These Hobbies Can Help Parents Improve Their Mental Health

Perspective is everything. But when the world around you is seemingly in chaos, your mind can feel like it’s chaos central. Unfortunately, that makes it hard to foster a haven for a bright perspective on life. You’re almost guaranteed to spiral once you consider the demands of parenting happy Black children who can thrive in a world built to work against them, while carefully trying to preserve their innocence. The struggle is real.

 According to the American Psychological Association, 76% of adults in the U.S. report at least one stress-related health symptom. Parents are simply dealing with too much and doing too much. Fortunately, hobbies can help you get a better handle on your mental health.

Hobbies have long been connected to decreased anxiety and depression, reduced cortisol levels and more connection. Of course, the issue for many parents is that they don’t know what hobby they’d want to engage in, or they simply don’t have time for a hobby.  If they do have time for a hobby and acknowledge needing one, they struggle figuring out what it should be.

The good news is it’s nearly impossible to pick a bad hobby. Any activity that allows you to disconnect and feel lighter is worth pursuing.  “If you’re feeling foggy or mentally drained, turn to activities that naturally help your brain relax,” says Dr. Nikki Scheiner of Ben’s Natural Health. “Whether it’s tennis, music, or even a puzzle, find what helps you feel good and disconnect from stress.”

The trick is to let curiosity lead the way and pay attention to what captures your attention.

Not sure where to start? Here are a few activities worth considering and ways they can help your mental health. 

Turn to Music

Consider improving your singing or learning an instrument if you find yourself screaming at the top of your lungs during your morning commute with pure joy. Or spend time exploring the poetry within song lyrics. You can scour YouTube videos to master a great vocal warmup or learn how to play your child’s keyboard that’s been collecting dust. According to a 2021 study musical engagement can lead to improved emotional competence and less internalization.

Get Grounded with Gardening

There’s a reason why becoming a plant parent seems to be a rite of passage for Black millennial moms and dads. It’s good for your heart, soul and wallet. The earthly activity brings physical activity (squatting on the groud to dig), routine (sticking to a watering schedule), community from sharing gardening tips and gratification from the pride of nurturing and harvesting what you grew. Tomatoes and basil are a great entry crop for someone new to gardening.

Become an All-Star Player

It’s common to have dreams of becoming a star athlete. It’s not so common for it to actually happen if the only physical activity you get is walking the trash can to the curb once a week. If that’s you, turn to pickleball. It’s gender inclusive, relatively affordable, and less technical than other sports. Pickleball has been connected to an improvement in cognitive function and decreased depressive symptoms. 

Put That On

Parents wake up daily having to make sure their children look their absolute best, and sometimes that leads to neglecting their own personal styles. But what if you set out some time to change that? Giving yourself a day, or set of days, where you can dive completely into your own sense of self-expression through style and flair is a great way to self care and a mental boost. As they say, “When you look good, you feel good.”

Create a Masterpiece

You don’t need to be a master artist to reap the benefits of painting. A few strokes on a canvas or even a rock serves as a creative outlet for mental health challenges and help improve memory.

Starting a hobby for mental health sounds like a lot when there’s already so much on your plate. But you can start small with a few minutes per day. In just a few weeks you can begin to see improvement in your mental health and a brighter life perspective. Whatever you do, try not to turn your new hobby into a side hustle. All parents deserve the pursuit of a newfound passion without pressure from outside sources.