clear your mind is great for those who tend to be anxious. Try something on here that you’ve never done before and see what types of benefits you can gain.
What are your favorite hobbies that are good for anxiety? Let me know in the comments! 😊
Thanks so much for the post! It is life changing. I personally love reading novels and perhaps its my hobby. Though, I didn’t know it is an anxiety reliever. I’m going to continue reading novels per the advice.
AWESOME! I tend to think that tv is a good way to rewind…however…i learned HERE that it is NOT good and i will change ways of relaxing! Taking a walk with camera and then reading is wonderful…i bring book with me and do both!! I enjoy working on stain glass and gardening…plants are very calming to me. I love to watch JOYCE MYERS..a bible teacher in VERY REAL TO LIFE WAY OF SHARING her road to spirituality. My God…as i understand him, provides much peace and inner joy to everyday!
I love your comment and I am gonna try to do that as well. It is hard to get out of the house and not having walking buddy to do it. Bit it is worth it I guess. I used to listen to Joyce Meyer too…!
Thank you🙏..
When my mind and body collapsed by anxiety, I will start to scroll an Instagram for many hours and watch television..
You have proved it wrong.. Yes, I will try something better among that you have recommended for us. 😍
I love playing Badminton, it helps me to step away from my thoughts. The article is simple and beautifully written.
Thank you.
Para mí el escuchar música mientras leo, escribir un diario, algo que ya estoy retomando, caminar mientras práctico respiración consciente es de lo mejor.
Thanks for this post. I love reading and I will definitely do yoga for my mental health
Hey mam…I love reading , cooking as well as drawing…but in today’s busy schedule I fail to allot time to read and draw. Correctly said that it’s a great stress reliever…thank u for motivating to dust out the forgotten hobbies..let me give a kick start..
That was awesome
I am always blessed to meet pipo that build my life 😍 thank you
Journal my thoughts to help me clear my mind and see clearly the core issue in my life. Thanks a lot for this. Please keep up the great work 🙂
Thank you. I hope i will do it🙏
Today I’m going to try to change my negative mindset and I would really like to become a positive person again. I had a daughter would was killed in a tragic car accident several years ago and obviously it has left me totally devastated so I’m trying to become a positive, happy person again. Here I go! I’m looking forward to see what I can do to turn my life around for the sake of my mental health and for my family.
Thanks. It is useful for me. I impressed. This topic and hobbies. You did well. Congratulations.
My hobbies are reading books, meditation and exercise. I will try new things from what you shared about these hobbies.
Thank you for the additional hobbies to consider. Music has always helped me so much. TV can work for me too. Swimming or anything near water is also very calming to me.
It was soo useful ❤️
Thank you soo much for this ❤️
Thank you, very useful information 💖
Thanks 😊 yes, I love crafting. Now I’m into origami!
Thank you so much for your suggestions 😊
Thank you…
Thank you for this article. Very enlightening & inspires me to start journaling again. I went through a very traumatic divorce after I caught him cheating on me with the daughter of a neighbor that was my daughters age. Never thought for one minute of our 23 years together that he’d cheat on me. But I was wrong obviously. It’s been 7 years now & he moved her in the same day I left. I’m still missing my marriage & never got closure. We are now at retirement age & I feel cheated out of our retirement years together. I will begin to journal again. Helped before. Thank you.
I will try atleast two of those tips.
I find it a bit weird what is commonly said about TV and social media. I understand the news can cause anxiety, or certain types of movies or series. But my head falls on the screen if I dare to scroll at night. Also, I gave up on watching movies or series, because I repeatedly fall asleep, no matter how exciting is the movie I’m watching, and oftenly the same happens to my husband. Are we overtired or we’re just weird?
That’s was so helpful thanks
My hobbies are do exercise, reading and cooking
I am learning musical instrument ukulele . I draw Rangoli it’s my hobby . When I feel bored ,I watch storytelling videos on YouTube which helps me to improve myself . I go for all walk around. I call to friends.