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Engaging activity to switch off?

seekeraftertruth

Hello, 

I don't have any activity or hobby that helps me turn my brain off. My hobbies are reading and playing video games but I tend to find games quite tense, so although I play them, I don't feel relaxed during or afterwards, even though I tend to play adventure games or RPGs (so, it's not fast or shooty games that I play).

I think I would find detail work quite relaxing. I tried drawing a map like this guy: https://youtu.be/63DZ7nLpSDE

but it wasn't very relaxing. I think maybe looking at a map like that really close up might be quite relaxing, like having my face really close to it so it fills my vision and I can see detail or trace pathways through the city.

I once got a new board game and spent an hour sorting all the different components into small plastic bags very relaxing (I didn't realise whilst doing it, because I was so engaged in it, it was only when I sat back at the end when I noticed how relaxed I was, it literally felt like I'd just spent the entire day at a spa).

I'm looking for an activity I can do to make me feel like that. I think it will be something I can do at the kitchen table and without a screen (I want to switch off so I'd be happy if it was done on paper). 

Does anyone have any suggestions for things I can do, or what you do? Happy to take suggestions from psychologists too, if there's something obvious I can try. 

Thanks. 

Parents

  • Have you looked at model making or Lego?     I love to make things - and I sell them afterwards to finance the next thing - and often make a profit too!

  • in reply to Plastic

    This is a great idea but I'm afraid doesn't interest me. Lego is too big and I have no interest in models. I might be interested in making a castle or village but the only models I've ever seen are aeroplanes, which don't interest me at all. Maybe if I was more creative I could make things out of matchsticks. It's great that you can sell the finished project! 

  • in reply to seekeraftertruth

    I love Lego and it really works for me so I am here to try to persuade you! There are a couple of solutions to the 'Lego is too big' problem - you can get micro building block sets which are a lot smaller, Nanoblock is a Japanese brand and is good quality and has quite a lot that are buildings and famous landmarks, there are also some other brands (if you look up Nanoblocks on Amazon and look at related products/people also bought sections you'll soon start to see brands like Loz, YZ Blocks, Diamond Blocks - all of these are Chinese and the quality of the bricks isn't so good but they still work). The other solution is to buy second hand Lego on ebay and then sell it when you've finished building it. If you like sorting small parts then there's plenty of that - I enjoy sorting the pieces by colour and size and bagging them up.

    Metcalfe Models is a well known brand of model kits for railway scenic buildings. There are cottages, shops, houses and that sort of thing as well as the railway stations, bridges and such. It looks like the model instructions are downloadable so you can take a look and see if it's the sort of thing you would enjoy doing and also what other supplies you might need. It has been a long time since I did any but I can answer basic sorts of questions about it (I bet there are some model rail enthusiasts on the forum who would know more than me though).

    I also really love crafting of all kinds. I suggested long stitch kits to someone else on the forum recently. The geometric ones are full of repetition and pattern which I find soothing. Here is one place that sells them: https://www.thehappycross-stitcher.com/collections/long-stitch-kits . You can make them into cushions. They might make a nice present if you don't want to keep them for yourself.

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  • in reply to seekeraftertruth

    I love Lego and it really works for me so I am here to try to persuade you! There are a couple of solutions to the 'Lego is too big' problem - you can get micro building block sets which are a lot smaller, Nanoblock is a Japanese brand and is good quality and has quite a lot that are buildings and famous landmarks, there are also some other brands (if you look up Nanoblocks on Amazon and look at related products/people also bought sections you'll soon start to see brands like Loz, YZ Blocks, Diamond Blocks - all of these are Chinese and the quality of the bricks isn't so good but they still work). The other solution is to buy second hand Lego on ebay and then sell it when you've finished building it. If you like sorting small parts then there's plenty of that - I enjoy sorting the pieces by colour and size and bagging them up.

    Metcalfe Models is a well known brand of model kits for railway scenic buildings. There are cottages, shops, houses and that sort of thing as well as the railway stations, bridges and such. It looks like the model instructions are downloadable so you can take a look and see if it's the sort of thing you would enjoy doing and also what other supplies you might need. It has been a long time since I did any but I can answer basic sorts of questions about it (I bet there are some model rail enthusiasts on the forum who would know more than me though).

    I also really love crafting of all kinds. I suggested long stitch kits to someone else on the forum recently. The geometric ones are full of repetition and pattern which I find soothing. Here is one place that sells them: https://www.thehappycross-stitcher.com/collections/long-stitch-kits . You can make them into cushions. They might make a nice present if you don't want to keep them for yourself.

Children