People Who Have This One Specific Hobby Are Thriving Compared To Everyone Else, Says Study
Thriving sounds pretty good right now.
Dean Drobot | Shutterstock Life is busy. Most of us barely have time to do the necessities before crawling into bed at the end of a long day in exhaustion. But maybe that's part of the problem. Instead of an endless loop of monotony, we need to bring some color back into life. Some art, if you will. The best way to do that is through hobbies.
Research has shown that hobbies could be the actual cure to burnout. And while that seems pretty miraculous in and of itself, if you truly want to thrive, a study published in The Journal of Positive Psychology found that pursuing creative hobbies, specifically anything dealing with arts and crafts, will set you ahead of the curve when it comes to living your best.
People who have arts and crafts hobbies are thriving, according to research.
In fact, as it turns out, the researchers out of New Zealand's University of Otago found that people who actively engage in arts and crafts feel “happier, calmer, and more energetic” than those who don’t. So, break out the crayons, boys and girls, because this includes coloring too.
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If the notion of sitting down in front of an easel or sketchpad gives you the shivers, fret not. Creative hobbies encompass a wide range of activities that are not limited to more talented individuals. What's important is that you are engaging your creative side while performing a soothing activity. This could be anything from cooking to knitting or even playing the piano. If those don't appeal to you, how about creative writing, scrapbooking, or, yup, even adult coloring? Now everyone can do that!
“There is growing recognition in psychology research that creativity is associated with emotional functioning,” said the study’s lead author, Dr. Tamlin Connor. “Engaging in creative behavior leads to increases in well-being the next day, and this increased well-being is likely to facilitate creative activity on the same day.”
To reap the benefits of a creative hobby, you don't have to be good at it; you just have to enjoy it.
In 2024, a similar study published in Frontiers in Psychology found that engaging in creative hobbies not only made participants happier overall, but these artistic endeavors also made people feel that "life is worthwhile."
Psychologist Mark Travers, Ph.D., explained, "Creativity isn’t at all about being 'good' at something. Instead, creativity should solely focus on expression, letting go of judgment, and enjoying the process of making something new." He went on to say, "Creative hobbies are like food for your soul. They’re one of the best ways to process emotions that feel overwhelming, and they allow us the rare opportunity to find beauty in the mundane."
Feeling inspired? I know I am. But if you still have some apprehension about diving into the arts, you're probably not thinking far enough out of the box when it comes to what constitutes art. There are so many options when it comes to exploring creativity that Reddit users shared some you might not have even considered, like doing your nails or makeup, cake and cookie decorating, and even calligraphy.
Pursuing artistic hobbies also improves your mental health.
The findings of the New Zealand study also showed that being creative was actually good for your emotional and mental health, and helped to cultivate “positive psychological functioning,” which is very good news considering most of us are dealing with everything from financial worries to a never-ending negative news cycle.
To put it simply, finding a creative hobby that you love is as integral to your health as prioritizing exercise. It's an investment in your health. It just also happens to be fun.
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A meta-analysis from 2023 examined data on aging adults 65 and older, and found that all those individuals who self-reported prioritizing hobbies as part of their leisure activities had higher "health, happiness, and life satisfaction." The adults who had no hobbies, unsurprisingly, showed higher rates of depression and other mental health disorders.
The most important thing about hobbies is not to force yourself to do one just because you think it's going to be good for you. That, according to research, will simply have the opposite intended effect. Your pleasure needs to happen organically, and you can't view the time spent doing your hobby as time wasted.
So the next time you’re feeling a little defeated about life, don’t zone out in front of the TV. Choose a creative activity instead! It will lead to you being calmer, happier, and more excited about simply living. And maybe you might even find that you have a talent for one of the crafts you picked up. I'm gonna try to learn French. I haven't been successful the last 5 times I tried it, but the sixth time's the charm.
M. Najjar has been a YourTango contributor since 2016.
