Five Hobbies and Crafts to Try During the COVID-19 Pandemic
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While social distancing and self-quarantining during the novel coronavirus outbreak, some people struggle to pass the time without the previous tenets of social life existing in full. If you’re having similar struggles, look to how other people are broadening their horizons and turning to hobbies to stay entertained. Here are five hobbies and crafts to try during the COVID-19 pandemic.
1. Reading
Many people have taken up reading more books, articles, and other texts as a pandemic hobby. You can find several online lists of book recommendations made specifically for combating the boredom associated with quarantine. Some people have turned to reading books with post-apocalyptic and pandemic-related themes to learn how characters cope during stressful times.
Reading is an especially easy quarantine pastime since you can easily access books without leaving home. Some libraries allow cardholders to borrow audiobooks and ebooks without even visiting a branch.
2. Exercising
Exercising is among the most popular pandemic hobbies. A small survey, found that 35 percent of the surveyed 750 Americans have started regularly exercising during the crisis. Plus, exercising is excellent for stress relief. The American Heart Association (AHA) advises people to get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity every week.
Despite gyms being closed, there are many options to get in your cardio at home (and doing so can also lessen any anxiety you’re feeling about the pandemic). Virtual workout classes from the comfort of your home, anaerobic workouts using at-home workout equipment, yoga, YouTube exercise challenges, and running outside (in less populated areas) are effective ways to stay fit during the novel coronavirus pandemic.
3. Drawing
Some people have picked up drawing and painting after years away from the hobby. Kids and adults alike have realized that expressing themselves through their drawn pictures has a therapeutic effect: Currently, many children and adults are drawing specifically to cope with staying indoors. Even if you don’t consider yourself an artist, drawing can be art therapy, self-care, or just a creative outlet for stress relief.
4. Sewing
Sewing clothes and accessories is an eco-friendly, artistic, and useful hobby to pick up during the novel coronavirus pandemic. Some people have even sewn DIY face masks for their own personal use. Additionally, some people have donated their handmade masks to healthcare facilities due to a shortage of N-95 masks.
In addition to face masks, you can use a sewing machine to make brand new clothes from your old clothes. In other words, sewing is an economic and eco-friendly way to expand your outfit.
5. Playing an instrument
Neurologists believe that playing an instrument is one of the best ways to keep your brain active and healthy. In 2011, neuropsychologist Brenda Hanna-Pladdy of Emory University studied 70 adults between the ages of 60 and 83. Her study found that playing an instrument improves not only nonverbal and visuospatial memory, but also the ability to absorb and adapt to new information.
While some creative activities can be expensive, you can start a hobby using objects you already have in your home, find an affordable alternative online, or rent supplies at reasonable prices. Although it’s important to stay indoors as often as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic, you can avoid boredom with a new hobby.