The lockdown which we have all been going through, depending of course on where you live, has brought with it all kinds of ramifications. We have been seeing many experts offer advice on how we should be looking after ourselves during this time, with many rightly discussing the impact which this has had on both physical and mental health. This is the point which I wish to pick up on, following on from a brilliant webinar which lifestyle coach Steven Fisackerly gave, about the importance of a hobby. This is more true than ever before given the quarantine, and here is exactly why you should use this time to pick up a new hobby.
Passing Time
One thing which we can all agree on is that staying home for a such a long period of time is incredibly boring after a while. There are only so many TV shows and movies which you can watch before that gets boring, and most other activities have a similar shelf life. When you are learning something new however, it really gives you the chance to sink your teeth into something which will help you to pass the time. Let’s say you decide to pick up the guitar for example, this will give you hours of fun and learning as you seek to play a song or a ditty.
Mental Health Benefits
The benefits of learning a new hobby are not exclusively for time passing but also for our own mental health. We are always better when we are actively working towards something, when we are fully focused on a goal, this is always going to be best for our mental wellbeing. Learning any hobby helps us to create new pathways in the brain and this aids the overall fitness of the brain and its actions. During the lockdown we are all at a much higher risk of suffering from mental health issues, and learning a hobby is a great way to combat much of the negativity which we are facing during this time.
Release
When you get locked into something new like a hobby, it completely takes over your mind and your thoughts and offers a release of sorts. This type of escapism is exactly why so many people love to get involved in a new passion or a new hobby. This escape is exactly what we all need right now, especially given that we have been locked inside our homes for such a long time. Learning something new doesn’t just give you something extra to focus on, it also helps you to escape the reality for a little while, and occupy your mind with something completely novel.
Above all else, when you have this much time on your hands it makes perfect sense that you invest it in doing something new and exciting. Whether you are still under lockdown conditions or not, picking a new hobby is a great thing to do, and something which will help you to feel more positive about the situation we’re living through.
