Keeping your phone out of your hands is the first important step in soothing the modern mind, plain and simple. Could you do the hobbies mentioned in this article on your phone? Yeah, you could. You could do just about all of them on an app on your phone, but would the experience be the same? Not really. Why? Because you are still at risk of reading something negative if it pops up. You might get an unfortunate social media notification or a text message that you’re not in the right mental space to handle.
Putting the phone away, getting dirt on your hands, and being completely covered in yarn and puzzle pieces force you to stay in the moment, focus on the task at hand, and give your mind a chance to slow down and relax while doing these hobbies! So, what classic hobbies are we talking about, and what are some of their benefits? Let’s jump in!
Classic Hobbies and Their Benefits for the Mind
Knitting
One significant aspect of knitting that is good for the mind is the repetitive motions. The repetitive nature triggers a serotonin release, increasing your mood and overall well-being! Knitting creates a meditative state, and the focus and concentration required for this hobby distract your mind from everything else and keep your mind in the present. It’s been said that the benefits go beyond just lowering your depression and anxiety; it can also be used to help those struggling with addiction, eating disorders, and even chronic pain.
Baking
There are so many benefits to adding baking as a hobby when you need time to unwind. For one, kneading the dough helps to relieve tension and frustration. It adds a level of self-expression through your ability to be creative, and the structured process of following a recipe can help people feel a sense of control. Engaging your five senses through baking will also release endorphins that will naturally boost your mood. The repetitiveness is calming and creates mindfulness, which allows you to stay present in what you’re doing and not dwell on the negative.
Bird-watching
The benefits of bird-watching go far beyond enjoying the calming sounds of the birds and being in nature. Focusing on observing makes you don’t think about the negative, and it clears your head! It has even been said that it can help reduce sleep deprivation because it lowers your cortisol levels! This is one of those hobbies that can be referred to as a “granny hobby”, but from personal experience, nothing is more relaxing and soothing than being outdoors with these birds.
Gardening
Gardening is one of those hobbies that has a never-ending list of benefits, from sunshine exposure being able to help lower blood pressure to being able to mitigate PTSD symptoms. Having a hobby that involves being in nature is one of the best things to do when your mind overwhelms you. Being one with nature helps to lower anxiety, depression, and your overall stress levels. One thing that people don’t think about is how it also enhances your self-esteem! It can give you a sense of accomplishment even when it might not go as planned. So get down and dirty, everyone; if your hands are full of dirt, there is no room for your phone!
Painting
Painting and any artistic expression have a minefield of benefits. There is a reason so many people use art in therapy, for both children and adults. Painting is very task-focused, which promotes mindfulness. It reduces overthinking, and the repetitive motions are soothing for the mind. One major thing painting can achieve is promoting emotional release, which can be extremely cathartic! Also, when the painting is done, it will activate dopamine, which is the pleasure and reward part of the brain! If you’re someone like me who is not great with a paintbrush, grab paint numbers; the results will be the same!
Puzzles
When you successfully solve a puzzle, whether a jigsaw puzzle, a crossword, or a word search, dopamine is released! Concentrating on finding clues and solving puzzles trains the brain to stay on task, which means staying present in the moment. You’ll feel accomplished, boost your self-esteem, and create an overall sense of calmness! Putting together a puzzle is one of those hobbies that can be soothing to do alone or can be done together to foster closer connections with others!
Final Thoughts
Being able to stay in the moment and lowering your cortisol levels are two major things to consider when determining how to soothe your mind through these various hobbies. In the modern world, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and grab your phone to doom scroll on the various social media platforms, but is that really helping? In the end, it’s probably causing more harm than good. Therefore, using your hands for something other than holding your phone is the first step to helping calm your mind and your body when things become too much. Being able to connect back with ourselves is vital to helping reduce stress and improve our overall well-being!
So, what classic hobbies would you do? Would you grab a crossword and sit out and bird-watch for a morning? Could you start a little garden on your kitchen windowsill? What classic hobby would be your pick the next time you need to escape the modern world?
