.png)
With ADHD, you have likely experienced the enthusiasm surge, impulse buy, enthusiasm drop pattern that accompanies most hobbies. You have also likely felt the guilt and frustration that comes when you hyper fixate on a hobby and neglect important responsibilities. Maybe that guilt has prevented you from doing things you enjoy for fear of getting sucked in.
WIth ADHD, You might also struggle to sit still long enough to engage in a hobby or get easily frustrated when a new skill doesn't come easily. As an individual drawn to exploring personal interests in a society that prizes productivity, it's likely you have also developed a self-critical voice in your head that dictates how you "ought to" spend your time. All of these common features of ADHD can make pursuing hobbies difficult.
But, hobbies are an integral part of a healthy, fulfilling lifestyle, so what is a person with ADHD to do?
The sustainability of hobbies depends on whether or not they feel like time well spent. This is true for everyone, but especially for restless, novelty-seeking ADHD brains. When considering hobbies, try and let go of any unhelpful ways you currently define "time well spent" and, instead, think of it as time spent enriching oneself or others emotionally, physically, socially, spiritually, or intellectually.
That being said, here are 10 hobbies well worth your time:
1. Gardening
Grow your own fruits and veggies or go full landscape architect on your backyard. You might even have a community garden you can join nearby or you can try growing herbs in a pot. Gardening offers many options, so if you get bored of broccoli, you can move onto lilies or fruit trees. Garden outside or learn how to care for indoor plants (better start with succulents 'cuz we all know how watering indoor plants can go).
2. Cooking
You may have already gone through a short-lived "cake decorating" phase or "yogurt making" phase and then abandoned the supplies to the top-shelf of the pantry, but why not view these phases as facets of a cooking hobby. Each cooking skill you learn contributes to your foundational knowledge. Maybe you'd like to perfect breadmaking next or win this year's chili cookoff. You know your family would never complain about you hyper fixating in the kitchen with their mouths full.
3. Continuing Education
Community colleges often offer outreach classes on all sorts of subjects to the general public. There are also a variety of online courses available that teach anything from creative writing to interior design. Some even offer college credit. Some of my fave websites for online classes are Patreon, Coursera, and Masterclass.
4. Audiobooks/Podcasts
If you haven't experienced the productive magic of putting on headphones with an audiobook or podcast while doing housework, you are in for a surprise. With the right infotainment, you'll find yourself looking for more chores to do. This is a great solution for anyone who has trouble sitting still long enough to read a book or whose inattention acts up when exposed to small words on white pages. And, bonus, you can control the playback speed of both podcasts and audiobooks, so you can absorb a whole book or episode in no time. Check out audiobooks for free from your local library or through your library app (ask your library for details on how to access).
5. Journaling
Whether you jot down memories for your great grandchildren to cherish forever or write private thoughts you'd rather burn than share, journal writing can be a cathartic experience. Writing allows you to explore your thoughts and feelings, acknowledge feelings of gratitude, and notice patterns in your lives. You can write in a creative way, a straightforward way, or both. You can write in full sentences, lists, lines of poetry, or doodles. However you write, journaling can be a liberating way to express yourself.
6. Fitness/Sports
Daily anything can be a struggle if you have ADHD and that includes exercise. Exercise is a huge benefit to anyone, but especially people with ADHD as it can trigger the production of the neurotransmitters ADHD brains need more of. Set a goal to do something active you enjoy every day instead of depending solely on getting to the gym. Try boxing on the Nintendo Switch, take a Jiu Jitsu class, set a weekly pickleball date night, or join a local church or community volleyball team. If the weather's nice, get outside and walk, kayak, bike, or swim. Take time to move every day, even if that means doing jumping jacks in front of the microwave while you wait for your Hot Pocket to cook.
7. Music
Learning a musical instrument is great for building brain power. Don't go out and buy a grand piano on impulse, though. Start with a small keyboard or a ukulele. You could also rent an instrument from a music store. Or try your hand at making electronic music through apps like GarageBand.
8. Crafts and Art
Use that unique brain to create something. Try sketching a new animal for five minutes every day or paint the view out your back window each evening. Cross-stitch a new decoration for your home, knit a friend some new mittens for her birthday, or learn how to take a killer photo. Both crafts and art allow for creative expression, stress-relief, and mindfulness. Some crafts like knitting have even been proven to induce a meditative state. You can find a bunch of art-related classes on Patreon.
9. A Second Language
There are plenty of free apps around for learning new languages like Duolingo. You can even check out Rosetta Stone or other language programs from your local library. If you lose interest, who cares? You will have picked up at least a few valuable phrases. In addition to serving as a great travel and communication skill, learning a language is also a fabulous brain exercise. This article explains how learning a second language can help you build your focus and information processing skills.
10. Volunteer
Don't fall into the trap of getting over-involved with volunteer opportunities and do not over commit yourself. Find volunteer opportunities that are one and done or easily achievable. You might consider volunteering for your child's school field trip or grabbing the family and doing yard work for an elderly neighbor. Ask a nearby church or community center about local needs or use the JustServe website to find needs in your area. Serving others can greatly boost mental health as it interrupts negative thought patterns, helps develop gratitude, and quiets your self-critic while you focus on others' needs. Also, recognize that taking care of your family's needs counts as volunteer work, so be sure to pat yourself on the back for the extraordinary efforts you make every day.
If ADHD has you dabbling in all sorts of hobbies, embrace it. Hobbies do not need to be mastered to be meaningful; they enrich life no matter how long or thoroughly they are explored. And, besides, everyone appreciates a "Jack of All Trades".
Comments