Some people can’t slow down. Even when their bodies scream for rest, they feel guilty for taking a breather. Call them perfectionists, but the pressure to be productive often stems from a rigid childhood where their achievements mattered more than health or an adulthood gaining self-esteem through achievement.
As they get older, they have developed the mindset that doing nothing makes them lazy or unworthy. That’s why they gravitate toward these nine gentle hobbies. They aren’t just good for mental health, they give them the balance they need to feel simultaneously relaxed and accomplished.
Eight gentle hobbies for people who feel guilty about resting:
1. Tending to houseplants
People who feel guilty for resting do intellectually know they need to take a breather and that it isn’t healthy to run around all day without doing something remotely relaxing. They also know it’s easier to know something’s true than change your habits.
That’s probably why productive people love to tend to their houseplants. It isn’t just cute decoration. Productive people find tending to houseplants a stress reliever and a semi-productive activity. They also get to see results quite quickly as their plants respond and grow.
According to research from 2022, gardening improves mental health and psychological well-being. That’s why most people should have at least one houseplant. Outside of lowering cortisol levels, reducing heart rate, and lowering blood pressure, houseplants provide immense comfort and satisfaction.
2. Baking homemade sourdough bread
Can bread-making be frustrating at first? Absolutely. Baking homemade sourdough can be a tedious process that takes trial and error. But once someone gets the hang of it, it becomes a hobby that feels both productive and beneficial. After all, bread is a staple in many people’s diets. But the bread we eat impacts our health.
While there’s nothing wrong with eating bread, they know there’s a difference between homemade sourdough bread and normal store-bought bread. According to University Hospitals, it improves digestion and blood sugar and supports gut health and heart health. That’s why most productive people should get into sourdough making.
Making bread at home helps those who feel guilty for resting feel productive in aiding their health, all while giving them a meditative process during which they can wind-down and relax.
3. Reading books
It sucks, but most people adults struggle to read beyond a basic level. In fact, the average U.S. adult reads at a seventh- to eighth-grade level. That’s one reason why reading is a valuable hobby productive people invest in. Getting started might not be easy, but this doesn’t mean people should throw in the towel.
Once someone gets into reading, they won’t just find it relaxing. They’ll have better memory and better concentration. Their vocabulary will improve, and it’ll allow them to slow down without feeling like they’re wasting away.
In addition, reading popular books gives people a great topic for conversation with others and social connections are a fantastic
4. Journaling their thoughts and reflecting on their goals
Most people don’t want to take time out of their day to journal their thoughts. After hours of socializing (or forced socializing in an office), the last thing they wanna do is come home and have an existential crisis. But still, most productive people love a nice fifteen-minute journaling session.
Because while it may be a pain, journaling has many benefits. According to University of Rochester Medicine, journaling eases anxiety, reduces stress, helps people cope with stress, and helps us prioritize fears, concerns, and problems. That’s why productive people love to journal. Once they start, they feel more in control of their life.
While it may start as a task to help their mental health, many people who otherwise feel guilty for resting and self-care come to enjoy it and find it fun and inspiring, too.
5. Knitting or crocheting
Knitting or crocheting might not be as popular as it once was, but boy, is it beneficial. By reducing stress and boosting memory and creativity, knitting or crocheting doesn’t only produce cute blankets. It helps people feel more productive and relaxed. That’s probably why productive people gravitate towards this hobby.
Is it a pain to learn? Yes, but it’s worth it. Knitted goods on Etsy are very expensive. This is why it’s cost-effective to learn it yourself. Even when the process makes you want to tear your hair out, the satisfaction and psychological benefits of creating something useful are worth it.
6. Listening to educational podcasts
Everyone loves a good podcast. Especially for people who like murder mysteries, listening to podcasts while driving, walking, or cleaning can strangely feel like stress relief. However, productive people who would feel guilty indulging in something for pure entertainment switch it up by listening to educational podcasts.
They’d rather listen to experts speak than just have fun. Even if others don’t view it as fun, they find that the more they learn, the more productive and relaxed they feel. That’s why they’re low-key obsessed with deep-dive and news-y podcasts. It doesn’t just stimulate their brain. It makes them actually feel more productive.
7. Doing thirty-minute workouts five times a week
Do hard-working people want to get up and exercise? No, not really. If given the choice between thirty minutes of sleep and running around until their legs give out, 90% of people would choose sleep. This makes sense, as people are exhausted and overworked.
But the World Health Organization reports that “[n]ew data show a worrying trend, with nearly one third (31%) of adults worldwide not meeting recommended levels of physical activity in 2022.” So it’s important to start seeing exercise as a necessity, not a fun little side-quest.
People who feel guilty for having hobbies and resting have an easier time committing to these exercise suggestions. Unlike others, they always do thirty-minute workouts five times a week. They may not feel like it, but they understand that activity levels dramatically impact their overall health in the long-run.
After a while of making it a task they need to get out of the way, it starts to become something they enjoy. Before long, it’s actually a hobby they’ve learned to love.
8. Painting or sketching
Hananeko_Studio | Shutterstock
Getting into painting or sketching can feel a little tedious at first, especially because you don’t start out good at it. Especially for those who only have the internet to teach them how, painting and sketching can feel a little intimidating.
But the more people do it, the more productive they feel, which is one reason people who otherwise feel guilty for indulging in hobbies enjoy it. Outside of decorating their homes, those who paint or sketch experience less depression and anxiety, and more healing than those who go without it.
Marielisa Reyes is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in psychology who covers self-help, relationships, career, family, and astrology topics.
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