5 Therapeutic Pastimes You Thought Were Boring

Feeling uneasy and worn out after a stressful day? Check out these simple relaxing activities that aren’t as boring as you thought they were.

Updated 22 Aug 2019

5 Therapeutic Pastimes That You Thought Were Boring %%page%% - Feature-Image

You have assignments due next week, homework that you haven’t started on, laundry that needs cleaning and your friends keep calling you asking when you can hang out — argh! The stress is getting to you.

Do you need a break from all of this but you’re clueless of what to do? Here are some simple activities (you may have thought were boring) that can actually help you achieve a peaceful mind, even if it’s just for a few minutes.

#1. Colouring

When was the last time you coloured in a colouring book? If you buried your creative side once you grew older because you thought colouring is for kids — well, you thought wrong.

It is perfectly fine for adults to colour. In fact, colouring is beneficial to people of all ages as it helps you focus and distracts you from thinking about other stressful events. Similar to meditation, it shuts out other thoughts and slowly prompts you into a tranquil state of mind.

So, if you’re feeling overwhelmed with the number of assignments you have to complete within the week, grab a colouring pencil and release your stress!

#2. Washing dishes

We know what you’re thinking — this is a boring chore that everyone hates doing. Yet, you have no choice but to do it when your mum yells at you for overloading the sink with dirty dishes.

Actually, it’s not as bad as you think because washing dishes can relax your mind if you stay positive and do it mindfully. All you need to do is block out other thoughts from your mind and focus on smelling the soap, feeling the water temperature and touching the dishes.

As weird as it sounds, it actually works for most people, but only if you wash the dishes by hand — not via dishwashers. So the next time you have to do this chore, think twice before whining about it and embrace this soothing activity!

PRO TIP

Put on your earphones and play your favourite songs while doing the dishes to make it more fun.

#3. Jogging

Ugh, sweat and exhaustion — who likes that? Probably you once you start welcoming the beauty of it.

We all know that jogging benefits your physical health as it burns the excessive fats you have gained from consuming too many snacks and fast food all day long. But apart from the positive changes it makes on your body, jogging is also known to be therapeutic because it releases endorphins that make you feel euphoric and stress-free.

You don’t even have to do it for an hour to experience this mood boost — simply go for a 15-minute jog around your house and you’ll feel your stress and tension instantly melt away.

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#4. Gardening

“Gardening? Isn’t that like an elderly person’s hobby?”

No, it’s not. Gardening is a great hobby for everyone — no matter how old you are. You may think that gardening is for older people because you might have gotten used to seeing your mum or dad having green fingers, plucking and planting flowers now and then.

Apart from keeping the yard beautiful, there’s another reason why they do it — it’s because gardening helps you calm your nerves and reduces stress. According to the Huffington Post, gardening is also linked closely to mental clarity and it can help reduce anxiety and even depression at a certain level. On top of that, it also gives you a sense of satisfaction.

Don’t worry, you don’t need to be an expert to enjoy the benefits of gardening. Just get a few pots or containers and fill them with soil, then buy seeds and plant your favourite herbs in the soil, water it and watch it grow!

#5. Chilling in the sauna

We know what you're thinking when you hear the word “sauna” — hot, sweaty and humid. But, what’s a little heat when you can lose weight and feel happy at the same time.

Aside from helping you remove toxins and burn fat, sauna treatments can also elevate your mood. That’s right! According to research done by Dr. Jeffrey Lierbeman, saunas can reduce depression up to 50% and just one session of infrared sauna treatment can be as effective as an antidepressant with the positive effects lasting up to 6 weeks.

This is because the heat from saunas causes stress to your body, so your body automatically releases feel-good hormones to combat the stress. With all these facts, what’s your excuse to avoid this warm and relaxing activity after a tiring day?

Now you know that these boring activities are not as humdrum as you thought they were after all! Take a few minutes of your day to loosen up your weary mind with these diversions and you’ll finally feel fresh and energised again.