8 Creative & Crafty Hobbies to Take Up During Self-isolation

We’ve exhausted our Netflix account, the Houseparty novelty has worn off (sorry) and there’s only so much Instagram scrolling one can do in a day. We’re only a few weeks in to our stay-at-home life and, quite frankly, the time has arrived to find some craftier and more creative ways to occupy our time.

Here are some of our favourite hobbies to take up in self-isolation that don’t involve checking Instagram and/or bingeing Netflix:

BAKE

Google searches for how to bake banana bread have gone up by more than 50% globally since the start of self-isolation. (Our Instagram and Facebook feeds can validate that statistic.) Sourdough is also having a moment. (When is it not?) If you want to get in on the action, then try something different like tahini, sesame and fennel seed bread or these espresso rye cookies.

📷 : @theboywhobakes

READ

If you’re one of those people who, like us, can’t help leaving a bookstore with another novel to add to the shelf, then the chances are you’ve gathered quite the backlog to work through right now. Change your bedtime routine from your digital devices to a good old fashioned book instead (and feel much better for it).

📷 : @crazycatladyldn

KNIT

Known to calm the mind and ease the body, knitting is one of the best things to take up in times of stress and anxiety. So, let’s knit through this together, one oddly-shaped woollen jumper at a time… or is that meant to be a hat?

BECOME A YOGI

You’ve probably tried your hand at a fair share of home workouts since the start of self-isolation; from cardio killers to salsa classes. One exercise that should remain a constant through this period, though, is yoga. Luckily for us, there’s an abundance of online yoga workouts for you to livestream straight to your living room. We’ll see you at class, but in the meantime – Namaste.

📷 : @yogi.bare / @mark_anthony_fox

LEARN AN INSTRUMENT

Dust down the piano, dig out the guitar – whatever musical instrument you purchased back in the day with the promise of learning, now’s the time to pick it back up. If you fancy a bit of folk, singer-songwriter Laura Marling is running online guitar tutorials. (We apologise in advance to those you’re self-isolating with.)

📷 : @lauramarling

OR LEARN A LANGUAGE

Forgotten all of the French and Italian you learnt at school? Inspired by your colleague who has mastered Mandarin better than you can mumble through English some mornings? No matter the motive, learning a language is an ideal hobby for anyone wanting to achieve a sense of accomplishment from it. (And just think, you can put the new lingo to good use once the time is right to travel again.)

TAKE UP GARDENING

For anyone self-isolating in a home with its own outdoor space, gardening is the perfect activity to help you reconnect with nature and learn about the processes of plants and wildlife. Don’t have a garden? Don’t worry – even the smallest of balconies, or even window sills, can be used as herb gardens.

WRITE

Whether you’re aiming high with dreams of a bestselling debut novel, or simply wanting to pen some poetry inspired by your thoughts, writing is one of the simplest therapies of all. Make it a daily habit to sit quietly and jot something down.

And on that last note, if you're looking for some inspiration for your bestselling novel, take a look at our favourite travel-inspired reading list here.