If you’re bored or need a new activity to kill some time, finding the right hobby can help you feel happy and fulfilled. Whether you’re looking for a way to relax, be creative, or stay active, there’s a perfect activity out there for you and we’ll help you find it! Keep reading for tons of different options so you can find a new hobby to enjoy.
Things You Should Know
- Look for activities you liked doing when you were younger, like playing board games, doing arts and crafts, or playing sports in a rec league.
- Do an activity that you already enjoy to continue learning, such as reading, cooking and baking, playing an instrument, or shooting photography.
- Try out new activities to see what sticks, like gardening, making music, creative writing, or scrapbooking.
Steps
Expert Q&A
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QuestionShould I turn my hobby into a career?Adrian Klaphaak is a career coach and founder of A Path That Fits, a mindfulness-based boutique career and life coaching company in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is also an accredited Co-Active Professional Coach (CPCC). Klaphaak has used his training with the Coaches Training Institute, Hakomi Somatic Psychology, and Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS) to help thousands of people build successful careers and live more purposeful lives.I think we're living in a really unique time when almost any hobby can be turned into a job. I had a client who loved belly dancing, and now she travels around the world teaching belly dancing lessons and performing. It can take some time to get to the point where you're making meaningful money doing what you love, but you can always work towards this goal on the side while you're still at your normal job.
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QuestionWhat should I do if I start getting bored with my hobby?Adrian Klaphaak is a career coach and founder of A Path That Fits, a mindfulness-based boutique career and life coaching company in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is also an accredited Co-Active Professional Coach (CPCC). Klaphaak has used his training with the Coaches Training Institute, Hakomi Somatic Psychology, and Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS) to help thousands of people build successful careers and live more purposeful lives.I think it helps to connect with other people who enjoy the same thing you do. If you used to love collecting stamps and you're kind of getting bored with it, try reaching out to an online stamp-collecting community. Talk to them. Trade stamps, or talk about your collection. That's a great way to reignite your love for a hobby.
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QuestionHow can I figure out if I enjoy a hobby?Adrian Klaphaak is a career coach and founder of A Path That Fits, a mindfulness-based boutique career and life coaching company in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is also an accredited Co-Active Professional Coach (CPCC). Klaphaak has used his training with the Coaches Training Institute, Hakomi Somatic Psychology, and Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS) to help thousands of people build successful careers and live more purposeful lives.By doing it! You're never going to figure out if you enjoy something if you never give it a shot. There's no reason you can't stop pursuing a hobby if it turns out that it isn't right for you.
Video
Reader Videos
Tips
- Pick a free or inexpensive hobby if you don't have much wiggle room in your budget.Thanks
- If you loved doing something as a kid, look for a variation of the activity that would make an enjoyable hobby for you now.Thanks
- Think about the enjoyable things you gravitate toward doing when you have some spare time. If you already love reading books, then maybe you could try writing a story of your own.Thanks
Tips from our Readers
- Don't be afraid to try something new! Try doing 10 new things you like and pick your favorite one as a hobby.
- Try out different hobbies that your friends like to see if you're interested in them as well.
References
- ↑ https://www.piedmont.org/living-real-change/health-benefits-of-reading
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/click-here-happiness/202109/how-start-journaling-practice
- ↑ https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2019/08/22/how-to-actually-listen-to-music/
- ↑ https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2019/0515/p620.html
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-healthy-engaged-brain/202004/the-benefits-brain-boosting-hobbies
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10086468/
- ↑ https://ruralmom.com/2019/01/new-year-new-ideas-how-to-craft-for.html
- ↑ Adrian Klaphaak, CPCC. Career Coach. Expert Interview. 18 December 2018.
- ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/10/smarter-living/the-case-for-hobbies-ideas.html
- ↑ https://www.meetup.com/blog/tis-the-season-to-start-a-cooking-or-baking-hobby/
- ↑ https://digital-photography-school.com/3-tips-on-how-to-approach-photography-as-a-hobby/
- ↑ https://www.pennmedicine.org/news/news-blog/2017/january/playing-an-instrument-better-for-your-brain-than-just-listening
- ↑ https://www.nsdancing.com/dancing-as-a-hobby/
- ↑ https://theactorsplace.org/can-acting-be-a-hobby/
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/language-in-the-mind/202002/how-learn-new-language-and-why-it-matters
- ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/brew-beer-at-home/
- ↑ https://www.ngsgenealogy.org/free-resources/tips-family-history/
- ↑ https://bootcamp.cvn.columbia.edu/blog/coding-for-beginners/
- ↑ https://allshire.org/getting-started-robotics/
- ↑ https://blog.cwf-fcf.org/index.php/en/bird-watching-a-healthy-happy-hobby/
- ↑ https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/gardening-for-beginners-10-tips/
- ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/10/smarter-living/the-case-for-hobbies-ideas.html
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/benefits/
- ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21496106/
- ↑ https://americanhiking.org/blog/hiking-for-beginners-essential-guide/
- ↑ https://www.outdoorproject.com/articles/how-get-rock-climbing-and-where-start
- ↑ https://www.army.mil/article/242786/depot_shines_spotlight_on_unique_employee_hobbies
- ↑ https://americorps.gov/sites/default/files/evidenceexchange/FR_2007_TheHealthBenefitsofVolunteering_1.pdf
- ↑ https://psychcentral.com/blog/how-travel-can-benefit-our-mental-health
About This Article
To find a hobby, try walking around a craft store or hardware store and seeing if anything inspires you, like model airplane kits or woodworking supplies. You can also think back to what you liked to do as a kid, whether it was drawing, painting, collecting comic books, or some other hobby, and then pick up where you left off. If you're looking for a cheap hobby, consider taking up writing, gardening, running, or camping. To learn how to find a hobby based on your current interests and passions, keep reading!
Reader Success Stories
- "It helped me find a new educational hobby. Last summer I decided to begin studying French once more. At first I read an old high school French textbook, later I searched for a private tutor online in addition. I also discovered the popular tool Duo lingo during this time as well. It was worth both the time and money invested. I really recommend trying out some free or low cost options first of all however. See what is at your local library, investigate Facebook, search Amazon, look at websites. " ..." more