Relax and Unwind With Hobbies: 7 Unique Ways to Slow Down

You are probably here because you are looking for a hobby and confused about where to start. This article provides you with a variety of options.

Why Do We Need Hobbies?

In today’s fast-paced world, we are often stressed and overwhelmed, therefore, it is crucial to slow down and find ways to unwind. As Billy Joel sang in his infamous song Vienna, “Slow down you crazy child”. Hobbies can offer much-needed respite. Activities like watching TV, scrolling the internet, and playing video games can provide momentary pleasure, but not long-term satisfaction, often leaving us feeling overstimulated. 

That is why it’s important to explore different hobbies that provide stress relief and a sense of accomplishment. Hobbies nourish the soul and also make you a well-rounded individual.  Here are some unique hobbies you can dive into: 

Gardening

Gardening is a holistic activity that benefits your mind, body, and soul and is an excellent option for nature enthusiasts. It is an amalgam of various tasks like sowing seeds, cutting, digging, and watering. It can range from growing your vegetables to simply taking care of your indoor plants. Getting your hands dirty in the soil and witnessing the fruits of your labor as plants flourish can be a therapeutic experience while providing a sense of accomplishment. Gardening requires focus and attention, allowing you to forget about your problems for a while. A study by Bristol University indicates that bacteria in soil releases serotonin, which elevates mood and decreases anxiety.

Gardening also enhances the aesthetic appeal and purifies the air in your surroundings, whether it’s your backyard garden, terrace, or even indoor plants. And the best part is that it benefits the environment.

Knitting and crocheting

Knitting and crocheting are incredibly therapeutic hobbies that reward you with beautiful creations such as sweaters, cardigans, scarves, socks, and even small items like bookmarks. These hobbies also give you a sense of control, as what you create with the yarn is entirely in your hands. These activities improve hand-eye coordination and motor skills which can decline with age. The repetitive motions also enhance cognitive memory. Remember, the primary benefit of these hobbies is your mental health, so don’t fuss over perfection. So pick up a ball of yarn and make your move! And no, knitting and crocheting are not for grandmothers in rocking chairs!

Embroidery

Along the same lines, another hobby worth exploring is embroidery. Embroidery is the art of decorating a fabric using threads. It is a versatile activity as it can be done on old t-shirts, dresses, pillowcases, tote bags, and anywhere you want. You can also decorate your walls with embroidered pieces. While being a meditative and engaging activity, embroidery helps build patience to a certain extent as it is a long and time-consuming process. To start, you’ll need embroidery hoops, threads of your preferred colors, and needles.

Pottery

Pottery is an amazing hobby that soothes the mind and spirit. While spinning the clay, your mind and body are in a natural sync. Like any other art form, pottery can be used as an outlet to express yourself. You get to experiment with different glazes, forms, and textures. Recently, a lot of pottery classes and studios have emerged in India, making it easier to get started. The pleasure of seeing your ideas come to life can be deeply rewarding.

Candle Making

Decorative candles can create a cozy ambiance with amazing aromas. Candle-making is a unique and fascinating hobby that allows you to create custom candle fragrances of your choice- wood, floral, fruity. If you’re someone who enjoys making personalized gifts for your loved ones, candlemaking is the way to go. There’s a whole world of possibilities when it comes to candle-making. You can experiment with different colors, scents, and containers to create a variety of candles, including pillar candles, votive candles, and jar candles.

Moreover, candles can be made entirely environment-friendly using eco-friendly materials like soy wax instead of regular wax, wooden wicks in place of regular ones, and coconut shells instead of plastic containers.  The materials for candle making can be easily found online.

Scrapbooking 

Scrapbooking is a creative hobby that includes preserving and assembling memorabilia, photographs, and personal reflections on a journal or album in an aesthetic manner. This is a relaxing and fun activity that leaves you with a beautiful keepsake. Scrapbooking can be done with your daily bills, tickets, pictures, stamps, decorative stickers, and dried flowers, the possibilities are endless. The joy of buying cute stationary materials is an added benefit. Heal your inner child with this creative outlet for storytelling.

Puzzles

If you’re someone who does not have the time to buy different materials or incorporate other hobbies in your life, try puzzles like sudoku, word search, and jigsaw puzzles. Puzzles offer a break from the stress of your daily life while providing mental stimulation and enhancing your vocabulary and knowledge.

Another simple and popular hobby is reading. If you’re looking for a pick-me-up, check out Finding Comfort in Fiction: 5 Heartwarming Books.

Go for a hobby that fits your lifestyle and personality. If you’re already drawn to something in your life, try to expand on it.