- Introduction
- How To Find A Hobby: Practical Tips
- Transform What You Already Enjoy Into a Hobby
- Reclaim Your Childhood Interests
- Take a “Personality Test”
- Start Trying Random Things (and See What Sticks)
- Choose Something That Will Make You Forget About Your Day
- Take Note of What You Love To Buy As Guilty Pleasures
- See What You Want To Change About Yourself
- Think Of The Last Thing You Did That Made Time Fly
- The Benefits Of Having a Hobby
- Relaxing Hobbies To Try
- Fitness Hobbies To Try
- Skilled Hobbies To Try
- Creative Hobbies To Try
- Straight Up Escapism
- Conclusion
Introduction
Everyone needs something to give them a little more enjoyment in their day. Whether that’s an exercise activity, something creative, or something like gaming.
Of course, many of us establish our hobbies as children. Perhaps you joined a club at school for soccer and the interest has stayed with you throughout your life.
Maybe you joined the scouts and you have an interest in bird watching.
Do you know what people usually don’t talk about though?
How difficult it is to develop a hobby as an adult. There aren’t as many opportunities to find new hobbies as an adult – at least not ones that are obvious.
We often need to look a little harder to find new hobbies.
That’s why we’ve written this guide!
We know how important it can be to develop new hobbies so that we can learn and grow as we get older. Here’s everything that you need to know about how to find a hobby as an adult.
How To Find A Hobby: Practical Tips
Finding a new hobby for you can be tricky, but it’s a lot easier when you follow a few of these tips!
Transform What You Already Enjoy Into a Hobby
The very first thing that you should think about is what you already enjoy.
This can be a great foundation for finding a new hobby. For instance, perhaps you’ve always liked to draw.
You could develop this into a hobby, perhaps join an art class and refine your style. Would you prefer to draw realistic things or cartoons?
Perhaps you enjoy baking. You can turn this into a hobby, and bake for your friends and family members when they come to stay.
You don’t need to find an entirely new hobby. Just think about the things that you already enjoy, and then make that your hobby.
You could even turn watching TV into a hobby if you wanted to – perhaps you could start your own film or TV blog if you’re crafty with words!
Reclaim Your Childhood Interests
Sometimes it’s a good idea just to take a step back to our childhoods to find a new hobby for ourselves.
After all, most of us had more time as children and as such will have had more of an opportunity to explore the things that we enjoyed.
Think back to when you were a child. Perhaps you enjoyed making clothing for your dolls. In this situation, it may be worth trying to see if you can make clothes for yourself instead.
Maybe you enjoyed making model airplanes, or you enjoyed exploring the outdoors.
The point is, sometimes our childhoods can give us the inspiration that we need to find a new hobby.
Perhaps you won’t be playing with dolls again, but what we enjoyed as children can sometimes be modified when we’re adults.
Take a “Personality Test”
Everyone loves a good quiz, especially when it’s about themselves!
Personality tests can help you to learn a lot about yourself – such as the Myers-Briggs personality test.
They can help you to figure out how you behave in a career, or how you communicate best with your loved ones.
They can also help you to figure out what hobbies will be a good choice for you.
It’s worth looking into some personality tests to help you to find a hobby. They can give you some inspiration about the kinds of hobbies that you may enjoy.
Start Trying Random Things (and See What Sticks)
You know the phrase – you never know until you try! This most certainly applies when it comes to finding hobbies.
If you try out a number of different things then you may find a hobby that perhaps you had never considered before.
Maybe you’ve never thought of yourself as a sporty person, but as soon as you step on a badminton court or start lifting weights you feel more alive than you’ve ever felt before.
Perhaps you have a hidden creative streak that you didn’t know about before you’d tried that pottery class.
The world is your oyster and the more that you try new things, the more you can learn about yourself.
Some hobbies may not be for you and that’s okay, but there’s no way of knowing that before you give it a go.
Choose Something That Will Make You Forget About Your Day
Some people just need a hobby as a distraction, and that’s totally okay!
In that case, you should choose a hobby that will take up a lot of your attention, something that will help you to relax.
Think about the kinds of hobbies that will feel practically effortless to you. Anything that may seem stressful may not be the best choice if you’re trying to unwind.
That could be something like running to some of your favorite tunes – it gives you something to work towards without making you feel too stressed out.
It could be something like getting painting by numbers kits, or a hobby that lets you retreat into a world other than your own such as a fantasy RPG game.
Take Note of What You Love To Buy As Guilty Pleasures
What do you buy whenever you have a little bit of spare cash?
Perhaps you like to buy the latest fashions, or you like to buy artwork? Maybe you like to buy from the local bakery!
You should use these things as inspiration for your new hobby. If you’re interested in fashion then maybe pick up knitting.
If you like to buy artwork you could maybe try to make your own – it could even be sold later on once you get really good at it!
The items you buy are things that you enjoy, so it could be worth seeing if you can create them yourself!
See What You Want To Change About Yourself
You’re perfect the way you are, but it goes without saying that we all have little things that we want to change about ourselves.
Maybe you want to lose a little bit of weight or get into fitness for the sake of your health.
If this is the case, perhaps you could get into dancing, or lifting weights, or just try out activities that fit your goal that you think you may have a chance of enjoying.
Perhaps you don’t like the fact that you’ve become so bogged down with responsibilities that you’ve abandoned a part of your life that was very important before.
Maybe you had dreams of becoming a singer as a child and a teenager and you abandoned it when reality got in the way. Perhaps it’s time to take that old dream up again?
Think Of The Last Thing You Did That Made Time Fly
Time flies when you’re having fun! What was the last thing that you did that you enjoyed so much that time almost seemed to get away from you?
Think about what you were doing, and modify it into a new hobby for yourself.
You may just find something new that you love. Perhaps you were cleaning out your room, and organizing things is something that you find really enjoyable.
Maybe you can hone in on that and turn it into a hobby, such as doing something that involves strategy, or something like a big jigsaw puzzle that you really have to organize beforehand.
Look into the reason why the activity made time fly, and maybe you’ll find a new hobby for yourself by thinking of other activities that have similar structures.
The Benefits Of Having a Hobby
Why exactly should someone have a hobby, anyway? Well, as it turns out, there are a number of benefits to having a hobby!
Better Physical Health
Having a hobby, particularly one that hinges on being physically active, can have a huge impact on your health as a whole.
If you have a hobby that keeps you moving such as dancing, running, sports, gardening or yoga, you are more likely to see health benefits than you would if you were just sitting in front of the TV for the evening.
In fact, one study actually found that when you participate in activities that you enjoy during your leisure time, you may be more likely to lower your blood pressure, cortisol, BMI, and waist circumference.
You may even find that you feel more confident, you are more energetic and your physical health as a whole is improved.
More sleep
Sleep is good for your health, and yet most of us don’t get anywhere near enough of it. If you take up a new hobby though, you may find that you feel more tired throughout the day because you need to use your brain and body more.
This can help you to get to sleep more easily at night. Of course, one quick thing to note – don’t exercise right before bedtime.
This can sometimes end up keeping you awake thanks to the adrenaline. You should leave plenty of time between exercise and bed so that you can unwind.
Happiness
We’re always happier when we’re doing the things that we love.
Hobbies can give us an opportunity to do the things that we enjoy, and in many cases it also allows us to see results.
It can give us something to work towards in life and can give you a break from everyday life.
For many people, it can provide a form of escapism. It can also be a good form of mindfulness, especially for creative hobbies.
Having hobbies can help you to see the world in a new light sometimes, and on some occasions can even help with your career.
All of these things combine to help you feel much happier and more satisfied with life.
More friends
Looking for a way to connect with new people? Getting into a hobby can be a great way to do it. If you join a club or a group to do the hobby then you will probably find a lot of like-minded people that enjoy the same things that you do.
This means that you can enjoy socializing while you enjoy your hobby. You could even get your current friends involved with your hobby so it can bring you closer together.
Hobbies are a great bonding experience between friends and even for the family.
Improved work performance
Hobbies are actually a great way to improve your performance in your career, too.
They can allow you to learn all sorts of new skills and can help you to hone your creativity and language skills.
All of these things are great for your career, and you may even find that you can communicate better than ever before.
Your personal life can often seep into your professional life, and having a hobby is a good way to make this a positive thing.
Lower Stress
One of the best things about taking up a hobby is that it can help to lower your stress levels. You may find that you almost lose yourself in your hobby, and this means that you spend less time worrying about things that bother you and more time focusing on something else.
It’s a good distraction and can be a good thing for practicing mindfulness. It’s good for allowing you to stay present in the moment rather than worrying about the future.
Relaxing Hobbies To Try
Looking for a hobby to relax you? Here are just a few to try!
Yoga
If you’re looking to take up a physical activity to relax,
Yoga is a fantastic choice. This activity promotes mindfulness through movement, and with it you can expect improved strength after a while.
You may also begin to become more flexible as a result. It can be done by anyone – adults, children, people that are pregnant and you can even do couples yoga!
Of course, as with any physical activity, you should always check with your doctor first to see whether you can do it if you have any health concerns.
Otherwise though, it’s a great way to reduce your stress levels while still taking up a new hobby. You may even get to impress your friends with your new movement skills!
Yoga can be a little difficult to learn, which is why it’s always a good idea to make sure that you have something that can teach you what you’re doing.
This could be a class – either online or in-person – a youtube video, a book, or a range of other things in between.
If you needed any more convincing, here are just a few of the health benefits of doing yoga.
Reading
Reading is one of those fantastic hobbies to enjoy if you’re looking for a little bit of escapism.
There are a number of benefits to reading, for instance, it’s a great way to relax.
There are a range of different kinds of books to read, from more informational pieces to fictional pieces.
There’s something to fit every person’s taste, and it’s very easy to just get absorbed in a good book.
What’s even better is that reading isn’t limited to one location. You can read in your local cafe, in your bed, on the toilet – you name it.
Not only that but when you’re reading you can even learn new things, even if you’re reading a fictional book. It’s a great way to relax that costs very little money. All in all, a great hobby!
Gaming (Depending on The Game)
Gaming is a great hobby, despite the criticism that it can sometimes get.
Some people may say that video games are often too violent and that it involves too much time in front of a screen.
The fact of the matter is though that gaming can be a great hobby for adults, though this can sort of depend on the game that you choose.
For instance, gaming can actually help with creativity. There is a wide range of games out there that involve you needing to be creative. Popular examples are board games and Role Playing Games, the most famous of which is Dungeons and Dragons.
Others can help you to hone your problem solving and strategy skills, not to mention that gaming often requires a lot of focus, especially in the case of games like first-person shooters.
This can actually be very good for you, though it’s always important to make sure that you don’t have too much of a good thing, and to take a break every once in a while!
Writing
Need a good creative outlet? Have a flair for words? Writing may be the choice of hobby for you.
First of all, you can actually turn writing into a career for yourself if you like it and you’re good at it.
Writing is a great way to practice your imaginative and creative skills, and if you want to write novels then it can also help you to hone your planning skills too since you’ll have to plan the plot.
There are also a bunch of great writing courses online and in-person, and you can even join big events such as NaNoWriMo in November to show off your writing skills if you want to!
Mindfulness and Meditation
Many may consider meditation and mindfulness as a lifestyle practice, and in many respects, it is. On the other hand though, since meditation and mindfulness practice does take up some time and can be an enjoyable activity for many people, it’s also a great hobby.
Mindfulness and meditation are great stress-relieving activities, and they teach you not to judge and to always be present in the moment.
You can even incorporate mindfulness into other activities, or do things such as walking meditation to also get some mindfulness in.
If you’re interested in learning about mindfulness there are a bunch of resources online, and there are also classes that you can take.
Knitting
Have you always had a vision about certain clothing items to wear, but you’ve never been able to find it in a store or through a retailer? Knitting may be a good choice for you, especially if the idea of designing fashion has always appealed to you.
Contrary to popular opinion, it’s also not just a hobby for your grandmother! Knitting can be very relaxing and you also get to reap the benefits of your hobby at the end of a project.
It may take a while to learn, but after a while, you’ll be making cozy knitted jumpers for the whole family!
Gardening
Gardening is another lucrative hobby, and the results involve either getting to admire your handiwork in the form of beautiful plants, or you get to eat any fruits or vegetables that you plant!
There is a wide range of different benefits to gardening too. For starters, it’s a productive way to get you outdoors.
It’s also a good way to get moving outdoors. Gardening is also a good hobby to do with family members, especially the youngsters!
Scrapbooking
Scrapbooking is a slightly less common hobby now, especially since the rise of technology where printed photos are a little harder to come by. Nevertheless, it’s a fantastic way to preserve photos of loved ones and cherished memories in a colorful setting.
Who wants a boring-looking photo album when they can have something vibrant and colorful to look at in the years to come?
Scrapbooking is a fun hobby for a number of reasons. For starters, it’s a good way to make gifts for loved ones and to unleash your creative energies.
You can also connect with other scrapbookers online to find more inspiration, and you may even make new treasured friends that you can put in your own scrapbooks in the years to come!
Listening to music
Music is such an integral part of many of our lives, but how often do we actually get the opportunity to sit down and truly listen to music? Listening to music is fantastic for your mental health, and it can even change your state of mind and mood.
It can lower your stress level and make you feel a lot happier. You could even find new genres and songs that you love by making listening to music your hobby.
Coloring
You’ve probably seen all sorts of coloring books online, for everything from mandalas, to nature and Harry Potter! Coloring is really good for reducing anxiety and stress levels, and unlike with drawing and painting, you don’t need to put a great deal of thought into what you need to do.
It’s just a matter of staying in between the lines and choosing colors that look good and make sense.
It’s a great way to practice mindfulness too, and you can even hang your colorings on the wall afterward if you want to!
Baking
Who doesn’t like a sweet or savory treat every now and again?
Baking isn’t just the kind of thing that you do when you have excessive amounts of time on your hand – it’s also a great thing to do in your leisure time.
Baking is good for encouraging creativity, and it can sometimes require a lot of concentration so it’s a good way to distract yourself from things going on in life.
Your baking may not be very good straight away, but after a while, as your skills develop, you’ll be making delicious treats for you, your family, and your friends, and maybe you’ll even start to sell them!
It’s a good way to make both yourself and those around you happy!
Cooking
Like with baking, cooking is another great way to get immediate rewards from your hobby. When you are cooking you get the opportunity to experiment with all sorts of new and different flavors, learning as you go what things work and what things don’t work.
It’s also a hobby that your loved ones are sure to enjoy – maybe you can even host dinner parties once you get really good at it!
Just make sure you leave that until once you’ve stopped burning everything!
Journaling
If you’re looking for a hobby that’s good for your mental health and will help you to document your life in real-time, journaling is a strong choice.
It’s not hard to get started with either, and it’s a good way to ease into writing.
You can write about whatever you want, all you need is to put pen to paper. It’s a good way to get your thoughts on paper and to express your thoughts and feelings with ease.
You may even be able to look back on your journal entries fondly later down the road!
People Watching
People-watching is one of those hobbies that you can do pretty much anywhere.
At the airport, sitting as a passenger in the car, from your window in your home.
This makes it a convenient hobby.
People watching consists of essentially making a story out of passersby, trying to come up with a backstory as to why people may look happy or sad.
It’s done in all sorts of cultures too! It is a great way to relieve your stress and to begin to take notice of the little things in life.
Fitness Hobbies To Try
Perhaps you want your hobby to consist of a little bit more movement? In that case, here are a few fitness hobbies that you should try out!
Dancing
If you want to get a little bit of movement into your day as a hobby, dancing is a great way to do it.
There are a number of dancing styles that you can try too so you can find something that fits you.
You could try salsa dancing, ballroom dancing, street dance and everything in between.
You can do it alone, with a partner or with a group. It’s a fantastic way to get those endorphins into your day!
Running
It’s always a good idea to get some physical activity into your day. If that’s something that you’re hoping to do, then you may wish to take up running!The best part about running is that it’s one of those hobbies that doesn’t necessarily need to cost anything.
All you need is your own body and willpower, and you can go! It’s a great way for toning your body and losing weight if that’s a goal that you have.
If you’re looking for a running community, there are also plenty of them out there. You may even want to join a local running club.
Boxing
Combat sports are a great way to spend your time. If you’re thinking of taking up boxing, then there are a huge number of benefits to doing so.
For starters, boxing is a great way to practice self-defense.
It can also help you to improve your reflexes, something that’s incredibly beneficial for everyday life.
Boxing is fantastic for improving your strength and coordination, and it’s also pretty fun!
Cycling
There’s nothing quite like feeling the wind rush through your hair as you go cycling.
If that isn’t enough of a reason for you to hit your local cycle trail, it’s also a great thing to do with friends.
You can even use your cycling hobby as an eco-friendly method of transportation. Cycling is an incredible way to get to see the world around you while getting physical, so why not give it a try?
You can even take a spin class or get an exercise bike for those days when embarking on the world outside may not be the best option for you.
Weight Lifting
If getting stronger is your biggest priority, it’s certainly worth your time to give weight lifting a try.
This type of hobby will give you mental and physical fortitude in bounds.
It’s about more than just creating an attractive physique though – weight lifting for some is a passion, a lifestyle choice.
Weight lifting can help you to feel strong and powerful, and there are even weight lifting competitions out there if you think that you can handle it!
MMA
Not quite interested in boxing but you’d like to take up some form of self-defense?
Giving mixed martial arts a try is a good choice.
This type of hobby will do wonders for your cardiovascular system, will help you to tone and it’s a great way to manage stress levels. What more could you ask for?
Professional Wrestling Training
Tired of just watching WWE on TV?
Take inspiration from some of the greatest wrestlers in history and take up professional wrestling training as your hobby.
Wrestling is a great way to connect with people while getting physically active.
It also incorporates parts of other hobbies such as acting, and requires a degree of strategy and planning too.
It’s pretty fun, and you may even find that you’re quite talented at it so you can participate in competitions!
Skilled Hobbies To Try
Musical Instruments
Learning a musical instrument is pretty cool!
There are a number of benefits to doing so too, such as better opportunities to socialize, the fulfillment of being able to play your own songs or even write your own songs with your instrument, and the catharsis of just being able to fully envelop yourself in the music that you play.
Learning a musical instrument is pretty cool!
There are a number of benefits to doing so too, such as better opportunities to socialize, the fulfillment of being able to play your own songs or even write your own songs with your instrument, and the catharsis of just being able to fully envelop yourself in the music that you play.
It can take a while to fully master playing a new instrument, especially if you aren’t overly familiar with music theory, but it’s definitely worth putting some time and effort into.
Learn a Language
Like learning an instrument, learning a language is also a valuable endeavor.
When you learn a language you can communicate with people that perhaps you may not have been able to communicate with before.
You can enjoy different cultures in a brand new way too!
Learning a language can be difficult, but there are plenty of online tools to help you get started if it’s something that you’re interested in doing.
Blogging
Sometimes you just need to get your thoughts and feelings out into the world! This is a little like journaling in a way but in a more public setting. In your blog, you can explore topics and things that interest you and share them with a public audience.
In doing so, you may even acquire followers that share your interests that you can connect with!
It’s a good way to flex your creative muscles online, and it can be a good thing to add to your resume!
Podcasting
Podcasts are becoming more and more popular as time goes on, and it’s a great hobby to get into if you want to share your thoughts and opinions on a particular topic. You can also have guest speakers on podcasts that you can connect with.
Podcasting may become a career for you too, or it can be a way to market a product or business in some situations.
Streaming
Interested in gaming?
Streaming allows you to combine your love of gaming with an audience that you can connect with.
You don’t just have to stream games either – you could even stream 80s TV commercials to reminisce on the past, share some songs you’ve written, or anything in between!
It’s a good way to earn a little extra income too once you build a large enough audience.
Acting
Acting isn’t only a way to make you rich and famous! Acting is a good way to make you and those around you happy. Acting is beneficial as it can help you to build your confidence and you can learn all sorts of things about acting in different settings, such as theater or TV.
Acting is also very beneficial for helping to improve your communication skills, so you may find yourself becoming a better conversationalist when you get into this particular hobby!
Woodwork
Woodworking can bring you copious hours of enjoyment as a hobby, and it’s incredibly fulfilling! With woodworking, you can truly see the fruits of your labor, and you may even be able to make furniture for your home after a while!
You don’t necessarily need to make all new items when you’re woodworking either, you can sometimes just restore older items.
All you need to do is pick up a woodworking bench, some tools, and some wood, and you can create beautiful things to pass the time!
Origami
Origami is an intricate form of artwork that literally means ‘folding paper’ in Japanese.
The activity consists of folding pieces of paper into shapes, such as cranes or roses, or other things in between.
It’s pretty affordable and very enjoyable – just watch out for any paper cuts!
Model Kits
Plastic scale model kits are super fun!
They allow you to be artistic in your own way, and they’re great for your brain as they keep you thinking.
Some models such as planes may even inspire you to look into the origins of the model, so you essentially get to learn more about history in the process.
They can take a while to do but they’re a fun way of occupying your time.
Blacksmithing
Blacksmithing is a practice that’s been around for centuries, and it may not be one that you’d initially think of for a hobby.
With that in mind, there is a wide range of benefits to taking up blacksmithing as your hobby.
It can be a little expensive to get into at first since you’ll need some equipment beforehand, but it’s fun to do!
For instance, you can make gifts such as jewelry and statues for your family, and it’s a fantastic hobby to get into if medieval living interests you.
If you’re already skilled with metal tools, or are looking for a challenging hobby, blacksmithing is a fantastic choice for you.
Leatherworking
You may not have thought about leatherworking as a hobby before now, but we highly recommend that you consider it! You can usually find supplies for leatherworking locally, though it is better to buy your materials from a high-quality, specialist retailer.
Leatherworking is a good way to challenge your brain while making beautiful items.
In short, it’s a great creative outlet that will leave you feeling truly accomplished after you’ve finished making your items. All you need to do is grab the right tools and get started!
Creative Hobbies To Try
Painting, Drawing, and Graphic Design
If you have a skilled hand, trying painting, drawing or graphic design is a good choice of hobby for you.
With these hobbies, you can see the figments of your imagination come to life on paper or on the screen.
They are fairly affordable hobbies to do, though with graphic design you may need to invest in programs such as Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator which may cost a bit of money, and you’ll also need paints, pencils, and various other materials.
Eventually, you will develop your own style too so you could sell your prints and paintings online for extra cash!
Photography
Snap happy? Photography can be a great hobby for many people!
All you need is a decent camera and some inspiration, and you can take stunning photographs.
There are a lot of benefits to taking up photography as a hobby. For starters, you can capture important memories.
You can also use photography as a way to express yourself, or even to express abstract thoughts and ideas. It’s a good excuse to get out and see more of the world too!
Sculpting
If you’re looking to express your creativity in an all-new way, sculpting is a good way to do it.
When you’re sculpting you can create all sorts of different things.
There are plenty of tutorials online to help you, and you can use different materials such as ice or clay, and so much more.
You could even give your sculptures to friends or family members as birthday gifts once you start to get good at it. There’s nothing quite like a homemade gift!
3D Printing
3D Printing is usually used in manufacturing to make prototypes, but it also makes a fun hobby. For instance, you could easily recreate your favorite childhood doll or action figure with a 3D printer, or even make something entirely new.
You can bring even your craziest ideas to life in 3D! You’ll just need a 3D printer and some ideas to get started.
Straight Up Escapism
Film Watching
Your new hobby doesn’t necessarily need to be something extravagant. Simply watching some movies can be a good way to spend your spare time.You could even experiment with different decades or genres – it could teach you a thing or two about history or other subjects.
If you’re feeling a little more creative, you could also make your own films, or open up a film blog where you review new movies as they come out.
LARPing
LARP, or Live Action Role Play, is a popular hobby for many people that want to escape into a whole new world for a while.
LARPing is one of those hobbies that is best done with other people, and it’s a good way to enjoy some time to connect with others while getting some good old-fashioned escapism.
Puzzles
Puzzles are a classic hobby that most people with a little bit of patience and an eye for detail can enjoy!
These days, you can even find all sorts of puzzles – some are huge and consist of thousands of pieces!
You can even involve family and friends in your puzzle-solving hobby.
Conclusion
Finding a new hobby to enjoy can be an incredibly enjoyable experience, but it can be a little difficult to find a new hobby as an adult.
Hopefully, with the help of our guide, you’ve found some inspiration for what hobbies may work well for you!
