Bored? How to Find Your Next Great Hobby

Whenever you are miraculously gifted with free time, do you sometimes struggle with how to fill it?  Do you suddenly feel the urge to empty the trash or start another chore to be “busy” and avoid the unease that comes with not being sure what you want to do next?

We have all been there.

Why is it so hard for women to have a hobby?

To start, what is a hobby exactly?  According to Merriam Webster, a hobby is “a pursuit outside one’s regular occupation engaged in especially for relaxation”.

Well, we may have found the problem right there.  Women, and mothers in particular, do not have a lot of free time for relaxation.  When we are done with our 9 to 5 jobs, there are usually a lot of other tasks requiring our attention at home.

Hobbies seem to come easier for men than for women.  When is the last time you heard a guy say “I just don’t know what I want to do” when given the gift of free time? 

This could be because men don’t totally abandon their hobbies when they have kids, whereas by necessity, women often do.  It is easy for us to become so wrapped up in our family we forget what we even like to do.

Men also seem to have less of a problem with giving themselves permission to have fun.  Seriously, do you often hear men asking or telling you what they are going to do for fun?  How about women?

What do you do when you don’t know what you want to do for a hobby?

Women can get rapidly out of touch with what they like to do, because they are rarely (if ever) consulted on it.  This isn’t as mean as it sounds, it just means that most of the time women are planning everyone else’s fun rather than their own.  It is usually they do what the kids want to do.

By the time have left home, it may have been almost 2 decades since you last visited what you want to do with your free time.  You are of out of practice, scared, and feel out of your element at the thought of trying something new.

The answer?  Begin wherever you are!

In other words, there is no right or wrong answer to what is the next best hobby for you.  You just have to give yourself permission to try one.  Hobbies are supposed to be fun, so think back to what you enjoyed doing as a kid, a teen, or a young adult.  Before all of your other responsibilities kicked in, what did you love to do?  What would you like explore now?

Choose one thing you used to like to do and give it a go.  Don’t worry if you aren’t perfect at it in the beginning.

Ease up on your expectations for your hobby

Remember, this is for fun – not mastery!  When you are first beginning a new hobby, no one needs that kind of pressure.  If you need some help giving yourself permission to be a beginner, please see “The Magic Lies in Being a Beginner” or “The Art of Play“.   If you are looking for inspiration for some hobbies, check out the following for some ideas:

“The Artist’s Date Book” by Julia Cameron, which is not just for artists.

“Living Juicy” by Sark, has loads of ideas for ways to add more fun and juice to your life.

Your life will be all the richer for finding some new hobbies.  You deserve to have some fun too!

And, now for some actual ideas for hobbies for women. 

Hobby Ideas for Women

Here are some ideas:

• Writing
• Reading
• Scrapbooking
• Flea Market/Thrift Store Shopping
• Gardening
• Cooking
• Baking
• Drawing
• Painting
• Hiking
• Boating
• Swimming
• Running
• Walking
• Volunteering
• Traveling
• Singing
• Playing an Instrument
• Sewing
• Crochet
• Knitting
• Watching a Show
• Going to a play
• Visiting museums
• Playing in a park
• Dancing
• Playing dress up with your wardrobe – trying new combinations
• Trying out new hair or makeup styles
• Learning a new skill
• Beginning a new language
• Discovering a new computer based program or application
• Attending a lecture
• Going to church
• Meditating
• Practicing yoga
• Coloring
• Doing crafts
• Playing games
• Playing cards
• Puzzles
• Organizing (fun for some people)
• Listening to music
• Flying a kite
• Skiing
• Skating
• Ancestry research
• Pottery
• Geocaching
• Horseback Riding
• Biking
• Photography
• Scuba diving
• Shopping

And, the list goes on and on!  What is your favorite hobby?  Or, what would you love to try?

What obstacles do you find in trying to pursue a hobby you love?  Leave a message in the comments below.

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