Best Way to Relax and Let Your Hobbies Calm Your Nerves



There’s more to life than slaving away in the office and coming home to domestic chores. The word ‘hobby’ may bring to mind nerds and anoraks, but there is enormous satisfaction and great stress relief to be had from doing something purely for pleasure, not to mention the numerous other benefits. Pursuing other interests is relaxing simply because it takes your mind off problems and anxieties. It also keeps your brain active, creates balance in your life, buffers you against blows such as the loss of a job or the breakdown of a relationship, makes you a more interesting human being and even, sometimes, becomes an alternative source of income.

Riding and fishing, painting and pottery may be out if you have only ten minutes, but there are plenty of creative pursuits on which you can spend ten minutes or several hours, depending on how long you have got.

Calm Your Nerves Best Way to Relax and Let Your Hobbies Calm Your Nerves

Music, song and dance are time-honoured ways to express emotions and release tension. Games are another good way to de-stress at the end of the day. Set up a goal-post in your back garden and take pot-shots, or work out your frustrations with a punch bag. For something more intellectually challenging play chess, though this may take longer than ten minutes.

Gardening

Gardening is one of our national pastimes, and rightly so. Not only is it an enjoyable and creative way to spend time outdoors, which in itself lowers stress levels, but the end result is an outdoor sanctuary where you can sit and relax, and get away from it all. You do not need a large garden or green fingers, or to spend hours weeding, pruning and rotting compost, to create your very own stress-free zone. With a little planning you can construct a low maintenance garden which gives you time to just be in it and enjoy it.

As well as indulging your particular plant passions, consider adding a water feature. Water, especially flowing water, brings serenity and tranquillity: dig a pond and plant water lilies, build a fountain and relax to the gurgling of water, or install a birdbath. Investing in a meditative garden statue or sculpture – a seated Buddha or other image that symbolizes peace – will trigger calm thoughts. Bring music into your garden with the tinkling of wind chimes. And don’t forget the most important thing – a comfortable garden seat for you to sit and relax in. Swinging in a hammock is a great way to unwind if you have got the space.



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