Are you looking for calming activities to show yourself some self-love? These 29 self-care hobbies are perfect for relieving stress, reducing anxiety, and cultivating feelings of self-love.
Today’s fast-paced world can leave you feeling tired, stressed, and totally burned out. Prioritizing time for self-care is a great way to nurture your mental and emotional well-being and show yourself a little self-love.
However, sometimes self-care can start to feel like just another thing on your to-do list. If you feel like it’s near impossible to make time to take care of yourself, maybe it’s time to think about incorporating one of these self-care hobbies into your daily routine.
By cultivating a daily habit that also happens to be a self-care activity, you can seamlessly integrate self-care into your schedule without it feeling like a chore.
Instead of viewing it as another task to check off your list, it can become something you look forward to that refreshes your mind, nurtures your well-being, and encourages personal growth.
Table of Contents
- How to Choose the Right Self-Care Hobby for You
- The 29 Best Self-Care Hobbies
- How to Make Time for Self-Care Hobbies with a Busy Life
- Budget-Friendly & Free Self-Care Hobbies
- Final Thoughts
How to Choose the Right Self-Care Hobby for You
Finding self-care hobbies that align with your lifestyle, goals, and personality is key to making it something that you enjoy and that enriches your mental and physical health. Here are some things to consider when looking for new hobbies:
- Your Interests & Personality – Are you someone who prefers solo activities like reading or meditating? Or maybe you thrive in social settings and would prefer a book club or pottery class?
- Your Individual Goals – Self-care can improve so many different aspects of our lives from emotional well-being to stress reduction and physical care. Choose one of the self-care hobbies that best fits your goals whether that be learning new skills or cultivating inner peace.
- Your Schedule – Some hobbies require more free time than others. For example, meditation can take as little as 5 minutes per day while volunteering requires a bigger investment of your time.
- Budget – While it’s worthwhile to invest in a new hobby and in your self-care routine, you don’t need to spend a ton of money on them if you prefer not to. Choose the self-care hobbies that align best with your financial goals.
Alright, let’s get into the 29 best self-care hobbies!
The 29 Best Self-Care Hobbies
These self-care hobbies are categories by interest to make it easier for you to find a hobby that best aligns with your goals and lifestyle.
💅🏼 Classic Self-Care Hobbies
- Doing Your Nails – While it may sound frivolous, doing your nails is a great way to relax and unwind. Plus having clean and tidy nails will help boost your confidence throughout the week.
- Get Into Skincare – Having a morning or night skincare routine is a great way to incorporate a couple of minutes of “me time” into your day. Most of us already do some form of skincare anyways so why not turn it into a twice-daily ritual?
- Enjoy Your Makeup – Whether you’re someone who wears make-up every day or only for special occasions, doing your makeup can be a super creative and relaxing hobby that can help you feel your best and give you a sense of accomplishment.
- Get Into Hair – For many of us, dealing with our hair is a bit of a daily chore but all it takes is a little shift in perspective to view it as a form of self-expression that can be a fun and relaxing addition to your morning routine.
- Turn Your Shower Into A Sanctuary – Just like with skincare, most of us already spend time in the shower every day. Why not invest in a couple of treats to make it a full sensory experience?
🎨 Creative & Artistic Self-Care Hobbies
- Listening to Music – Listening to music is easy to do throughout the day, whether while driving, working, or cooking. Start curating different playlists for different moods and seek out new artists and songs to add to your collections.
- Painting & Drawing – Self-care hobbies like painting and drawing require perfect presence which is great for your mental health. Not only do they help to reduce stress and anxiety, they also help to train your focus.
- Journaling & Creative Writing – Taking a moment to turn inward and put your inner thoughts and emotions on paper is a super therapeutic activity. If you’re not sure where to start, check out this easy Journal Template for Beginners.
- DIY Crafts – Crafting is a wonderful way to relax at the end of the day. If you’re someone who feels the need to express themselves creatively, crafting is a great outlet and way to try new things.
- Knitting & Crocheting – There’s something about working with your hands that can be so meditative and healing. Knitting and crocheting are popular self care hobbies for a reason.
- Photography – One of the best ways to feel happier is just to notice the beauty around you. By putting on your photographer hat, you can train your brain to look for beauty in anything. Of all the creative hobbies, it requires the least equipment because you can start by using your phone camera and go from there.
- Candle Making – What could be more relaxing than spending an evening mixing your own scents and making homemade candles to enjoy at home or gift to family and friends? We love this candle-making set because it includes everything you need and works out to under $5 per candle.
- Cooking & Baking – You’re likely already spending part of your day cooking or baking. Why not cultivate it into a passion project? Trying new recipes can be a great form of self-care and a wonderful way to get out of your comfort zone.
- Flower Arranging or Pressing – If you love flowers, why not turn it into a self-care hobby? From flower arranging to flower pressing, there are so many ways to capture their beauty.
How fun would it be to spend a couple of hours making your own candles? This candle-making set is about $50 and makes 10 different candles so each candle comes to under $5. Perfect to fill your home with lovely scents or gift to those you love.
🧘♀️ Relaxing & Mindfulness-Based Self-Care Hobbies
- Meditation & Deep Breathing – Cultivating a daily 5-minute habit of meditating or doing some breathwork is a great way to show yourself some love. If you’re not sure where to start, there are tons of easy 5-minute breathing exercises.
- Daily Affirmations – Spending a couple of minutes repeating morning affirmations while getting ready in the morning can have a huge positive impact on your self-confidence and sense of purpose.
- Aromatherapy & Essential Oils – Aromatherapy is a great way to engage the senses and is proven to promote relaxation. Plus, you can easily add a couple of drops of your favorite essential to a diffuser while working for a hobby that takes 0 extra minutes out of your day.
- Adult Coloring & Mandala Art – A super peaceful self-care hobby that can be done in 10 minutes or less per day, adult coloring books are a great way to connect the mind and body.
- Animal Snuggles – If you have a pet, don’t forget that they are a wonderful form of therapy. Spend a couple of minutes paying total attention to your furry friend and notice how you feel afterward.
A super easy, low-stress Artist Date idea is spending a couple of hours coloring in an adult coloring book. It requires few supplies and doesn’t require a huge amount of inspiration or skill — meaning you won’t have any excuses to get started.
🏃♀️ Active & Outdoor Self-Care Hobbies
- Walking & Hiking – Spending time in nature is scientifically proven to reduce stress and anxiety. A simple walk around the neighborhood can be a great way to clear your mind and get some fresh air.
- Gardening & Plant Care – Whether you have space for an outdoor vegetable garden or have a couple of house plants, flexing your green thumb is a great way to relax and unwind.
- Yoga – Yoga is specifically designed to help relax the body and mind. And you don’t need to go to a full 45-minute class to reap the benefits. A daily practice of 10 to 15 minutes of yoga at home can be super beneficial for your overall health.
- Dance & Movement Therapy – Physical activities like dance therapy and Somatic Exercise are great self-care hobbies that help relax the mind through moving the body.
- Stargazing – There’s nothing that puts daily life into perspective more than spending a couple minutes looking up at the stars but it’s easy to forget they are even there. Make a habit out of stargazing on a daily basis – it’s an enjoyable way to enjoy the little things and be in the present moment.
📚 Intellectual & Learning-Based Self-Care Hobbies
- Reading & Book Clubs – While it might feel like reading a novel and watching TV have a lot in common, reading activates a different part of the brain and requires your complete focus making it a wonderful self-care hobby. Turn it into a social activity by joining a book club.
- Puzzles & Brain Games – If you’re looking for an easy budget-friendly self-care idea, why not spend a couple of minutes working on a puzzle or brain game? Done alone or as group activities, board games, jigsaw puzzles, and crosswords are great self-care activities.
Have you ever heard of the game Wavelength? Work in teams to get on the same wavelength and uncover someone’s true opinions on controversial matters. It will get your heart racing and you won’t be able to stop laughing.
🤝 Social & Community-Based Self-Care Hobbies
- Volunteering & Community Groups – Volunteering is one of the most fulfilling ways to spend your time because it builds self-worth and emotional connection while giving back to others.
- Joining a Club or Social Group – If you’ve been feeling a little lonely, why not join a local club or affinity group to meet like-minded individuals? Social interaction is so important for our mental health and spending time with others has a positive effect on many aspects of our lives.
💻 Digital & Technology-Based Self-Care Hobbies
- Listening to Podcasts or Audiobooks – If you’re looking for a self-care hobby that allows you to multitask, listening to calming podcasts and audiobooks could be a great one to try!
- Cozy Video Games – There are so many video games specifically designed for relaxation and cozy vibes. Whether you prefer simulation games or multiplayer games, there’s something for you!
How to Make Time for Self-Care Hobbies with a Busy Life
If you find yourself busier than you really know what to do with, you are not alone! Having a super busy life seems to be par for the course these days and fitting anything else in our daily schedules can feel near impossible. Here are some strategies that might help you make some extra time:
- Look for Opportunities to Habit Stack – Are there any times during your day when you might be able to multitask? Perhaps you have a commute or a consistent lunch break. Think about if you can incorporate any of these self-care hobbies into existing routines.
- Time Blocking – Be ruthless and block time for self-care hobbies on your calendar on a daily or weekly basis. Take the “appointment” as seriously as you would a work meeting or doctor’s appointment. After all, self-care is a necessity, not a luxury. You can’t pour from an empty cup.
- Start Small – Even 5 to 10 minutes of many of these self-care hobbies are plenty to start feeling the benefits.
- Remove Guilt – If you find yourself struggling to stay consistent, don’t guilt yourself. Give yourself grace and move on with your day. If you punish yourself, even in small ways, you’ll develop a negative association and you won’t want to do your self-care hobbies anymore.
Budget-Friendly & Free Self-Care Hobbies
You may have noticed that there are several budget-friendly and free self-care hobbies on this list. But just in case you didn’t we are rounding up our favorite options below:
- Walking in nature
- Journaling or creative writing
- Meditation & deep breathing exercises
- Star gazing
- Reading (especially with a local library card)
Final Thoughts About Self-Care Hobbies
Incorporating self-care into your daily or weekly routine is a great way to improve your mental health and emotional well-being but it can be difficult to find the time.
By turning your “me-time” into a hobby, you can seamlessly integrate self-care into your day-to-day life.
So whether you’re looking for a creative outlet, active hobbies, or social activities, there are self-care hobbies that match your goals and lifestyle.
We’re curious which of these self-care hobbies are your favorite. Share them in the comments below!
Have fun!
A small note to my readers – Over here at VLHhealth, we occasionally include affiliate links in our posts. This means that if you purchase using our links, we will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
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