If I do not write in some capacity, I suffer.
I imagine it is much the same for other writers. You have to get the stuff out of your head—from your to-do list and innermost thoughts to the dialogue exchanges between characters your mind conjures to annoy you at two o’clock in the morning.
I used to believe that my ideal life—any writer’s ideal life—revolved around writing twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. I would wake up early in the morning (HA!) and write oodles of words, take a lunch break, and then return to my laptop to continue my typing until twilight. What could be more luxurious than spending entire days doing the thing that makes my heart happy?
We all know where this is going. Too much of a good thing is never a good thing.
Because it’s so darn fun, we forget that writing is work. We have writing goals and communities we join to keep us on track. We invest tons of time and money into making our stories or poems the best they can be. Those of us with jobs who then come home to write are expending even more mental energy and risk decision fatigue.
We’ve spoken before about taking care of yourself and not over-scheduling yourself, but beyond that, I recommend writers pick up a hobby that doesn’t have any connection to writing.
You might argue that that is impossible. Anything could spark a story, you’re thinking, and I don’t disagree! Inspiration is everywhere. When I take walks around my apartment complex—even if I am not going outside to seek out ideas—I will inevitably find myself daydreaming and wind up with some new concept for a fantasy series who before I get back home. You can’t stop the Muse.
So let me be more specific: I recommend writers pick up a hobby that doesn’t involve putting words on paper, digital or otherwise.
If you type “hobbies for writers” into Google, you’ll find listicles suggesting that writers pick up journaling, blogging, calligraphy, writing book reviews, et cetera. The problem with hobbies like these is that they don’t let you step away from generating words. If you are burned out from writing, these hobbies will not necessarily help you feel rejuvenated and ready to get back to writing despite the fact that you’ve not been working on your project.
But never fear! Surprise, this is a listicle, too!
8 Wordless Hobbies for Writers to Refill the Creative Well
1. Video Games
The ultimate mindless activity! Although this one might be cheating a little. Depending on the video game, you might find yourself immersed in a story or building a character, but there are also plenty of video games that don’t require such mental strain if you prefer!
2. Acquiring a Collection
I do this myself! My family buys me rock excavation kits for holidays, and I will take one out when I’m feeling stressed to chip away at. By the end, not only do I feel much better, but I also have new rocks for my collection. I have learned a lot about geology, and I’ve grown an interest in the symbolic meanings of different gemstones throughout cultures.
The best collection is one that makes you feel giddy to look at. If this suggestion is right for you or appeals to you at all, you’ll already know what you should collect.
3. Visual Arts & Other Creative Activities
I am, for possibly the first time, not talking about Canva.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so give your “word brain” a break and start making pictures! Whether you are a natural-born artist or not, there’s an art style/medium suited to everyone’s ability levels. With how advanced our smartphone cameras have gotten, photography has become one of the easiest hobbies to dip your toe into. You could also pick up color or paint by number projects if you’ve never tried creating visual art before, but don’t be afraid to pick up watercolors or pastels if they call to you.
And think outside of 2D art! If you have the means, consider looking into pottery-throwing or candle-making classes.
4. Fun Physical Activities
Writing is such a sedentary activity, and post-pandemic, we could probably all stand to move our bodies more in the ways our body allows.
The best physical activity for you is highly dependent on your individual body, so giving recommendations is difficult. I will say that you should start simple—or, even better, simple and fun—and work your way up to more strenuous activity. YouTube is filled with—for example—beginner yoga tutorials. If you have children, there are lots of kid-friendly workouts themed to popular characters that you may have seen. I’m here to tell you that they are also adult-friendly.
5. Fiber Crafts
Embroidery, knitting, crocheting, quilting, and sewing—all of these fall under this category. Not only is it a relaxing, “mindless” sort of activity, but you’re also awarded with something beautiful to wear or use when you’re finished with your project!
Just make sure to stretch and give your hands a rest to avoid carpal tunnel and other conditions caused by repetitive motions.
6. Gardening
You might be tempted to scroll past this if you do not have a yard, have pets, or if you don’t think you have a green thumb. But don’t! You don’t need a plot of land. All you really need is a windowsill. Most dollar stores and the Target Dollar Spot have seeds, pots, and anything else you might need to get started. In a few months, you could have lovely flowers to brighten up your home!
Plus, with food prices so high, it could pay to grow your own herbs and vegetables.
7. Baking
Nothing is more luxurious than setting aside time on a free day to prepare and bake your favorite treat to enjoy throughout the week. Thanks to Pinterest and all those baking blogs, you can find recipes for small or large batches of creative twists on old favorites, no matter what allergies or other circumstances you have to keep top of mind.
But baking can become so much more than just a once-a-week hobby. If you’re the type to burn the candle at both ends, then the treats you bake can serve as a reminder to pause at some point during each day and enjoy a moment to yourself. Drink your coffee, tea, or other beverage with your treat and take the brain break you probably really need.
8. Puzzles
A good puzzle can make you totally forget about the world and the problems your plot is giving you. Dollar stores have whole books with hundreds of pages of sudoku, kakuro, crossword, and word jumble puzzles that you can keep beside your laptop and use as brain breaks throughout the day, or you could pick up a jigsaw puzzle to complete in an afternoon or two.
I, personally, have recently become enamored with Ted Ed riddles and logic puzzles.
Great post! I dabble in a bit of all of the above. But my main go-tos are gaming apps, gardening, and (this one’s fairly new) more physical activity.
Thank you! Gardening sounds so relaxing. Hope they—and your writing—is bringing you lots of joy!