Part of having good emotional health is taking time for yourself. Finding time for ourselves can be challenging as we try to juggle all our other responsibilities. However, when we do something we enjoy, we are left feeling refreshed. This has a positive impact on our emotional health! In this article we will learn what make great hobbies for moms. I will share with you what I have loved doing in my “me time”, and give you options for good hobbies for yourself. Let’s get to it!
The Importance Of Taking Time For Yourself
Entering into motherhood is a huge change. The transition from being a free woman to having someone who depends on you for everything 24/7 can be shocking, to say the least.
When we enter motherhood, there can be a huge sense of loss. Yes, we love our children and all of the joys they bring to our lives, but we may slowly lose a sense of who we are in the mix.
Listen to what Lily says about motherhood.
Can you relate to what she’s saying? In motherhood, so much is demanded of us. All of our time is consumed with caring for whining toddlers, changing diapers, cooking meals, doing laundry, cleaning spit up, etc.
“Not knowing who you are…” I remember my husband telling me he was going to take the kids so I could have some free time to do whatever I wanted to do. Staring at him I said, “I don’t know what I would do in my free time. It’s like I’ve lost touch of who I am.” I didn’t even know what I enjoyed doing anymore since so much of my life had been caring for our precious children.
If we are not careful, this sense of loss can have a negative impact on our emotions. We learned in a previous article what impact negative thoughts can have on our overall health. Additionally, we learned how positive thoughts can reduce anxiety, increase cardiovascular health, boost immunity, and even lengthen our lifespan! You can read more about this subject here.
Benefits Of Picking Up A Hobby
When we take time to do something we love, it has a positive impact on our emotions. Here are some benefits of taking some time for yourself.
- Allows your body to relax
- Boosts your mood, by releasing endorphins
- Energizes you so you can keep loving your family
- Gives your mind a break
- Helps your thoughts to clear
- Leaves you feeling refreshed
- Lets you rediscover who you are or reconnect with yourself
Taking time for yourself 2-3 times a week will help you keep in touch with yourself in your motherhood journey. You will find something that you love doing – something that makes you happy. When you do that particular hobby, you will gain your sense of self-identity back!
Read my article, Accepting Your new Identity As Mom, to learn more about how you can cope with your transition into motherhood.
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5 Great Hobbies For Moms
Now, let’s dive into hobbies for moms! Below I have discussed 5 different hobbies that mothers love. Each one is different in how much time it may take to complete a project. However, you can decide for yourself how long you want to spend on your hobby. I will also share with you which hobbies are my personal favorite and why!
1. Painting
Painting is a great hobby for moms. It allows you to use bright colors, which is pleasing to the eyes. Painting allows you to express how you are feeling or create a world that is outside of your current chaos.
My Story
Personally, I love painting as a hobby! It was never something I really got into until after motherhood. Once a baby was thrown into the mix, I realized I really needed an outlet of creativity and fun.
My husband loves Bob Ross and we would watch him on Youtube and then paint together. However, most of the time I just painted by myself.
I really enjoyed my time painting. It was a great way for me to think about and paint things I loved, like horses or nature. After painting, I always felt so refreshed and happy! Painting became a great hobby for me and something that I really enjoyed doing.
Who Is It For
- Those who enjoy artsy things
- Moms who enjoy being creative
- Any mom wanting to try a new hobby
- Mothers who love color
- May be best for moms who do not have an infant
Why You’ll Love It
- Freedom to express yourself
- Take as much or little time as you want painting
- Let your feelings out on canvas
- Allows your mind to think on something other than children
- Enjoy your own wall decor
What You’ll Need
If you would enjoy painting as a hobby for yourself, then you will need the following materials.
Paints
My favorite type of paint to use is acrylic paint. It mixes well with other paints for blending colors and dries relatively fast. I have tried painting with oil paint before, but it’s not practical for a busy mother. Oil paints take well over 24 hours to dry. I recommend getting acrylic paint, such as what’s listed above!
Canvas
Canvas are the only thing I paint on. What I like about them is you can easily frame your work or simply hang the whole canvas on the wall!
I enjoy getting a variety of sized canvases so that I can choose how large or small I want my painting to be. Also, a smaller canvas means I don’t have to paint as long if I don’t have a lot of extra free time.
Brushes
The type of paint brushes listed here are good for acrylic, oil or watercolor painting. It’s good to get a variety pack so you add different paiting styles or textures to your work.
I like that this pack of brushes comes with a holder so you can keep everything in one place! That’s perfect for busy mothers.
Easel
Finally, you will definitely want to get an easel. Easels make painting easier on your neck and shoulders. When you use an easel, you can have your canvas facing you at about eye-s level instead of you needing to look down all the time.
I would highly recommend getting an easel for your painting hobby!
2. Crocheting
If painting seems too messy for you, then you may enjoy something simpler like crocheting. Crocheting is a great hobby for moms because you can literally pick it up and work for only a few minutes at a time and put it down again. No clean up and next to no prep work! Also, crocheting is great as a hobby for moms because you can make things either for your children or family members as gifts to give away! You can enjoy the hobby and keep a minimalistic lifestyle!
Crocheting
Yes, crocheting was another hobby I picked up after having a baby. I actually tried crocheting after I tried painting. I was familiar with knitting, but crocheting took me a while to learn. What I did was buy a crochet book on things to make from JoAnne Fabrics, the needed supplies, and then worked a little each day on it.
Crocheting was fun! The project I chose, an afgan, was probably too large of a project for my first go around, but I enjoyed it. It was really fun learning the new stitches and seeing the blanket take form as I worked on it.
What’s great about crocheting is that you can make things as gifts to give away! It gives you something fun to do, yet you don’t have to keep what you make. For example, you can crochet small hand bags like the picture here! Crocheting is the perfect hobby for moms who want to pick up a hobby but not collect a lot of stuff doing it.
Who Is It For
- Any mother wanting to try something new
- Moms who enjoy making things with their hands
- Women who don’t have a lot of free time
Why You’ll Like It
- Not messy
- Only need 2 or 3 items
- Flexible with time – just pick it up and put it down when you want
What You’ll Need
You don’t need a ton of supplies to start a crochet hobby! This is great for mothers who don’t want a lot of extra things laying around the house. Here’s what you will need for this mom hobby.
Crochet hooks
Crochet hooks come in all different sizes and colors. Depending on what you want to make, you may need a different sized crochet hook. That’s why it’s nice to have a variety back like the one listed above.
Also what’s nice about this pack is that it comes with a bag to keep all your hooks in! Again, this is very nice to keep the clutter clean!
Yarn
There are all sorts of different sized and color yarns for crochet projects. The pack listed here has many different solid colors. However, if you prefer multicolored yarn, check it out here!
Crochet Guide Book
If you would enjoy a little guidance in starting a crochet project, you may enjoy this crochet book that teaches you how to crochet little animals!
This perfect for moms who don’t want to make something for themselves, but prefer to give things away. Check this guide book out here!
3. Blogging
You may be surprised, but blogging is actually a great hobby for mothers. Blogging allows you to talk about subjects that you are passionate about. For mothers who feel like they have lost their identity, this is fantastic! It is a great way for mothers to reconnect with themselves again and the things they enjoy.
My Story
Obviously, you know that I am a blogger because you are reading my articles! I blog because I am passionate about educating mothers on postpartum health topics. Since I am a mother of two young children, I definitely have felt a loss of identity as I entered into motherhood. But how wonderful that I get to keep doing what I love while still loving on my children?
If you want to learn more about how I started blogging, I would highly recommend Tom and Anna’s Fast Lane Blogging Course. I took this course as I started blogging and they really did a great job teaching everything you’ll need to know step by step. They are great teachers and I would highly recommend their course to any mother wanting to blog about her passions and make a little extra money on the side while doing it!
Who Is It For
- Moms who enjoy writing
- Those with computer skills
- Any mom who loves to talk about her passions
Why You’ll Love It
- Talk about what you are passionate about
- Great way to feel connected to who you are
- Potential to make a side income from it
What You’ll Need
Besides having a functioning computer to write your articles on, you will need the knowledge on how to start your blog. For this I would highly recommend the Fast Lane Blogging Course by Tom and Anna! They are experts, great teachers, and walk you step-by-step on how to start your own blog. They also teach you how you can monetize your blog to make side income. Click below to learn more!
4. Reading
If you haven’t been thrilled with the suggested hobbies above, try reading! Reading is a wonderful way to boost your emotional health because it engages your mind in a very real way. It helps you think about something else. You can learn about a new topic, enjoy a thriller, or read on any subject you are curious about or enjoy.
5. Cooking or Baking
Why not pick up cooking or baking as a hobby since it is a necessary skill? Picking up cooking as a hobby allows you to be creative through food!
You can pick type of food that you would like to learn how to cook and go from there! Would you enjoy learning how to cook Thai curries, Greek dishes, Indian cuisine and more. Best part of this mom hobby is you get to eat your creations! It’s a hobby that is fun to make and eat!
Summary
I hope you found some great ideas for a new hobby to pick up! Finding a new hobby is a great way to spend some time for yourself. Spending time doing something you love will boost your emotional health as it gives your brain something else to focus on rather than the daily stressors.
Leave A Comment Below!
What inspired you from this article? What hobby would you like to start? Share you thoughts with us in the comments below!
Want To Know More
Check out the following articles to learn more about emotional health in motherhood.
Accepting Your New Identity As Mom
Benefits That Motivate You To Exercise!
Building Resiliency In Motherhood
6 Ways To Know You Are A Good Enough Mom
6 Tips To Exercise When You Have No Time To Exercise
Top 15 Essential Oils For Boosting Energy Levels!
Getting Professional Help