Top 5 Pandemic Hobbies: Dealing with Lockdown Stress
Everyday stress has already taken a toll on our health. But what about the stress of being cooped up in our homes?
That’s what the 2020 lockdown was all about. Isolation and fear of infection caused so much stress that this unforgettable year worsened the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues for many.
As a result, people found various ways to cope with lockdown stress, including taking up new hobbies.
2020’s worldwide lockdown has freed up a lot of our time, so it comes as no surprise that many have taken an interest in playing around with new hobbies. It’s a healthy, therapeutic, and productive way to spend our free time.
Whether you’re planning to take up a new hobby or just interested to learn about some of the most popular pandemic pastimes, here are a few hobbies that people around the globe have picked up.
Gardening
Plant moms, plant dads, not-so-good plant parents, and even small nursery businesses have popped up all over social media. During 2020, many have tried their hands at gardening and found out whether they had a green thumb or not.
“Gardening adds years to your life and life to your years.”
Gardening is one of the most therapeutic hobbies out there. Giving your plant babies some TLC and seeing that effort in how they appear — that’s pretty rewarding, to say the least.
With gardening as a hobby, you’re beautifying your yard, purifying the air around you, and growing nourishing food as well. Plus, you get some vitamin D, fresh air, and exercise from pulling weeds and getting your hands dirty.
If you want to take up gardening, you should know that you need to get a set of gardening tools, have an outdoor storage shed in which to keep them dry, and learn the sun, water, and soil requirements of each plant.
Arts and Crafts
What better way to cope with stress than creating something with your hands? Taking up arts and crafts isn’t only limited to kids — it’s also a hobby that reduces stress and even boosts mental health.
“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”
- Pablo Picasso
There are so many kinds of arts and crafts you can enjoy, from painting and drawing to sculpting and photography. With the invention of drawing tablets, many express their creativity through digital art too.
Like gardening, you have to buy the necessary tools to get started on arts and crafts. The tools and media you’ll need will, of course, depend on the kind of art you’re planning to enjoy.
3D Printing
Bringing ideas to life is made easier by 3D printing. It’s not only about making things, but it’s also about learning and going beyond the limits of your imagination.
“We have developed the technology of 3D printing a light source ‘from scratch’, with one touch of a button.”
- Daniel Stolyarov
From phone cases and unique key holders to planters and scale models of cityscapes, you can create just about anything with a 3D printer. Yes, it does take a bit of time to learn how to operate this incredible machine, but what better time to do so than during lockdown?
That’s why many have gotten their hands on one, downloaded from a wide range of free design files out there, and printed out useful things for their homes. Plus, it’s fairly easy — anyone who knows how to work a computer can master the basics of 3D printing.
And the best part about this high-tech hobby? You can easily find the best 3D printers at a super affordable price.
Exercise
Everyone knows the benefits of exercise, but not everyone has the time to work out. That had no longer been an excuse during lockdown.
“Exercise is a celebration of what your body can do. Not a punishment for what you ate.”
Apart from the obvious advantages (like better physical health), regular exercise can promote better sleep and improve mental health. It’s a sure-fire way of dealing with stress, and it’s a great way to cut down the extra pounds from stress eating.
During lockdown, a lot of people have incorporated home workouts in their everyday routines, such as yoga, pilates, and resistance training exercises.
With all the kinds of home workouts you can do, practicing one (and sticking to the routine) can get pretty intimidating at first. So when choosing a kind of workout, it all boils down to what you enjoy and what you think you can do on a regular basis.
Home Improvement Projects
There’s no better time to bust out the tool box than during lockdown. Rather than staring at uneven kitchen cabinets or peeled off wallpapers, people have kept their homes nice and tidy with the time on their hands.
If you want to work on some home improvement projects, it doesn’t have to be huge or expensive. There are lots of simple budget-friendly projects you can do, like creating a DIY shoe caddy to keep your shoes organized, installing pleasant ambient lighting, and building a closet organizer.
In a time of instability, hobbies are a go-to haven for comfort, safety, and happiness. Picking up a hobby might be considered a form of escapism, yes. And if it is, so what? It’s a form of therapy and self-care that shouldn’t only be limited to a troubling experience but should also be part of everyday life — pandemic or not.
