Art therapy: 7 creative pastimes to help you slow down and refocus

When the hustle and bustle of everyday life begins to take over, many of us all too often begin to let our passions and hobbies fall by the wayside. As our calendars fill up, we typically fail to prioritise or make time for creative pastimes - despite them being essential to leading a well-balanced life!

Creative pastimes are a fantastic way of relaxing and engaging your brain in something other than a screen. They allow us to recharge our minds, refuel our creativity and spark new ways of thinking - and they also provide a short (and often much needed) escape from the responsibilities of the real world.

We're highlighting just some of the wonderful, easy and affordable creative pastimes that we find perfect for slowing down, refocusing and recharging…

1. Colouring in

Despite what you might think, colouring books are hardly just for kids. In fact, after the adult colouring trend took off a few years ago, it is now widely recognised as a hugely therapeutic exercise. The act of colouring is a powerful tool for relaxing and unwinding, and it is also the perfect exercise for those of us who fear the dreaded blank sheet of paper...

“[Colouring books offer] a really simple and accessible way for people to engage, once more, in a creative task… Aside from the enjoyment and satisfaction we as humans get from making/creating something, people are now understanding how these types of activities can be beneficial to our wellbeing.”

- Millie Marotta

2. Journaling

Journaling is an age-old practice that encourages mindfulness and self-reflection; it helps to organise your thoughts, solve problems and alleviate anxiety. Getting your thoughts down on paper helps you to process your feelings and identify the joy and stress-inducers in your life. Whether you are scribbling notes on a scrap piece of paper or keeping a detailed daily diary, this hobby is guaranteed to help to clear your mind. You could even try establishing a pre-bedtime meditation habit to help you unwind and de-stress at the end of a long day!

3. Bullet Journalling

Where journaling is great for processing, bullet journaling is great for organising! Bullet journals come in handy when planning for the day, week, month or even year ahead. All you need is a blank notebook and a pen! You can have fun creating your own unique pages for your goals and dreams, colour coordinate, use graphs and stickers to track your mood and your habits, or even create a list of positive affirmations. You can create your bullet journal to be as simple or as complex as you like, just make sure that you include the things that are important to you; the tasks you need to get done, notes about things you don’t want to forget, upcoming events… the list goes on!

4. Scrapbooking

There are few better creative outlets than a crafty art project. Pulling together a scrapbook is not only fun, but it can be extremely sentimental. It is a wonderful and affordable form of self-expression, allowing you to document the past, fantasise about the future and record what’s happening in the day-to-day. You can use old photos, train tickets, postcards and mementos from years gone by - or simply include clippings of things that you like the look of, such as decorative paper, stickers or stamps. You might want to organise your scrapbook by colour or theme, or simply keep it as a quirky, rule-free visual diary. Either way, it’s a great way to slow down and be in the present moment.

5. DIY projects & upcycling

There is something deeply satisfying about upcycling old clothing or pieces of furniture, making jewellery or painting an old tired mug. Taking on these kinds of projects is both fun and exciting - and the environmental benefits of upcycling are huge. There are a wealth of wonderful craft, DIY and upcycling tutorials online, so get searching…

[Image credit: artist Sarah Buckett (i.e. Decolalia): @decolalia]

6. Collage

Collage art is a brilliant hobby for adults! It is a great opportunity to experiment and have fun. You will most likely have everything that you need already at home - these could be old magazines and books, newspaper clippings, photos, coloured paper etc. The possibilities are endless; you might even wish to further embellish the art with drawing, painting or adding items such as dried flowers, ribbons or buttons.

7. Urban sketching

Finally, urban sketching is a fantastic way of getting out and about, documenting and really absorbing the world around you. Bring a small sketchbook or piece of paper with you wherever you go, and when you feel the impulse to pull out your phone camera consider stopping - even just for a moment - to draw the view instead. No matter your skill level, this is a really lovely hobby, and a great way of appreciating your surroundings. There has been a growing community of urban sketchers over the past few years, with sketch crawls taking place all over the world - so this hobby can also be a great way to meet new people!