You know what’s wrong with a lot of people anymore? They don’t have real hobbies. Too many people when I ask them what they do in their spare time say things like “Netflix,” “YouTube,” “Shop online,” “Listen to music.”
Not that any of that’s bad. Those are nice things to do for entertainment and relaxation when you don’t feel like doing much else. But I wouldn’t really call any of them hobbies. At least, not the type of hobbies I think creatives in particular benefit from.
If you’re like most artists, boredom is a serious issue. Under-stimulation is a villain that can often leave you feeling dull, depressed, and uninspired. But art is a lot of work, and we can’t do it all the time. Rest and downtime are important. Hobbies can be a form of active-rest that can bring fun and variety into your day-to-day life.
The trick is to find one that works for you. Here are a few things to consider when you look for a hobby.
What to look for in a hobby:
- The right learning curve Everything requires a bit of a learning curve. Acquiring a new skill is part of what makes engaging in hobbies fun. But you have to know how much learning you’re willing to do. Don’t choose something that overwhelms you. That would defeat the purpose. A good option is to start with activities you’ve done in the past. What did you do as a child that might have some slightly more advanced version you would like to try now?
- Mental engagement Yes, you probably want your hobbies to be fairly easy, but if they take too little brain-power, what’s to keep your mind from wandering to all the other things you think you should be doing when you’re trying to enjoy yourself for once? Look for something that requires you to be mentally present. Let yourself shamelessly focus on something “unimportant” now and then.
- A chance to connect with others A lot of hobbies are solo pursuits, but not all of them have to be. Sometimes it can help to do something that other people join you in. Weather it’s one-on-one time with friends or family members or joining clubs or groups, hobbies can be a rare chance for us solitary creative types to interact with other humans. And if you have something you actively do with other humans, you can avoid some of the painful small talk, which is a huge bonus.
- Relaxed expectations Let’s face it: we creatives have extremely high expectations for ourselves. We can get very hung up on our goals and always seem to end up dissatisfied with our own performance. With hobbies, we can actually get some practice in not being so hard on ourselves for a change. Look for something you find enjoyable even if you aren’t any good at it.
- Fun Yes. Hobbies should be fun. Don’t do anything just because it’s popular or impressive or seems like something you should enjoy when you don’t enjoy it. Find something that’s actually fun for you.
Okay, so you want ideas. Here are my ideas. Feel free to start here.
Hobbies to Consider
- Gardening
I dove into this one this year and I don’t regret it. It gets you outside, gets you active, and lets you exercise your artistic mind with design and planning for landscaping and plantings. I built a goldfish pond with a mini waterfall earlier this summer. I also planted a couple of flowering cherry trees which will be awesome if they survive the deer.
What if you don’t have that kind of space? Try container gardening or terrariums. Get into houseplants. (Get a snake plant if you’re afraid you’ll kill it. They’re basically immortal.)
- Art journaling
Every time I think about multimedia art journaling I wish I did a lot more of it. Go get yourself a sketchbook with good heavy paper and start right now. I don’t care if you think you’re visually artistic or not, you have to try it. Look up some inspiration on Pinterest and start ripping things up and gluing things down and splattering paint and writing aesthetic quotes over it all in your messiest hand lettering. Trust me.
- Inventing games
Have you ever tried this? I feel like everyone makes some ambitious attempts when they’re kids. I certainly made up quite a few. I still do it now and then. If you have a playful side in your creativity at all, you could try inventing a board game a card-game or some active game if you have the energy. (If you have the opportunity to test these on kids, all the better. You can get your hands on free or cheap programs for creating computer games if you have any technical inclination. Both of my younger brothers do this occasionally.
Honestly, what I really want to try someday is writing escape room games. They fascinate me. I love the combination of puzzles, storytelling, and in-person participation. I’ll probably try that someday.
- Cooking
I’m a bit of a disaster in the kitchen myself, but some people have a lot more patience for cooking and baking than I do. Honestly, if you’re one of these people, or think you could be, please spend some of your free time adventuring in that department. Not only are you doing something creative and fascinating, you’re also doing a service for humanity by bringing more great food into the world. That’s something everyone can appreciate.
- Photography
I’ve never taken a single photography class. I don’t even have a working camera besides the one on my phone right now. But I love photography. I really enjoy going out on a hunt for subjects, perspectives, and lighting to capture and bring home. Then there’s the editing part which is also quite satisfying even if you’re not a pro. Overall, I feel like photography makes me look at the world differently, which is something I always find exciting and worthwhile.
- Pen-Paling
Why did we have to stop writing letters? Sending and receiving letters is a unique experience. Weather you enjoy it for the chance to improve your handwriting, a way to deepen friendships or an opportunity to create intricate mail-art, getting a pen-pal makes for a unique hobby in this fast-paced Snapchat world. And you know you need to talk to your friends more.
- Anything that gets you outdoors or active
You’ve got to get away from your desk, you know? Start familiarizing yourself with the area hiking trails. Stargaze, birdwatch, beachcomb. Take square-dancing classes or taekwondo. You get the idea.
Tips on Making and Protecting Free Time
But you’re so busy. I know. You probably have a job, maybe school, maybe kids. Maybe for you, your creative work already fills the need for a hobby. In which case, you’re probably doing fine—as long as you make the time to do the unimportant things now and then.
The whole point is, you can’t always be in survival-mode. Sometimes you need to play and have fun, even as a busy adult driven to accomplish your goals and take your work, creative or otherwise, seriously. Fight for a bit of free time now and then. Artists need it. Actually, all humans need it, but artists particularly will suffer if they can’t get a moment to breathe.
How do you make sure you get free time?
- Track how you spend your days—find out where you’re losing time
- Get off your phone
- Don’t mindlessly consume—don’t waste time on entertainment you don’t even like that much
- Say “no” to things sometimes
- Don’t overbook yourself—keep your to-do lists reasonable
Do you have any hobbies? What do you wish you had time for?