Picking Up These “Old School” Hobbies Can Help You Battle Burnout In A Fresh, Fun Way

When you’re feeling burnt out or stressed from personal things in your life or just the state of the world, it’s a sign that you need to unplug.
When we were forced into lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us felt the need to pick up hobbies that didn’t involve our phones and screens. Some generations may cringe after reading this, but these hobbies are referred to as ‘old-school hobbies.’
I know that when I was in lockdown during COVID, I started several hobbies I may not have started during my daily routine, like painting, coloring in adult coloring books, etc. They helped me escape all the stressful things on the news and gave me physical relief as I was finally looking away from my screen.
If you’re looking for some new ‘old-school’ hobbies or activities that don’t involve your phone to help get you through a period of stress, here are some to try.
Pottery
So often, when we look up artsy or crafty hobbies, we see recommendations for painting and coloring. While those are great, chances are you’ve tried them before. Pottery is a great excuse to try something totally different.
Attend a pottery class to get out of the house and make something new – you may fall in love with the sensation of clay between your fingers.
Scrapbooking
Scrapbooking in your free time is a great hobby as it fuels your creative spirit while helping you get your photos organized.

Yaroslav Astakhov – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual person
If you have a bunch of print photos and newspaper or magazine scraps you’ve been meaning to organize, put them in a creative, homemade scrapbook! Hit your local craft store for the supplies you need and enjoy the creative liberty.
Gardening
It’s springtime, and we’re about to start getting the perfect weather for gardening.
Go to your local outdoor supply store and get yourself a few plans that are easy to maintain so you can have a chill and accessible garden. If you don’t have a backyard, you can work on creating a lovely window box planter.
Canning
If you love food and cooking and want to pick up a very unique hobby, you should get into canning. Channel your inner domestic goddess and learn to preserve delicious foods and treats by canning with mason jars and water baths.
You can find kits containing everything you need online, and you’ll be one step closer to keeping around yummy fruits, vegetables, preserves, etc.
Jewelry Making
During the pandemic, I bought very basic materials for making beaded friendship bracelets. As fun as that is, it gets old fast. However, using jewelry tools, you can have a lot of fun making more elevated and nicer jewelry like bracelets, earrings, and necklaces.
If that’s a little too hardcore, you can start with a simpler project, like assembling a charm bracelet using materials from a craft supply store and any charms lying around your house.
Hopefully, this inspires you to pick up a fun, stress-relieving, and screen-free hobby. Enjoy!
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