7 Reasons All Moms Need a Hobby

Often, society sees moms as those who have to contribute all of their time and energy to their kids. While children are a significant part of a mother’s life, they can quickly wear moms down and create an unbalanced life. 

Parenthood isn’t easy. You, as a mom, know that you have to be a parent 24 hours per day, seven days a week. Even though motherhood is a gift, even if it comes to you naturally, you still need to have your own life aside from your kids. 

Though it may be challenging for you to find time to participate in Hobbies, you should try. Hobbies are a form of self-care and self-expression. Spending time doing an activity that you enjoy will increase your overall happiness and wellbeing. It allows you to spend time doing something that is for yourself and no one else. 

Check out these seven reasons all moms need a hobby.

1. It’s Good for Your Mental Health

Before becoming a mom, you had things you enjoyed doing. Maybe you spent every Saturday afternoon going to the park to read a book or trying out a new cooking class. You had plenty of alone time or time that you could spend with friends. While kids may have given you a fulfilling life, spending every ounce of your time for them can wear you down. 

Juggling schedules, meals and household chores can take a toll on your mental wellbeing. Take time to enjoy yourself again. Ask a friend, partner or another family member to take the kids for a few hours so you can clear your mind and feel a sense of normalcy. 

2. It’ll Give You Something to Do Once Kids Are Gone

Once your children leave the nest, what will you do with your spare time? You’ve devoted your entire life to your children for 18 or so years, and without a hobby or something to do, you might find yourself lonely and at a loss. 

Invest time in hobbies now so you can have something to turn to once your children leave the house. This also ties into protecting your mental health so you can more easily move into the phase of being a parent to adult children. 

3. It Creates a Balanced Life

Having a hobby will create balance in your life. It also shows your children that you can still do things you enjoy without parenting taking over your life. By having various hobbies and interests, your kids will grow up to see you as a human being doing exciting things. 

This could also help you facilitate your child’s development of their own interests and hobbies. You can be a better parent when you take time for yourself and create a balance between being a mom and having your own life without compromising either. 

4. It Can Relieve Stress

Hobbies are an excellent stress reliever. Whatever hobby you choose, whether it’s making sculptures, teaching a dance class, sewing or anything else, it can take your mind off the demands of your daily life. It’s a healthy distraction from personal stress. 

While it may seem like adding another thing to your plate would add stress, doing something you genuinely enjoy produces those feel-good hormones. When you focus on a non-work-related task, all of your stress will seem to fade away. 

5. It Offers New Experiences

If you haven’t participated in a hobby in a while, you can search for something new to experience. The process of doing something new will bring a new challenge to your life, and you can get encouragement from others who do the same hobby to keep pursuing it. 

You can expand your comfort zone and learn new things that could help you develop as a person and as a mother. Ask your friends about things they do as a hobby and try new things until you find something that you want to invest your time in for a while.

6. It Can Add an Extra Income

Although you shouldn’t do a hobby just because it brings extra income — because that sounds more like a job — you can begin to sell products you make through your income. For example, if you’ve found out that you really enjoy designing brands and logos, you can make a little bit of extra money by selling your service to local businesses. 

With the money you make from your hobby, you could turn it into a full-on business if you wanted. That little bit of extra money can go a long way, whether you need to invest it in your kids, family or yourself! 

7. It Provides Social Interaction 

Hobbies are a great way to be more social. As a mom, you probably spend most of your time at work or home, caring for your children. It’s extremely beneficial for children to have time with their mom, but you need some adult interaction, too. 

Having some social interaction with a group or two every week can boost your mood and build on your social skills. You might meet your new best friend or someone who you can look up to in life. 

Get a Hobby! 

Moms, this is your encouragement to renew one of your hobbies or find a new one! Enjoy this time as a mom, but also take some time for yourself.