6 Simple (But Amazing) Hobbies for Stress Relief

How you spend your free time has a huge impact on how well you will be able to manage stress.

Unfortunately, for many of us, we don’t really like to take days off.

With more money to make, bills to pay, & work that needs to get done.

It becomes a bit of a challenge to find the time to just relax and unwind.

I know I for one am guilty of this. However, my problem isn’t finding the time to unwind.

It’s finding a healthy way to unwind.

Your mind needs time to relax in order to perform at its best.

It can be easy to believe that in order to find the solution to our problems, we need to learn more and cram our brains until the solution becomes clear.

However, it’s easier for your mind to find answers when it’s relaxed opposed to when it is stressed.

That is why I have put together this list of 6 stress relieving hobbies to help you relax when you’re stressed so that the answers may flow better when you need them to.

Lets Get Right To It:

1. Morning Run

Going for a run in the morning is, in my opinion, one of the best ways to manage stress and improve your mood. (Well behind strength training 💪)

Going on a run in the morning becomes therapeutic.

Similar to meditation, it helps to get your mind off of everything that is going wrong or stressing you out.

I like to call it running meditation because you start to focus more on the running. You start to live in the moment and forget about everything else.

Not to mention all of the health benefits associated with exercising in the morning.

2. Hiking

Similar health benefits to running except you’re surrounded by nature!

By surrounding yourself with the beautiful sounds of birds chirping, the trees swinging back and forth from the cool breeze and the water flowing downstream (depending on where you are).

This, of course, helps to take your mind off of stress and more on the beautiful things Mother Nature has to offer!

3. Reading

I mean who doesn’t love a good book?!

Okay, maybe you don’t but hear me out first before you skip this section!

Now, I am a huge fan of reading self-help books, as well as, books related to your profession to help you learn and grow!

However, in this blog post, I want to talk about reading leisure books to unwind.

I am obsessed with reading intriguing books to help me relax.

I personally prefer reading over watching TV. (Well that was of course until I started watching Game of Thrones, but now that that's over its back to reading!)

There is just something so relaxing about reading a really good book. Visualizing the characters. Flipping through the pages in suspense trying to find out what’s going to happen next.

It allows you to escape and be lost in another world. More so than TV.

Reading also helps to keep your mind sharp and increase your brain power!

4. Cooking

Cooking is another great way to help you take your mind off of your stressors.

That is of course when you change the way you look at it.

We all love good food! This is why we go to our favorite restaurants or look for new places to eat.

But you can also make great food at home and have fun doing it if you stop looking at cooking as a chore and more of a hobby.

There is nothing quite like fixing up a new recipe with ingredients you have never tried before while drinking a glass of whiskey or wine and seeing how it comes out.

I know this seems like a disaster waiting to happen. (And full disclosure it doesn’t always end up working out)

But that's what makes it fun. Taking your mind off of things, experimenting and trying something new!

5. Music

Listening to your favorite song is a great way to take your mind off of things.

By listening to music that helps you dance or sing, you can pick yourself up and forget about the things that were even stressing you out in the first place.

This helps for when you have to go back and take on that challenge again. At least this time, you’ll be calmer and in a better headspace which may help you solve the problem.

 

Music playlist coming soon! Subscribe below to stay updated!

6. Drawing/Coloring

Whether you consider yourself a creative person or not. Drawing or even just coloring in a book is extremely therapeutic.

This is another hobby that helps to take your mind away from what’s going on, and more into what you’re doing.

Coloring helps you to relax, feel more calm, and happier.

Try coloring mandalas to help you unwind.

Let me know in the comments below what hobbies you use to relieve stress!