Relaxing Hobbies You Can Adopt to Destress from Remote Work

relaxing hobbies from home

When I first started working from home, I could immediately feel the benefits of it. Still, I quickly realized I had to explore relaxing hobbies after work. Combining the main daily tasks in the same place, it’s a challenge. And my brain needed some stress-relieving activities to keep my mind busy creating and simultaneously distracting myself from work.

There was a week I felt less active and not so mentally vital for my daily routine. That was when I decided I would take advantage of country life. In the summertime, stepping on the earth barefoot always made me feel calm and connected to the world. So, growing herbs and vegetables sounded great to me, and I like that as a hobby. That works for me, but there are here a few ideas that may work for you.

Why It Is Important To Find Hobbies To Free Yourself 

Working from home saves you time, money, and energy. However, staying at home for several hours a day requires the adoption of a strategy to keep your mental health in a good spot.

In such a demanding work-life routine these days, you should force yourself to invest time in some creative and relaxing hobbies that can distract your mind and body.

More than pleasure, some relaxing hobbies for adults impact your cerebral activity, boosting your productivity and lowering your stress levels. For instance, one study published by The Journal of Positive Psychology showed that approximately 75% of participants’ cortisol levels (one of the most widely studied hormonal markers of stress) lowered after making art. 

So, if you feel like you don’t do much than work and your normal daily tasks, it’s time to think about some relaxing activities to set your mind free. 

5 Relaxing Hobbies Perfect for Remote Workers

1. Cooking

Cooking allows you to develop some unknown abilities, and you’ll be working on your self-esteem. You’ll not only be able to enjoy trying different foods, but you can share your achievements with friends and call them to come over for dinner. This will also give you an incredible feeling of accomplishment by getting different opinions (hopefully good ones!) about what you cook. 

By the end of your session, you’ll be very proud of the meal you have made, and you’ll eat much healthier at home as it is difficult finding food that is not processed at the supermarkets. Cooking at home can even make you save money too! It’s great to have some prepped meals. For example, when making dinner, you can prep lunch for the next day, and you won’t fall into the temptation of ordering food. Win-win.

2. Gardening

How about having some fresh herbs for your cooking? The ones you buy at the store don’t last long. If you live in an apartment, you may have a balcony where you can grow some herbs in vases. 

Gardening is fun because you get to see the growth of what you plant, and it keeps you connected to some sort of nature. It’s also an activity that calms you down, and you can learn a lot about yourself as you’ll need to deal with mistakes. Even if it seems daunting, you only get to know how easy gardening is by doing it. There will be some days that it is just great being on the balcony enjoying your little garden for a couple of minutes. Plus, it´s an excellent spot for your work breaks, by the way!

3. Drawing

This is a hobby that completely releases your mind. You won’t think of anything else, and you’ll be able to work on concentration and memory while relaxing. 

Stimulating your brain will increase some soft skills that will be gold for daily work. You’ll allow yourself to process new ideas and engage in creative problem-solving. Whether improvising or replicating, you’ll learn how to combine colors and shapes while improving speed, memory, and aesthetic sense. 

It is scientifically proven that connecting with art reduces your stress and helps you communicate because when creating, you’re expressing yourself through visual language. In that study, in 2017, Dr. Girija Kaimal demonstrated that coloring, doodling, and free drawing activate the medial prefrontal cortex, the seat of so-called executive function, and improve self-perceptions of problem-solving.

4. Meditating

Anxiety is a reality for many, and people are discovering many health benefits of meditating. There are a lot of apps to help you get started, such as Calm, Headspace, Lojong, and The Mindfulness App. They are an effortless way to learn basic techniques, such as controlling your breathing. 

Meditating can also be a game changer as it will help you face daily obstacles more easily. Approach problems with a focused and positive mindset can make a huge difference. 

Studies say meditating for just 13 minutes every day will improve attention and memory after eight weeks! Meditation can also be very effective in helping recover from various types of addiction, such as smoking, and if you’re not sleeping that amazing, meditation can help you control runaway thoughts that often lead to insomnia.

5. Items Restoration

From time to time, there are some decorative changes you make at home. Sure, it’s easier to go to the store to buy mass-produced furniture. What if you look at the furniture you already have and renew it? 

For example, an old-fashioned wooden brown table painted in full white turns out to be a great change. More clean and modern. Plus, you’re reutilizing and saving the planet from some consumerism by using items you already own. It’s a great activity to do with the family.

Additionally, taking your eyes off the screens will lead you to a more real world.

Virtual Stress Relief Activities

Being introverted or just a person not so close to people is never an excuse to find exciting activities because there’s a lot to explore online! And along with that, you find online communities you can be part of, which means you can meet people from all over the world.

Here are some activities you can try virtually:  

  • Online gaming is a huge favorite, for example. You can play a game with others and meet them on specific platforms gamers use, such as Discord. 
  • Movie parties are a great way to end an evening. You can set a time with your friends to watch a movie using a service like Teleparty. While watching the movie, you even have a chat window to share some ideas.
  • Working out with your virtual personal trainer has become very convenient these days. After the pandemic, more and more personal trainers work from home to help people who don’t like a gym to exercise.
  • Video painting seems to be a fun activity as you can have virtual company while you paint. Try following the steps of an artist painting on a YouTube video, for example.

What I’ve Learned From Exploring Relaxing Activities After Work

Although I’ve been exploring my artistic side from an early age, I could only understand its real benefits when using art to distract myself from my work. Investing myself in creating art as a remote worker has allowed me to take advantage of both worlds. 

Knowing ourselves and our interests is the most crucial part of this. Find an activity that you like and work on strengths that will help you stand out at work. You’ll be impressed.

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