For a long time, I kept telling myself I didn’t have time for hobbies.
Most of my time went towards the kids, family life, keeping the house somewhat under control, making decent meals, working and doing the endless little jobs that come with being an adult.
And when I did get a spare half an hour? I’d watch TV. Or scroll on my phone.
Which, to be clear, I still do. I spend far too much time on TikTok and this is absolutely not a “delete every app and live a screen-free life” kind of post.
But I started noticing that I never actually felt rested afterwards.
I’d spend an hour on the sofa doing technically nothing, then get up feeling just as mentally tired as I had before… Sometimes more tired. So I started looking for a hobby.
What I’ve realised is that doing something with my free time, rather than just consuming whatever is put in front of me, gives my brain a completely different kind of break.
Making something. Growing something. Finishing a puzzle. Reading a book.
Sometimes there’s even something tangible at the end of it.
A finished project. A loaf of bread. Something growing in the garden. A book moved from the unread pile to the read pile. That accomplished sense of “I did that” has been surprisingly good for me.
So this isn’t a thirteen-hobby challenge.
I’m not trying to speed-run the list, tick every box and turn “having hobbies” into another thing I’m supposed to be good at.
I’m trying things slowly. Giving them enough time to see if I actually enjoy them. And, when I find something that makes me feel a little more like myself and a little less mentally drained, I’m keeping it.
I’ve also realised that not every hobby gives me the same kind of break. Sometimes I need to make something. Sometimes I need to get outside. Sometimes I want the satisfaction of seeing visible progress, and sometimes I just need my hands and brain occupied by one quiet thing for a while.
I’ve added a little note to each hobby about the kind of reset it might offer, not because there’s a right hobby for every mood, but because it can help to think about what you’re actually missing before automatically reaching for your phone.
If you’ve found yourself saying “I need a hobby” while simultaneously opening TikTok for the sixth time that evening, this list is for you too.
Not sure where to start? I put together a list of 50 hobbies to try when the same old isn’t cutting it:
Start Here: Low-Lift Hobbies
When you’re already mentally tired, the last thing you want is a hobby that requires three hours of setup, a specialist workspace and seventeen supplies before you can even start.
These are the hobbies I’d look at first if your phone currently wins because it’s simply the easiest option. They’re easy to pick up for ten or fifteen minutes, but still give you the feeling that you’ve actually done something with that little pocket of time.
Journaling
A good fit for: mental space + quiet
A few lines, a brain dump, a list: truly whatever is on your mind. It doesn’t need to be a perfectly maintained daily journal. I often skip weeks at a time before remembering to sit and write. Sometimes physically getting the thoughts out of your head is enough.
Reading
A good fit for: switching off + a sense of progress + getting lost in something
Ten minutes before bed, a chapter with your coffee or an audiobook while you’re doing something else. I was an avid reader as a kid and somewhere along the way I think I just lost the time. I have been loving getting back into reading and losing myself in a new story or trying to figure out some kind of mystery. It’s one of the few things that can make me forget to check my phone for an hour, which probably says enough on its own.
Digital doodling
A good fit for: creative expression + making something
If you’ve got a tablet nearby, drawing digitally is a quiet, low-mess way to make something. You don’t need to be good at it. The fact that something exists at the end because you made it is half the appeal. I’m planning to try this one on my train trips to the city, mainly because it gives me something to do without lugging half a craft cupboard around with me.
Digital or physical scrapbooking
A good fit for: creativity + visible progress + noticing the good stuff
All the satisfaction of putting something together and preserving memories, without necessarily needing an entire craft room. This is also one of those hobbies where you can stop after twenty minutes and still see exactly what you achieved. And, as an added bonus, you end up with pages full of little moments you probably would have otherwise forgotten about.
Phone photography
A good fit for: creativity + noticing your surroundings
You probably already take photos constantly. Slowing down and taking a photo because you want to make it look good feels surprisingly different to snapping seventeen blurry photos before moving on. I definitely need to get better at this.
Puzzles and low-stakes games
A good fit for: busy hands + focused quiet, or a hobby with friends
Something to occupy your hands and brain without the endless stream of new information that comes with scrolling. Plus, you eventually finish it. Or, if you’re more of a board game person, it’s an excuse to sit down and actually do something with other people. I am clearly discovering that I really enjoy hobbies with visible proof I’ve achieved something.
When You Have a Little More Energy
Sometimes I want something I can do from the sofa for ten minutes. Other times, I have enough energy to actually get everything out and make a bit of a mess.
These hobbies need slightly more setup, but they also tend to come with more of that I made/did that feeling I’ve realised I really enjoy.
Baking
A good fit for: creativity + tangible rewards
Trying a new recipe, perfecting one thing or making something purely because it sounds good. There is a very obvious end result and, ideally, you get to eat it.
Sewing
A good fit for: making something + learning a skill
Start small. A simple project you can actually finish is far more satisfying than buying fabric for the imaginary expert version of yourself. There is no greater feeling than getting to say “Thanks, I made it!”
Growing herbs
A good fit for: slow progress + connection with the outdoors
A pot, a sunny spot and something you can eventually throw into dinner. There’s something very satisfying about watching actual progress happen slowly. Especially when most of our days seem to be filled with urgent jobs that need doing again tomorrow. I always love a way to bring the outdoors inside, and herbs need barely any space to thrive.
Letter writing
A good fit for: creativity + connection
A slower, more thoughtful way to stay connected and a very good excuse to use nice stationery. And if somebody decides to write back, there’s something so exciting about receiving fun mail that isn’t another bill to pay.
When You Want to Get Out of Your Usual Routine
These need a little more time, space or planning. They’re not necessarily the hobbies I’d reach for on my most exhausted days, but sometimes physically changing what I’m doing, or where I’m doing it, is exactly the kind of break I need.
Gardening
A good fit for: outdoors + visible progress + mental reset
Raised beds, vegetables, flowers or one small patch of the garden you decide is yours to experiment with. Gardening is possibly the ultimate hobby for people who like visible progress but are also being forced to practise patience. It takes a little setup at the beginning, but once things are growing, it’s surprisingly easy to fit into small pockets of the day.
Swimming
A good fit for: movement + endorphins + getting out of your usual environment
This one requires considerably more effort than opening TikTok. I’ll give TikTok that.
But getting physically away from the house, the jobs I can see and the things I feel like I should be doing can give my brain a much more genuine break. I also don’t currently own waterproof earphones, so I’m forced to be alone with my thoughts while I swim laps. Surprisingly, I don’t hate it and I usually leave feeling considerably more refreshed than when I arrived.
Running
A good fit for: movement + endorphins + routine + progression
I have never been much of a distance runner. Every New Year seems to come around and I tell myself “maybe this will be the year I start”, but I’m committed to this year actually being the one. 🙄
What appeals to me most is the progression. Running a little further, feeling slightly less like I’m dying, or slowly getting faster gives you something concrete to work towards. Add in the endorphins and the fact that you can technically just put on a pair of shoes and leave the house, and I can see why people get hooked.
Whether I become one of those people remains to be seen.
I’m Trying to Find the Hobbies Worth Keeping
I’m not writing this as someone who has thirteen beautifully established hobbies and a perfectly balanced weekly schedule.
I still scroll too much. I still watch TV. There are absolutely nights where I don’t want to make, grow, read or achieve anything.
But I’ve noticed enough of a difference in how I feel after spending some of my free time on a real-world hobby that I want to keep exploring it.
So I’m choosing hobbies from this list and genuinely giving them a thorough go.
Not for just a weekend so I can speed through and tick them off.
Not because I’ve set myself a challenge to complete X amount of hobbies in so many months.
I want to get through the awkward beginner stage — the bit where I’m not immediately perfect at something and therefore want to quit. I want to figure out what I actually need to get started and notice whether I genuinely look forward to doing it again.
And then see if it sticks.
As I go, I’ll share what I tried, what I used, what I spent, what I definitely didn’t need to buy and whether I’m still doing it once the novelty wears off.
The goal isn’t to try every hobby. It’s to find the ones worth keeping.
The Hobby Project: What I’ve Tried So Far
I’m just getting started. As I try each hobby, I’ll add the full reviews here: including what I spent, what I used and whether I’m still doing it once the novelty wears off.
Maybe You Don’t Need More “Rest”
Sometimes I absolutely need to lie on the sofa and do nothing. Or go to bed before the sun has even set.
But I’ve also realised that when I say “I’m too tired to do anything”, I don’t always mean my body needs rest.
Sometimes my brain just needs to do something different.
Something slower. Something with an end point. Something I chose because I enjoy it rather than because someone needs it from me.
So, I’m starting with thirteen.
Some I’ll probably love. Some I’ll spend far too much money on before realising they’re absolutely not for me.
Either way, I’ll report back. See you soon!
Olivia x