Several months ago, I was totally burnt out. I felt like my life purely just consisted of going to work, coming home and eating dinner, watching a show on TV, going to bed, and repeating. After several weeks of this, I noticed myself easily becoming irritable. I struggled to truly stop thinking about work after I left and thought that my life was just based around it. After talking with my counselor about how stressed I was feeling, she asked if I had any hobbies. It had honestly been so long since I had intentionally invested time into hobbies that it was hard to come up with an answer. I simply responded with, “Well, I used to….”.
I quickly realized I needed an avenue to help me decompress in my spare time so I could truly relax and be more intentional with how I was living. After trying out some hobbies, I soon discovered I had more energy not only for work, but most importantly for my walk with the Lord, my family and my friends. I was so burnt out from the endless cycle of work and zoning out that I had nothing left in the tank to give. I find that activities such as the following list are much more life giving than zoning out with a TV show. If you can relate to my story, I hope that the following list sparks some ideas for hobbies that you might enjoy for more intentional living!
1. Walking
This is such a basic one, but so important. Not only does walking get your body up and moving, but can help get you fresh air which is so important for mental health. Take a walk around your neighborhood, find a great park nearby, or a hiking trail. It’s great to walk alone and spend time praying and processing life as well as going with my husband and talking our dogs with us.
2. Reading
Finding a good book that you can get lost in really helps your brain to decompress. Whether it’s a fiction or non-fiction book, finding something you look forward to and enjoy is the goal. I have found that I love reading at least one fiction book and one or two non-fiction books at a time, so I can always have something to read depending on what mood I’m in. Try visiting your local library to check out books for free. And don’t forget to check out my blog post about best Christian fiction and non-fiction books if you need some ideas!
3. Coloring
There are so many great adult coloring books out there. I personally have been enjoying this one that I picked up from Barnes and Noble. There are also other affordable options on Amazon, and have included some links below. I personally love to use colored pencils like this set, but markers or crayons always work too!
4. Podcasts
Podcasts are great because you can listen to them anytime, no matter what you’re doing. You can listen to them while driving home from work, running errands, doing chores around the house, or while doing another hobby like coloring or painting! Check out my blog post about my favorite Christian podcasts.
5. Painting
I never thought I’d be interested in painting. If I sit down with a paintbrush and blank canvas I have no idea where to begin. Around Christmas time however, I was invited to a friend’s house to paint wooden nutcrackers from Hobby Lobby, and I absolutely fell in love with painting wooden decorations! All you need is a couple of paint colors, a paintbrush, and something that you want to paint. I’ve picked up some acrylic paint from Walmart for $2.97 per bottle like these.
6. Bullet Journaling
I’ll admit that I jumped on the Pinterest band wagon with bullet journaling. When the new craze of drawing beautiful layouts and doodles on bullet journal grid paper happened, I grabbed myself one too. I love using Paper Mate flair pens personally, but any colorful pens or markers will do! Check out my bullet journaling post for some ideas.
7. Baking
The reason I love baking is because you get to follow a recipe. I know that’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I love knowing that if I put these certain ingredients together, I’ll get my desired outcome. Well, most of the time! I’ve been enjoying baking healthy alternatives to recipes that would normally be full of sugar, and I’ve noticed a difference with how it physically makes me better too. Make a double batch to bless your neighbors, family, and friends!
8. Journaling
Taking time to journal your thoughts, what happened during the day, or your prayers really helps your brain to decompress. I personally love to grab a pretty journal from Target or the cheapest I can find at Walmart, and write away with my Paper Mate flair pens!
9. Sewing
Sewing is another great hobby to pick up. Although this one is a little more involved and may require more supplies to start up, you can easily find fabric scraps at your local craft store and search Pinterest for projects that you can make. I received my sewing machine from a family member, so I’d recommend asking around if anyone is looking of rehoming their sewing machine or searching on Facebook Marketplace. Even finding simple projects that only require a hand needle and thread are great too. I’ve really enjoyed making quilts in the past to bless others.
10. Blogging
If you’ve got a computer and have something to share with others, blogging can be a great way to decompress. Not only is it fun to share your passions but you can help others learn something along the way too! I’d recommend looking into WordPress for starting up a blog.
I hope you enjoyed these ten hobbies for more intentional living. Slowing down and finding an outlet to decompress with can deepen your relationship with God and others. Let me know in the comments your favorite hobbies!
Much love,
Emily
Everyday with Emily Grace
Centering day to day life on Christ