subject: Stay At Home Mom: 3 Ways A Hobby Can Save Your Sanity [print this page] No doubt, mothers have busy lives. No doubt, mothers have busy lives.
Lifestyle choices often don't enter into one's mind when raising a family. After all, who has time to think about herself when there're so many other people to think about?
Pursuing a hobby, however, has a few important benefits.
1)Having a hobby relieves stress and tension.
Stress can often take a toll on women who are juggling household duties and raising children, even when they don't work outside the home.
Hobbies can play an important role in reducing stress levels. Tension seems to dissolve more when people are involved in a creative or relaxing personal activity.
Spending time with a hobby replaces negative thoughts and replaces them with positive thoughts and feelings. Having a hobby or creative outlet can lift your spirits and help with depression.
A hobby can provide intellectual stimulation while simultaneously relaxing you. Repetitive actions like those used in knitting are especially calming.
I used to make Christmas ornaments out of Styrofoam balls, sequins, and glass beads while I watched TV. I felt like I was being productive, while relaxing, and the joy of seeing the finished product was beautiful. But, the creation of it required no thought, just mechanics.
2)Hobbies help you parent better
We are so good at signing our children up for lessons and classes and encouraging them to have hobbies, even paying for these classes and driving them to and fro!
But we forget that we also need to learn new things and grow as people. Hobbies also connect you with other people who share your interests.
Think about gardening, scrap-booking, photography, cooking; these can all be hobbies that help you fulfill yourself, while at the same time have positive results that can be shared with your kids.
Many cities have local community classes for adults. Participating in one not only gets you out of the house, but also establishes a learning pattern for your children.
A hobby can help you maintain your separate identity as a real person and not just as Mom. This models healthy habits and boundaries for our kids.
3)Hobbies provide a refreshing change from your daily routine
Do you ever feel like you've had no time to yourself at the end of the day? Do you feel all you've done is repeat the same steps you did yesterday? Where did the day go? More importantly, where did the week and months go?
If you're a stay at home Mom, you may be frustrated because you can hardly point to anything you've accomplished. This is because of the repetitive nature of housework and childcare.
In generations past, women pursued hobbies like quilting, sewing, knitting, crochet and embroidery; not only because they were enjoyable, but because they provided tangible value to the family, providing either clothing for their backs or much needed income.
Some hobbies like tennis, walking or belly dancing can provide great exercise with all of its accompanying benefits. The best exercise activity is one that combines mind and body and is enjoyable to pursue.
Mothers, why not carve out some time to pursue your hobby? Don't let a shortage of time stop you. Rearrange your schedule to rediscover your self.
