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Hobbies provide work-free and responsibility-free time in your schedule. This can be especially useful for people who feel stressed by all that they have to do and need to recharge their batteries. For some of us it may be difficult to give ourselves permission to just sit and relax. Having a hobby, however, can provide a break and help people feel that they’re not just ‘sitting around’ but are using their free time for something productive.

Are there things you enjoyed as a child that you might still enjoy as an adult? Maybe you had a fantastic record collection, loved to make clothes for your dolls or were always out on your bike. Those are all things you could pick up again as an adult that would make great hobbies. Or there may be hobbies in your home right now that you started but have recently forgotten about. Maybe it’s time to finish that crochet project or pick up the guitar again.

If you’re adding a new thing into your life, you have to take time and focus away from something else. The good news is that most of us have a lot of time we’re not using well, either because we’re spending a lot of time online or watching TV or just wasting time we could be spending on our hobbies. See if you can spend a half hour or so every other day to explore your interest. This way it would be best in case you find that hobby isn’t for you after all.

Of course, everyone is different and your personality does play a role in what sorts of hobbies you’ll like. If you don’t have a lot of patience you might feel that knitting is too much for you, but exploring quick sewing projects might be a better choice. Maybe you really like being with friends, so you need to take a class or have an interest that you can do with a group. If you travel a lot, something portable or that you can do anywhere is helpful.

One study found that those who engage in physical leisure activities for at least 20 minutes once a week are less likely to have a fatigue. Other research found that enjoyable activities performed during leisure time were associated with lower blood pressure, total cortisol, and body mass index, and feelings of better physical function. Such activities were also associated with higher levels of positive psychosocial states and lower levels of depression.

When you look for material or equipment for your hobby, you are likely to find people who have the same hobby as you. You may be surprised to know how serious some people are about their hobbies and therefore would have great knowledge of their chosen pastime. Instead of meeting people from your work or college or those whom you have grown apart with, it is a great way to meet people with whom you have something in common.

For those who aren’t very stressed and may actually be understimulated, hobbies provide a nice source of eustress, the healthy kind of stress that we all need to remain feeling happy about life. If the rest of your life is somewhat dull or uninspiring, hobbies can provide meaning and fun, and can break up a boring schedule, without feeling like work. In other words, hobbies can provide just the right amount of challenge.