First of all, let's talk about what we mean when we say 'writing' as a hobby.
You see, when we talk about writing as a hobby, most people jump to the more complex forms of writing such as poetry or stories and think "I'm not a creative person, I can't do that" but what they don't think about is the fact that you can write purely for leisure, without there being a structure or end goal. Diaries, or Journals as they are becoming more popularly known as are sweeping the globe by storm. People can't get enough of them.
In this article, we are going to explore the newfound popularity of the bullet journal along with the benefits of trying out the more structured forms of writing as a hobby.
The Benefits of Writing as a Hobby
Writing is not just an enjoyable and relaxing hobby it also has many benefits to a person's mental and social well-being. Some of the reasons writing is a very good hobby include:
- it can help you relax,
- exercise your mind,
- heighten your communication skills,
- explore your imagination.
For example, writing can help improve your communication skills. When you write, you’ve to think about how to express your thoughts and ideas clearly and in a way that the reader can understand. This can be a valuable skill in both your personal and professional life.
Writing can also be a great way to relieve stress. It can also be a form of therapy, as it gives you an outlet for feelings that you might otherwise have difficulty expressing.
If you're in college or school writing is a really useful study tool. Writing makes you memorize the materials you read. Not everybody is great at recalling what they've just read or seen. When you make notes with a pen, for instance, you are more likely to remember the things you wrote compared to when you type on a keyboard.
Different Types of Writing as Hobbies
Writing can be a low-stress hobby that's perfect for busy people. The key is to find a style and pace that fits your needs and lifestyle. For some people, that may mean setting aside an hour each day to write. Others may only have a few minutes a day to write, or they may prefer to write in spurts when they've time.
Write without fear, the secret is expressing yourself in whatever way you want, comics, articles, stories, poems, blogs or even a journal.
There are so many ways you can start, from the classic pen and paper to a computer, so we've made a shortlist to help you out.
Some tips to get you started:
- Choose a writing style that suits you. There are many different types of writing, from fiction to poetry and everything in between.
- Start small. Don’t try to tackle a novel or play right off the bat. Start with something shorter, like a short story or an article for a magazine you read. That way, you can get into the habit of writing regularly without feeling overwhelmed.
- Join a writing group. There are many writing groups these days, both in-person and online. Find one that meets your needs and join it. This will give you a chance to share ideas with other writers, get feedback, and keep yourself motivated.
If you're only writing for yourself and relaxation why not try keeping a diary or a journal?
Reasons to Keep a Diary | Keep a Journal
Keeping a diary or journal may sound very old-fashioned, something that a heroine in a Jane Austen novel would do.
It is certainly something that many distinguished people, including a number of established people, such as Leonardo da Vinci and Marie Curie, have done in the past.
Yet keeping a diary or journal as some call it has many modern world benefits. Benefits which include but are not restricted to improving your mental health, as a result of giving you a place to vent your feelings, and an ability to process difficult experiences.
5 Reasons to Keep a Diary | Keep a Journal
1. It Improves Self-Awareness - Keeping a diary offers the chance to improve self-awareness. Getting to know yourself in this way provides an opportunity to communicate your feelings in a tangible way.
Current research looking into diary keeping has shown that the act of writing provides a tool that can unlock the thoughts and feelings you might be disregarding.
2. It Can Help Manage Stress - Keeping a journal of your thoughts and emotions surrounding situations you feel uncomfortable with, enables you to develop a sense of control and therefore reduce your anxiety. This can help you gain control over your triggers and better manage your anxiety or stress.
3. It Can Improve Your Memory - Diaries or Journals have been shown to improve our working memory by allowing us to retain information for greater periods of time.
The American Psychology Association state that although the effects were modest, expressive writing frees up space in the working memory by removing intrusive and avoidant thoughts.
4. It Helps to Reduce Procrastination - Diaries have the ability to improve an individual’s time management. There is a well-known thinking bias called the planning fallacy, which states that we underestimate the time it will take to complete a future task.
By using a diary, we can evaluate our past experiences in order to better plan for tasks ahead. As Benjamin Franklin once said “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail”, so make the most of your time and create a timetable/planner.
5. It Makes You Happy! - Several online studies have shown that keeping a diary can make you happier. While it may seem like a silly task, just writing your thoughts and feelings in a diary/journal has been shown to reduce depressive thoughts and behaviours by providing the writer with increased emotional control.
This useful intervention has also been seen to have long-lasting effects on mental health. It’s not just a quick fix, it's more like personal emotional growth, and who wouldn't be happier when they release all of the negativity from their mind?
Whichever style of writing is for you, whether it's blogging, short fiction stories or journalling I hope you found some inspiration here and wish you all the best on your written adventure.
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