Stress-Relieving Hobbies for the Busy Professional

We are a nation of workaholics, according to a recent survey taken by YouGov. The survey revealed that nearly half of us work unpaid overtime – 7% more than those who work paid overtime. Nearly a third of us work unpaid overtime on a weekly basis. More than half of us have been asked to cut back on our work by friends and family, and for good reason.

The survey also tackled the stress element of work, discovering that up to 58% of workers feel stressed at work, and 31% of us feel stressed at home and at rest – let alone thinking about work outside of work. Stress is practically an epidemic, and something that can have untold impacts both in and out of work. 

As a busy professional, you might not feel stress relief to be a priority. But putting even a little time aside for different forms of enrichment can work wonders for your mental health! However, if you are unable to control negative thoughts and anxiety for a prolonged time, you should always consider treatment for uncontrolled hypertension. In normal circumstances, hobbies help. So, What kinds of hobbies could you pick up to improve your health for the better?

Learning/Playing an Instrument

Music is an incredible stress reliever in and of itself, but learning an instrument can be much more rewarding to boot. Playing music, either alone or with others as a group or orchestra, can give you some real space from stressful thinking patterns, and form a mindful way to occupy your brain.

The costs associated with learning an instrument are minimal, too. There’s the buying the instrument itself, and the sorting-out of a musical instrument insurance plan to protect that investment – but past that, the choice is yours how much time and money you spend. You could pay for private lessons, or simply use free online tutorials to guide your learning. If you’re already competent with an instrument, then even ten minutes a day spent playing or composing can be an effective way to reduce stress.

Volunteering

While stress can often emerge from overstretching ourselves in professional situations, giving some free time to a cause we believe in can have the opposite impact. Volunteering is a hugely rewarding thing to do, and something that can put you in touch with like-minded people to boot. You will have a number of charitable, volunteer or community groups local to you, who you could give even an evening of your time to in service of a wider cause – whether conservation, local organisation or even food poverty.

Outdoor Sports

Lastly, getting active is a fantastic way to beat out negative and stressful thinking, with exercise often touted as one of the best natural treatments for depression. Getting outdoors and indulging in sports is another strong way to remain mindful, and to pull your mind from your desk. This is particularly true of high-adrenaline sports like rock climbing and white-water rafting, which can be treated as adventures in and of themselves.