If you’re a busy mother, it can be hard to take time for yourself. It may feel impossible to find time outside of work and shuttling your kids around. However, it’s more than necessary to take a break and find a hobby you enjoy partaking in. Schedule time before or after work or while your kids are in a sports practice or musical rehearsal. Look to these nine ideas for easy, fun, and low-cost hobbies you can try.
Embroider
One activity that’s making a comeback is embroidery. Needles, thread, cloth, and the spools needed to embroider are all relatively cheap materials. You can even buy kits that provide design ideas! Because this activity allows you to carry out a design of your choosing, it allows for your own creativity to soar. Plus, it’s very relaxing. Enjoy some music or your favorite TV show playing in the background as you sit, relax, and embroider a design to display in your home.
Paint
Did you know that paintings are the most popular media found in collections globally at 83% against collages, drawings, and other works on paper? While your artwork may not make it into an art gallery, picking up painting is a great hobby. It’s relaxing and allows for you to paint anything of your choosing, which allows you to keep it simple if you’re not too skilled in the craft yet. It’s also low-cost because you can purchase packs of canvases and paint that’ll last you a while.
Journal
Journaling is another low-cost hobby that proves to be effective for your mental health. Pick up a journal or notebook at a local craft or home goods store. Each day, carve out some time to sit and write down your thoughts and feelings. You may even choose to doodle a bit, too. You’ll feel relieved and that a weight is lifted from your shoulders after doing so. It’s beneficial mentally to write out your feelings as a form of expression.
Walk
If you’re looking to incorporate exercise into your daily routine, pick up walking as a hobby. This doesn’t mean walking around your house. In fact, it’s best to get out of the comfort of your home. Walk around your neighborhood, a local park, or even at your kids’ school. Put in earbuds, get outside, and move. You’ll enjoy fresh air, time to think, and you’ll get your heart rate up.
Swim
Another form of exercise you may consider turning into a hobby is swimming. You don’t need to be a fast, talented swimmer in order to incorporate it into your own life. Doing laps at your own speed is beneficial. You’ll feel the burn all the while enjoying time in what feels like another world. Utilize your own pool or one open to your community. Remember that swimmer’s ear clears up within seven to 10 days — so purchase a pair of goggles and pull out your swimsuit now so you can enjoy time swimming on your own!
Do Yoga
Yoga is another popular form of exercise that’s beneficial for moms around the world. It’s a great hobby to pick up because there is so much to learn. The practice of yoga is simple but can grow complex depending on how in-depth you’d like to take the great form of exercise. Yoga has several health benefits to consider, too. It decreases blood pressure, increases flexibility, strength, and balance, and helps ease anxiety and stress. For busy moms, carving out some time each morning or afternoon to practice yoga would be highly beneficial. Plus, you can do it for free with online videos in your own living room.
Read
Have you been looking to get back into a good book but never put in the effort to actually get started? Schedule time to read. It may be the only way you’re sure to get the time in between your own schedule and your kids’. Find some worthy novels at a local bookstore or library. Try to finish reading one book per week. You’ll enjoy the peace and quiet as you read, and you’ll enjoy jumping into another world for a little while each day, too.
Cook
More than one-third of Americans say they cook at home daily, so cooking may seem like a chore, especially if you’re the parent who cooks for your family most often. However, cooking is a great hobby to pick up. Being in the kitchen alone, listening to your favorite music, organizing ingredients, and taking the time to prepare something scrumptious is a great way to utilize your time as a busy mother while also enjoying time to yourself.
Garden
If you enjoy spending time outside, you may consider picking up gardening as a hobby. It’s low-cost and produces foods your family can enjoy. Plus, you’ll get fresh air and perhaps even a tan. Find your gardening supplies and visit a local store for seeds you can grow in your very own backyard.
As a busy mom, you likely forget to take time for yourself — but it’s important to schedule it in each week. Find a low-cost, efficient, and fun hobby that works for you.
