Lifestyle
Join the trend and start an ‘energising hobby’
‘Energising hobbies’ are activities that you do just for fun, they’re also amazing for mood and mental health. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
By Carolyn Tate
Do you have a hobby? Hobbies seem to be a divisive issue – some are passionate hobbyists who can talk about their hobbies all day, and others don’t really see the point. Unless you have one that you already love or do often, picking up a new hobby might seem like another chore or a meaningless pastime reserved for those who have nothing better to do.
And if you've made it this far through life without having a particular hobby, you might think it’s more effort than it’s worth.
But there’s a trend going around at the moment that might make you reconsider. On TikTok they’re calling them ‘energising hobbies’, and they’re actually great for your mental health.
Energising hobbies are all about tapping into what we genuinely enjoy and have an interest in. It’s permission to do the things we love without needing to be productive, aesthetic, or even particularly good at it (which is the case for me and my current passion for abstract painting). Energising hobbies are about what makes you feel good and excited about life.
These hobbies offer a refreshing perspective on how we spend our time, and they can help us to rediscover the joy we might have lost along the way.
How to find your new energising hobby
Have you ever tried to pick up a new hobby, only to forget about it after a few days or weeks? You’re not the only one.
Energising hobbies are really about not ‘trying’ to adopt a new hobby you’ve heard of (or stolen) from someone else, but instead tapping into your own personal passions and interests.
Of course, there are the more well-known hobbies like cooking, gardening, or exercising, but the downfall of most of these is that they still ask you to exert yourself in some way. So the pay-off may not be worth it to keep coming back for more if they’re not really your thing.
Finding your own energising hobby will be individual to you, but a good sign that you’ve found one is if it makes you find your ‘flow state’ of mind when you’re doing it. This is when a task is so absorbing you are virtually ‘indistractible’. You start after lunch and the minutes and hours fly past until you look up to find it’s time for dinner. That’s a great sign!
It might seem like a silly idea, but thinking back to what made you happy as a child is a great way to indirectly shine a light on what you might find energising now, as an adult.
That same playfulness we felt as children is exactly what we’re looking for in our energising hobbies now, because the fun we have when we’re playing can recharge our batteries and help us to lose track of time.
While every energising hobby is unique to its participant, I’d be remiss if I didn’t at least give you a few ideas to try. See if any of these pique your interest, or spark some conversations or thoughts about what you love to do.
Build a LEGO model
If you love to problem-solve or put things together with your hands, there is an entire range of adult LEGO sets you might find joy in building. LEGO’s adult range means you can build everything from the Titanic ship and NASA Artemis Space Launch System to the Notre Dame, and much more.
Building LEGO sets as an adult gives you that same sense of satisfaction you might remember, with the fabulous sculpture you can keep at the end.
Preserve memories through scrapbooking
While everything is digital now, old-school scrapbooks can be such a delight to create and look through with family and friends. If you’re sentimental and creative, or if you loved arts and crafts as a child, you might enjoy the art of scrapbooking. Putting your favourite photos and memorabilia together in one book can be a great way to remember and celebrate life’s highlights.
Print out your photos or give old photo albums some life by making them even more meaningful and rich with stories to tell. If you’ve kept any keepsakes over the years, like receipts from special purchases or meals out, ribbons from gifts, tickets, letters, or anything else, scrapbooks are the best way to preserve and pass on those memories for your family’s future generations.
Learn something completely new
Is there a random historical event that you know everything about? Or have you ever watched a documentary or movie, and gone down a rabbit hole online to learn more about it?
As humans, we love to learn – some of us more than others. And no matter your age, learning is beneficial to our brain’s engagement and performance. You can learn about a new philosophy, dig deep into your family history, or even learn how to play an instrument.
The nice thing about learning at this age is that you can just learn what interests you rather than thinking about whether it will be useful in any way. Thanks to the internet, you can become a pro in any topic, but the key to energising learning is to follow your curiosity and find something you’re interested in.
Take up geocaching
If you’ve ever dreamed of being a modern-day treasure hunter, geocaching could be the perfect energising solution for you. Using your smartphone or GPS device, you can join the world’s largest treasure hunts to find hidden containers, or ‘caches’, tucked away in your own local parks or remote bushland. Geocachers love the activity for the way it transforms ordinary outdoor walks into fun adventures, allowing you to relive that childlike excitement of finding hidden treasures - all while staying fit and active.
Try a dance class
If you ask me, there are too few opportunities for adults to dance these days. But dancing releases so many feel-good endorphins within us that it should be enjoyed as much as possible – if it energises you, of course.
Whether it’s salsa, ballroom, swing, or another style you like, let your hair down and lose track of time while you enjoy dancing to music you enjoy. Do it alone, with a friend, or with your partner; in a regular class or online. And don’t underestimate the energising power of an uninhibited boogie around your kitchen while no one is watching…
Play pickleball
One hobby that is getting a lot of attention right now is pickleball, a sport that’s like the love child of tennis and ping-pong. It’s lower impact and less exhausting than running around a full-sized tennis court, and it’s widely loved as a social activity. There are plenty of ‘come-and-try’ pickleball groups around the country, where you can go with friends, or go alone and make some new ones.
Volunteer your time
Volunteering might not be what first comes to mind when thinking about hobbies that give you energy, but it’s one of those things that bears more fruit the more energy you put into it. Volunteering is proven to make you feel happy and energised, as you make a positive impact on your community. There are endless opportunities for you to help others, so try to find one that aligns with your interests. You could volunteer at the local wildlife conservation group, give your time to Lifeline, serve food to homeless people, or coach a young team in a sport you love. Whatever way you choose to volunteer, the difference you make is bound to leave you feeling energised.
Check out these amazing Aussie wildlife volunteer experiences to get you started.
Flip your dated furniture
Whether you have some dated furniture that could do with a freshen up, or you find something on the side of the road you could give a second life to, furniture-flipping could be an ideal hobby if you love a bit of DIY. Sell your masterpiece afterwards for a profit, give it to someone as a gift, or make room for it in your own home - the pride and satisfaction of restoring furniture and being more sustainable can really boost your energy.
Embrace breathwork
Breathwork, the act of breathing fully and intentionally, might seem like a bit of a bore, but stay with me here. When we breathe deeply, we invite more fresh oxygen and nutrients into our blood cells, giving us a surge of energy and improving our overall vitality. Depending on where you live, you could find a breathwork class held at your local yoga studio, or simply find a breathing exercise online to follow.
It’s the perfect hack to get an energy boost on the go, but keeping at it in the long term will reward you with a whole host of benefits, including improved emotional wellbeing and restoration of your nervous system.
Swim towards more energy
If you’re bored with walking or you want to mix it up a bit, you might like to give swimming a go. Choose your pace in the leisure lane, or sign up for a squad class.
Swimming makes our list for energising hobbies because of its wide range of physical and mental benefits, including the way it increases blood flow to your brain and promotes cognitive function and mood. The secret to making swimming an energising hobby and not exhausting is to forget about how fast you’re going, and just enjoy being free in the water.
Sing and/or listen to music
Did you know that listening to music is scientifically proven to energise you? Depending on the genre and tempo, music can raise your heart rate and give you an energy boost that leaves you feeling happier and more motivated. Similarly, singing your own tune – even if you scare the dog – can give you a surge of endorphins, filling your lungs with oxygen and making you feel recharged. You could get into vinyl-collecting, join a choir, or simply enjoy building your playlists on your phone.
Camp somewhere new
There’s a reason so many people love camping, and it’s usually because it’s one of those breaks away from the everyday that make you feel more energised than you were before you left – even if your mattress does deflate a little more each day and you have to share a rustic bathroom with the possums.
Detaching from technology and being surrounded by nature is a proven way of increasing your feelings of happiness and wellbeing. Go for a swim in a lake, toast some s’mores, walk through the bush, sleep under the stars, or all of the above.
Check out Australia’s best campsite for beach escapes for inspo.
Feature image: iStock/andreswd
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