When we think of hobbies, we usually think of exclusive activities that take a lot of time and represent a significant expense. Therefore, many times the idea of having one or more hobbies seems unfeasible, not because we don’t want to do the things, but because our finances and lifestyle are not compatible with taking up a new hobby “with all that entails”.
On the other hand, when we think of depression, we usually imagine a person lying in bed, crying non-stop and gulping down tubs of ice cream. However, depression has different levels and manifests itself in different ways in each person: a person who seems to be doing well may have one or more symptoms of depression, even if it has not worsened to the point where daily life is impossible.
Neither the pompous idea of hobbies nor the fatalistic idea of depression is entirely correct. In this article, we’re going to tell you about some easily accessible activities that can help motivate you and keep depression at bay.
Lack of Hobbies: A Red Flag
Being susceptible to boredom makes it necessary to seek out activities that stimulate pleasure and engagement. Motivation plays a fundamental role in this process, which allows us to find an emotional balance.
In fact, some psychologists specializing in depression point out that the absence of hobbies is a red flag in therapy: if a person has absolutely no hobbies and does not want any, the psychologist will try to exclude anhedonia which is the lack of motivation and indifference to stimuli, one of the main symptoms of depressive disorders.
Group Hobbies as an Option
If you choose leisure activities with a larger group of people, you will practice your social skills in an environment of trust: you and these people are in this place and you do this activity because you want to.
These types of hobbies are especially positive if you have a very individual job, where you can’t interact with many people during work hours. Paradoxically, they are also beneficial if your job requires you to interact with many people every day: it is not the same to be in a place and with some people by obligation as by choice.
Individual Hobbies
If, instead, you choose a hobby to do alone, surprise! You will also contribute to your ability to socialize: you will have something new and personal to tell your friends or partner, while having the power to decide how much you share what is yours.
Individual hobbies are especially recommended for people who typically experience high levels of stress and anxiety: the opportunity to focus and invest your energy in something that requires a certain level of attention, away from external stimuli and without the possibility of third-party judgments, can be a very valuable secret weapon for calming the mind.
Satisfying Hobbies
If you’re looking for a new hobby and you’re worried that you don’t have the money and, more importantly, the time to pursue it, don’t worry! There are many things you can do to distract yourself, motivate yourself, and feel happier. Some are free and have positive results that reduce that “wasted time” feeling you may have if your schedule is very busy.
Here’s a list that we have put together this list of ideas, hoping it will help you find that new activity that makes you smile.
- Renew your home. A very effective activity to calm the mind and disconnect from your obligations is to take care of your home, but not in the obligatory sense of cleaning and ordering so that your spaces are habitable, but with more care.
- Get some boxes and get rid of things you don’t need, that bring back negative memories or that you feel you should renew and get rid of them: surely someone will be great with what you no longer want.
- You can also organize those areas of your house that are normally left out of cleaning routines, such as attics or closets. With that new space available, rearrange your environment to give it a new look. Introduce improvements as simple as changing the aroma of the products you usually buy. In this way, you will feel that your effort has served to relax and has left you with a renovated home as a reward.
- Cook for an army. One of the most difficult challenges when you become independent is learning to control the amounts you cook. What if we told you that getting rid of that pressure can be a great hobby?
- Choose a group of people you want to address and take the time to think about each one of them, about the relationship that unites you, about the things you have experienced and the things you would like to tell them. Then, get a pen and paper and dedicate yourself to expressing yourself: either with a letter, with a story or with a drawing. Do not be afraid or ashamed, there are no limits or rush, after all, these creations are your new hobby and the idea is that they bring you calm and happiness.
- What to do after? Take your time to consider whether or not you will send this material to the person for whom you have created it. The answer is within you, so you will know if it is a good idea to give it away, keep it or destroy it. What no one is going to take away from you is that feeling of having spent time opening the windows of your heart.
Now that you know how important it is to have hobbies and how easy it is to find something to do to clear your mind and entertain yourself, don’t hesitate! Take time for yourself every week, have an appointment with yourself, set aside a couple of hours as if you had to go to the doctor or as if you had met someone super important to you… after all, it’s true: the most important person with the one you can stay, is you! So what are you going to try first? Let us know in the comments below.
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