Do you have fun contributions to make when your friends are talking about leisure activities or are you always the quiet one in the room when that topic comes up? If your answer is the latter, it’s time to pick up a cool pastime and regularly commit some time to it.
Don’t ever get too busy or serious to have a hobby. Hobbies are fun and enjoyable but they have other helpful benefits that will help improve your job and life. A good hobby could help:
- Relieve stress
- Sharpen your skills
- Form social connections
- Fetch extra income
- Boost self-confidence
You don’t always have to use your downtime to watch TV. If you are ready to find a new hobby, keep reading to pick from our comprehensive list below.
- Volunteering
Many of us don’t consider volunteering to be a hobby but it’s certainly a great way to spend your pastime. Becoming a part of a community of volunteers can have many positive impacts on your life. When you volunteer to a cause that matters to you, you’re giving back to the community and you will certainly feel good. Through volunteering, you can also boost your resume, learn new skills and make new friends.
- Walking, Hiking or Biking
Imagine you had a hobby that kept you active so your body could be healthier. When you pick up walking, hiking or biking, you can stay active without having to pay a gym membership. Start walking around your neighborhood or join friends on local trails to enjoy nature. If you prefer a faster paced activity, spend a few bucks on a bike and enjoy. The best part of this hobby is that you can enjoy it with friends and family.
- Camping
If you already love walking, hiking or biking, camping is a great hobby to pair with them. It is also fairly inexpensive as you can purchase basic camping needs under $200. Get yourself a sleeping bag, tent, some food, materials to start a fire, backpack, some self-grooming gear and you are good to go. If you’re not sure about camping, try it out with some experienced friends first to test if you’re going to enjoy the experience or not.
- Rock Climbing
Still in the active hobbies corner, rock climbing is a thrilling sport you can do indoors or outdoors. If you can find a class nearby, you will learn how to use basic equipment and become great at the sport in no time. You can tone your muscles and increase strength when you practice rock climbing. To get started, you will need a sturdy pair of rock climbing shoes, carabiner, a belay device, a helmet and a harness.
- Book Writing
If the thought of book writing makes you tired, you’re thinking about it the wrong way. You don’t have to become a world famous bestseller author overnight, no one actually does. Start light and easy by jotting down some ideas you have always wanted to share. You can write a few hundred words every other day until your book is finished. Self-publishing is easier than ever today so you can handle the distribution process by yourself.
- Astrology
If you love the stars, you will probably love astrology. It is the study of how cosmic objects like planets and starts affect human life. You can learn your astrological chart to understand the impact of the planets, sun, moon and stars on your life, relationships and career.
- Exercising
Talk about an amazing hobby to have for a lifetime. You’ve watched the TV commercials and seen the social media frenzy; everybody wants to keep fit. If exercise is your hobby, you will enjoy the process of getting and maintaining your physical and mental well-being. Whenever you have some spare time, throw out the unhealthy snacks, turn off your TV and switch to exercise mode. You can purchase a membership package at your local gym or purchase some home equipment to start. You don’t even need a lot of things, you can start off with body weight exercises and move up to more advanced levels from there.
- Playing an Instrument
You don’t have to restrict your learning of music to band class. You can learn how to play an instrument in your free time. It’s actually really easy. All you need is your instrument of choice and some tutorials. The internet has simplified this so much that you don’t have to pay expensive fees to have a personal instructor. You can follow comprehensive tutorials on YouTube and become a pro with time.
- Upcycling
When you make upcycling a hobby, you get to combine the fun and therapeutic sides of crafting to turn old unutilized belongings into new treasures. Start by finding something in your house that hasn’t been used in a long time. It’s easy to identify such items. They were once needed frequently but now sit in a corner gathering dust. Think of a new potential use for that item and get to work crafting. Once you get a hang of upcycling, you will probably never want to stop again.
- New Language
You can utilize your free time to expand your horizons and learn about a new culture through studying a new language. A lot of people desire to know two or more languages to have an edge in life and career. You can invest your free time into learning a new language and it will pay off as a valuable investment in the end.
- Start a Collection
Do you own a cool antique like a coin, a stamp or an old comic book? You can start a collection and make a point of growing it with unique pieces from all over the world. You don’t have to copy someone else’s collection, start with something you already have and love and it will be a beautiful collection with time. Your collection might be worth a lot of money in some years, so why not give it a try?
- Photography
Selfies and snapchat filters are great but learning photography will give you shots that a phone can never produce. It is also a creative hobby you can even make money from in the long run. Some people have a natural gift for photography but you can learn this skill with consistent practice. Don’t start off buying an expensive camera and advanced lenses that you might never use. Start with basic equipment and only advance after you have mastered them and are ready for a higher level of professionalism.
- Stand-Up Comedy
If you have an unusual fear of public speaking and are ready to get rid of it, this particular hobby is a great way to start. It’s also a great pastime to pick-up if you have always been a funny person but never utilized your skills. If you’re shy, you can start practicing in front of small familiar audiences like your friends and family members. Find a nearby bar or studio that will let you practice your stand-up comedy and you will get to make new friends along the way.
- Dancing
You know this list wouldn’t be complete without dancing on it and for good reason. Dancing is a popular hobby because it is fun, allows you to be social and gives a good exercise. You can take a dance class or learn how to dance from tutorial videos at home. It doesn’t matter if you’re interested in formal ballroom dancing or hip hop and break dancing, you will certainly enjoy stress release when you take up dancing as a hobby.
- Archery
Your patience, confidence, hand-eye coordination and focus will increase with continuous practice of archery. This individual sport is very similar to golf as it is quiet and requires precision. You will enjoy archery as you continue to improve.
- Quilting
This hobby doesn’t only allow you to be super creative, it gives you an opportunity to work with your hands. If you love being around beautiful fabric and you would like to create meaningful things that help people, quilting is a good habit to pick up. You can join a community of other quilters or do this hobby on your own.
- Journaling
Journaling allows you to combine your creative skills with writing for better improvement of your writing skills. When you journal often, your get to release stress through writing as you process thoughts and empty your mind on paper. You can journal on any topic you fancy, be it productivity, relationships or thankfulness.
- Wine tasting
You don’t have to be born fancy or live in France to learn and enjoy wine tasting. Become a connoisseur of fine wines by practicing wine tasting every chance you get. Do it when you open a bottle at home or when you’re out with a group of friends. You can even start a wine collection with your new found expertise.
They say that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy and they are right. It’s always fun to find interesting new ways to spend your downtime. Get out of your old boring routine and explore the many options available out there. We have listed enough options in this post to keep you occupied for a while so get stated right now.