Creative hobbies can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression while boosting well-being.

Making things builds skills, confidence, and self-esteem in ways passive leisure cannot.

Social hobbies such as improv can strengthen connection, communication, and empathy.

Even small amounts of creative time can improve mood and mental health.

Last weekend on stage, I pretended to be a live and sentient pot of chili with my improv class during a show about finding love in quick-service restaurants. Lots of laughs for it, and it was also a chance to do an activity I love with a group of good friends.

I’ve been doing improv for over a year, and I’m now performing on two teams in Chicago. It’s a fun hobby, on top of some other pastimes I have: Woodworking, bodybuilding, and making electronic dance music.

Obviously, I’m a hobby aficionado, but even just one creative hobby can bring more energy, enjoyment, and generative energy to life.

What Creative Hobbies Do for Your Brain

People wonder how they could add one more thing to their lives. But the most common American hobby is watching TV (the average American adult spends almost 4 hours a day passively watching TV). Unfortunately, high rates of TV watching, especially for people watching solo, are linked to being sedentary, increased consumption of ultra-processed foods, loneliness, and more.

As a therapist, I’ve noted that many patients feel like their busy lives don’t include much that’s about themselves. They feel like they’re tossed back and forth between work obligations, fights with their siblings, and their own negative........

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