If you want to find some suppression for your negative energy and an easy way to stop your emotional rollercoaster, whether it’s something you will be interested every day to relief stress, the ritual of a particular day or to take advantage of free time, you can find yourself in one of the listed free-time activities down below and when found, then it’s time to add something new and positive to your life.While we can’t just flip a switch and be immune to stress, we do have control over how much we let it affect us. Stress management is an important part of a healthy and happy lifestyle.
My hobby is blog writing about life journey through advices and daily activities are playing with my boys and spending time with my husband. These things are literally my sense of life. Stress? What’s that? The point here is to be busy and not to think about all the negative all the time. You’ll be able to truly feel you emotions and act mindfully. These activities will help you to overcome boredom, sadness or any other emotions that have nothing to do with present moment and when you do everyday what you really like you could overcome anxiety and depression.
I know a person who didn’t want to change anything bad in his life, but because of boredom he started to run just to do something. He realized he liked running and it changed him completely. He lost all of his excess weight and changed his habits and now he feels great. By the way, he was really depressed because of his weight and that depressive state led him to more tortured life. Write down every torment you have and you will find out what is your trigger so you can work to fix that.
So, my friends, let’s find yourself in some of these 37+ activities that will help you relax, relieve stress fast and boost your physical and mental health. Please feel free to leave a comment down below what did you find interesting or what you do instead. And, if you fail in one, try another one.
1. You can make origami
Origami requires concentration and focus, which helps to calm the mind and reduce anxiety. The repetitive folding of paper can also be meditative. You can check all kinds of origami kits and books here on Amazon.
2. Grow herbs
Gardening is more than just a way to improve your home, it is a hobby and a powerful way of calming your mind from life’s everyday stresses. Nature has a calming effect on the mind and is good for your physical health as much as your mental health. Joining a local gardening club or helping with community gardens can help you make new friendships and share knowledge with each other. This can help to combat the feelings of isolation or loneliness, giving you that mood boost you need. Gardening provides a peaceful, therapeutic environment where you can escape the pressures of life. It can also act as a form of self-care, providing a healthy outlet for managing difficult emotions and anxiety. For those struggling with depression, nurturing plants and seeing them bloom can provide a sense of achievement and hope. Gardening can remind us that even in the face of challenging times, growth is possible. Whether you are struggling with anxiety, depression or any other mental health challenges it may be an idea to take up gardening and just try the experience. You may be pleasantly surprised at the healing benefits gardening can provide.
3. Hiking, cycling, swimming
Feel that free spirit inside of you.
4. Cook and bake
Provides a creative outlet and a sense of accomplishment. The process of preparing food can be soothing and meditative. Maybe not the best activity for me, but I know my husband loves to cook. I’m blessed.
5. Take a dance classes
Before my pregnancy I was bellydancer and now I jig with every style of music. Just turn that music on and dance!
6. Get or go to karaoke
Even if you are not vocal talent, you will have a great time. Don’t choose just one genre. Different types of music influence the mood differently. You can do karaoke every weekend.
7. Draw, paint or color coloring books
This activityis great for self-expression and emotional release.Try something like mandalas or other forms of art. They are great for stress relief and meditation. Your time will pass away and also your false stress. Creative art is a great way to express your passion and your feelings. I went to ”Graphic Communication Arts” high school and we had classes where we had to express ourselves with use of different colors and lines. That was mind changing, expecially for teens and people with mental issues. You can find bunch of my favorites here and choose yours. I love to color. The same picture can be colored in multiple ways and you can catch your bad mood and do something about it.
8. Read everyday
Maybe you can read something that you could apply in your life and environment. Something that can help you changing your mind. I do that. Reading offers an escape from daily stressors and transports you to different worlds.
9. Do sports
Any kind of sports, at home or anywhere else. The sport list is almost endless, and, best of all, it channels negative energy into a productive and healthy activity.
10. Write diary
Journaling allows you to express yourself and your thoughts every day. Personal diary helps you to recognize your tough emotions that hold you back. Keeping a journal can be an enriching, fun and relaxing activity for you. It creates a safe place for self expression, creation and exploration of new ideas. Take a look at those ideas. I wrote a longer post about different planners and journals and you will surely be able to choose the right one for you, or you can use any notebook of your choice.
11. Write a book or a song
If you do not have an idea, you can always start from your own life, your worries, what you accomplished so far and what you want in the future. Writing helps gain perspective and understanding of anger triggers.
12. Be a photographer
Take a stunning photos of nature or landscapes and share them with the world. Photographing encourages you to focus on the present moment and find beauty in your surroundings.
13. Make a videos
Of your life or other subject and share them online. Make movie magic.
14. Collect
Stamps, badges, old coins, antiques, cars, souvenirs, comics, comic book characters, magnets… Share your passion with others on forums. Make a collection of everything that fills you up. Read this post just as a precaution when it comes to collecting.
15. Get a pet
A nice aquarium works very calmly, while other types of animals can make you smile with their behavior. Of course, some may even make you angry, but a good dressage and patience solves the problem. My dog is my little cute, funny and smart third child. She acts so positively on my mood and I even didn’t wanna a dog.
16. Make decorative candles or soaps
Eventually you can start your own candle and soaps making business, also this job will fill your time and relax your mind. Clever huh?
17. Play games
Board games, puzzles, cards, offline or online games. Nobody is too old or tired of it. You can participate in tournaments, make a real hobby of it. But, this doesn’t mean just to take your phone or pc and play games all day. One thing is doing it for fun and good purpose, and opposite, doing it because of boredness. Boredom is the state of being unhappy and uninterested. Why would you want that?
18. Socialize
Spending time with friends and family on weekends, if you don’t live with them. Social connections provide support and reduce feelings of anxiety. Engaging in enjoyable activities together can improve mood and feel your time.
19. Make dolls
20. Make jewelry
Jewelry can be made from various beads and unnecessary things and you can sell your special handmade creativities. My kids and I collect can tabs for jewerly. It’s very creative way for them to make a few bucks here and there. Check different kits available here.
21. Get a magnetic dart board
If you are nervous, after a couple of arrows you will definitely feel better. We have it and actually it’s really fun.
22. Do the horticulture
You can make beautiful flower arrangement from plastics or paper too, not only with real plants. You have some great videos about plastic and paper flowers making online. Recycle ♻
23. Make picture frames
The frame can be made and decorated with various materials: wood twigs, plastic, zircons, dry plants… You can sell them, make DIY tutorials.
24. Make mosaics and stained glass
From broken or whole glass mirrors you can create various interesting shapes on the walls, doors, windows… You can also use acrylic and record that for your audience.
25. Decorate glass
Like empty glass bottles or paint the glass cups. In bottles you can insert dry flowers, messages printed on collage paper with your favorite lyrics or hopes and wrap them with a rope. Everytime you achieve something, unwrap it and put another paper.
26. Make natural essential oils
Can be used in diffusers, baths or massage oils. Aromatherapy is a must in everyday life.
27. Meditate
Or practice yoga or pilates every day. When you meditate you’re giving your brain a break from the constant stimulus allowing you to think clearer and feel calmer and doing yoga or pilates along will makes you feel more relaxed, grounded and stress-free. It wouldn’t be me if I don’t mention meditation. I listen guided metitations every night. You can check some of my favourite guided meditations in this post.
28. Learn foreign language
Great time consuming and very useful.
29. Play instrument
30. Knit, tie or sew
You can make various interesting handicrafts and DIYs.
31. Engage
In clay sculpture. Love it!
32. Do a humanitarian work
You will help others and you will feel good because you are doing a good thing. Feeling useful is from high importance especially for people suffering from anxiety disorder and depression.
33. Become a blogger
Writing a blog is like an online lifestyle diary. You can share with the whole world your experiences and tips about something you like or dislike and, as well as with lots of things above, you can make it a job.
34. Go fishing
So relaxing, I’ve tried it and in the end you will have free lunch or dinner. Don’t torture animals just for fun. Not good, not moral.
35. Wellness rituals
One of the many good decisions I’ve made so far. Spa day is my must once per week. I have one day per week when I rest from everything. Don’t need to go anywhere, no school, no cooking, no working, watching Netflix, doing my nails… I would prepare cozy ambient in my bathroom with candles, glass of wine, use shower steamer or some spa set of my choice, music in the background… Just perfect. You don’t need the bathtub. You can do all of this with the shower tub too. My family is very supportive and they know when I have my relaxing spa day, they don’t disturb me and they have my support too for theirs stuff. If you don’t like that, you can have a massage day. Chose some nice salon or reiki treatment. Also perfect, so relaxing. You will be filled up with positive energy and calmness.
36. Teach
Because of my mental problems I had, I thought I have nothing to teach or to advice another person or a kid. But now that’s not a case. I worked so much on myself. I’ve learned how to overcome depression with forgiveness and gratitude, to manage my anger and my anxiety with positive thoughts and I want the same for you because I’ve been there and I want to help. If you have some skills to show to someone, do it! You can teach one on one, make a video toritutorials, make a course an put it online or build an online class.
37. Travel and be outdoors
These activities are so essential and so healing. Use every day or weekends to go somewhere. Walk every day or ride a bike. Have a picnic, go on camping trip. I enjoy so much in the nature every weekend. You don’t have to spend money if you have beautiful open places nearby like parks for example. I am happy and so grateful for having woods, lakes, rivers and mountain near my place. All in one! And best of all, I live just 20 minutes from capital city. If you like to travel abroad, you can check Vacabee or AirBnB. Vacabee offers membership access to wholesale travel pricing. They offer stunning destinations and you can even earn with them while you travel. Awesome right?! And, if you are not satisfied, they give 110% the difference back. When you travel, you can be wherever you want to be. Explore and enjoy life! Traveling provides new experiences and perspectives, reducing stress, breaks the routine and offers a sense of adventure.
So, this is all I can remember at this moment. If you know some other interesting things that we could add here on the list, please provide us with comments and we will gladly post them too. Experiment with different activities to find what works best for you and make time for them regularly to promote overall mental well-being.
Much love!
