So you have been feeling stressed and anxious lately and it’s starting to affect your health. 

You know you need a way to reduce stress and anxiety. But you want a fun and easy way to do so. Well, hobbies are one of the best ways to reduce stress and anxiety naturally. 

There are several types of hobbies and a wide range so you just need to find one that matches your personality.  But what is a hobby? 

What is a Hobby? 

A hobby is an activity that you do for fun or relaxation in your free time. 

Do Hobbies Help with Anxiety and Stress? 

One of the common markers of stress and anxiety is excessive worry. You tend to think about the same thoughts which are normally unpleasant and unwanted.

The simple solution is to stop thinking about those negative thoughts but it’s not that easy.  If you have suffered from excessive worry then you can testify to that. 

However, engaging in a hobby that you are truly interested in and one that requires active thinking can provide relief. 

I find that hobbies are very helpful in providing relief from worry because my mind has to be actively involved in the process. Some hobbies provide a challenge so your mind becomes focused on finding solutions.

Consequently, your mind will have no time to think about “what ifs” and “what could have been”. Instead, it will think about ways to be creative and ways to overcome challenges. 

The hobbies that require strategy, problem-solving and a mind that is present in the moment are the ones that are likely to aid in breaking the habit of worry or rumination. These hobbies can be creative, sports-related or even board games.

In this blog post, I have divided the hobbies into the 3 categories so you choose based on your personality, interests and preferences. 

Creative Hobbies 

Let’s look at creative hobbies first. These bring out artistic traits and develop skills that you can share freely or monetize. 

In the past when I wanted to reduce stress and anxiety naturally, I chose to make wigs. That was so fun! 

Instead of worrying endlessly, I chose to use my energy to create something useful. I dedicated my time to learning how to make wigs, getting the supplies and actually making the wigs. 

Soon I had acquired a skill, had a new hairstyle and I stopped worrying significantly. 

You may not be interested in wig-making but many other hobbies can provide similar or even better results and relief from stress and anxiety. 

Other creative hobbies such as writing and colouring can be quite therapeutic

Here are 14 creative hobbies to relieve stress and anxiety naturally.

1) Soap making

2) Painting

3) Drawing 

4) Colouring

5) Sculpting

6) Jewellery making

7) Origami

8) Photography

9) Graphic Designing

10) Sewing

11) Crocheting

12) Knitting

13) Writing songs, poems or blog posts

14) Cooking/Baking

15) Gardening

Suggested Article: 5 Benefits of Self-Care You Need to Know

Sports 

Sports often require you to be focused and to keep your head in the game. 

Sporting activities that involve the use of a ball will require you to keep your eyes on the ball which will help you to stay in the present and less in the past or far future. 

Some sporting activities even require strategy and tactics to defeat the opponent so this will keep your mind on the game if you want to win.

Sports also provide multiple benefits since it aids in lessening rumination and you gain the benefits of exercise. 

These benefits include:

  • Better sleep and mood
  • Boost in energy 
  • Weight control 

Below are some sporting activities that will help you to get out of your head. 

1) Football/Soccer

2) Basketball

3) Tennis

4) Badminton

5) Volleyball

Suggested Video: How Exercise Changed My Mental Health

Games

You can also play games that require strategy. These will help you to stop thinking about your problems and start devising plans and strategies to succeed. 

Here are some games to reduce stress and anxiety naturally.

1) Checkers

2) Chess

3) Scrabble

4) Sudoku

5) Word searches

6) Dominoes

7) Jigsaw puzzles

Takeaway

There are several ways to reduce stress and anxiety naturally and hobbies are one of the best ways. You can choose the ones that best suit your interest and personality. 

If you like to stay indoors, then you may choose to play chess and scrabble or you may choose graphic designing and crocheting. 

If you prefer to be outdoors, then you may choose volleyball or tennis. And if you want a mix, then you can go for photography. 

If you have an interest in these hobbies but you don’t know how to do them, you can watch YouTube videos or take free courses online. 

There’s no excuse why you can’t get started.

If you want more self-care ideas, then make sure to download my FREE 21-Day Self-Care Challenge Checklist. This checklist will help you to develop a habit of including self-care activities in your daily routine. 

Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor, therapist or a licensed mental health professional hence this information is not suitable for professional medical advice. Do not use this information as an excuse to stop taking prescribed medication.