An Engaging Hobby Supports Your Mental Health

So much of our time is booked in advance. You have your work schedule—which is itself booked solid with meetings and calls and whatnot. You have responsibilities outside of work that take up a lot of time. You might have to get the kids from here to there and back again, for example. You might have commitments to your faith community or to an organization for which you volunteer. You might devote significant hours each week to chores or home improvement. It can seem like every minute of every day is accounted for.

Given all of those responsibilities and demands, it might seem ridiculous for us to suggest that you really ought to have a hobby because hobbies are good for your mental health.

Nevertheless, we do recommend that you take time to enjoy an engaging hobby because hobbies are, in fact, good for your mental health.

Hobbies Are About Doing What You Like

In a recent blog post, we wrote about the importance of rest—including getting enough sleep, building regular breaks into the workday, protecting your weekends, and taking vacations. In passing, we mentioned that weekends can be a good time to enjoy a hobby.

Since hobbies were just an aside in that entry, we want to use this post to go into more detail about how hobbies can support your mental health. And the most obvious reason to pursue a hobby might be this: your hobby is for you—and that means you should pick an activity you truly love.

Knowing that you are going to spend time doing something you really enjoy gives you something to look forward to—and that in and of itself is a great way to give yourself a mental boost. 

So, when you are thinking about a hobby, give some serious thought to what you really enjoy. If you are not sure, it is perfectly okay to try out a number of things. You might find you enjoy collecting something. You might find you enjoy spending time in nature as a hiker or a birdwatcher or a gardener. You might discover a love of board games or video games or playing pickup basketball. You might dust off a musical instrument you used to play or take up a new one. With a little trial and error, you can find the right hobby for you.

Hobbies Are About Relaxing and Recharging

Having something to look forward to is great. Doing the thing you have been looking forward to can be even better. Ideally, the time you spend with your hobby is time you do not spend worrying about any of your day-to-day pressures and obligations. Giving your full attention to your hobby gives your body and brain a chance to relax—and that relaxation allows you to recharge in a healthy way. 

Relaxing and recharging, it perhaps goes without saying, support your mental health. So, dive into your hobby and experience real benefits you can carry into the rest of your life.

Hobbies Can Be About Connection

There are plenty of hobbies you can enjoy on your own. But there are also plenty of hobbies you can enjoy with others—and that can be good for your mental health, too. After all, strong relationships underpin good mental health, and spending time with friends who enjoy the same things you enjoy can be wonderful.

We gave some examples of shareable hobbies above, including playing games, making music, and more. Just make sure that any competitive aspect of your shared hobby stays friendly. Remember, you are relaxing, not putting pressure on yourself to win or be the best at some activity.

Here’s the Trick: Put Your Hobby in Your Calendar

This might seem counterintuitive, but the key to ensuring you make time for your hobby is to put it in your calendar. After all, that is where all your important responsibilities go, and you should think of your hobby as an important responsibility you have to yourself and your mental health. 

So, take your relaxation and recharging opportunities seriously by getting them into your schedule. If you do, we are confident you will experience mental health benefits.

Helping You Is No Hobby for Us

Located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Peak View Behavioral Health helps individuals improve their mental health and maintain those improvements over time. If you are struggling with anxiety, depression, an issue grounded in trauma, or another mental health disorder, we can help.

We are committed to evidence-based treatment practices that we personalize to address your specific needs. You can count on our high levels of expertise, our years of experience, and our spirit of empathy as we work with you to improve your life. We provide assessment, diagnosis, rapid stabilization, and ongoing support and care. Our residential treatment program provides a safe place to work toward better mental health via round-the-clock care that includes physician supervision, medication management, and group therapy.

When you are ready to get started, we are ready to help.