Need new hobbies but useless at everything?!

[MissE29]

Hi!!

So I work in schools and am on summer holidays at the moment. DP is working full-time still and my mental health is seriously declining because I have nothing to do all day. I go for walks and exercise but other than that I'm getting so bored.

I'm useless at pretty much everything and can't find a hobby I enjoy. I'm not creative at all, I find running boring and I don't own any instruments or anything.

Does anyone have any good ideas or have any hobbies they have taken up which they really enjoy to keep them sane? Preferably one that isn't expensive? Thanks :) x

What did you like when you were in early primary school? Did you like learning about planets, or about nature? Did you like making Christmas decorations with crepe paper, or moulding things with plasticine? Building things with lego? Doing puzzles? Climbing trees? Dancing? Skipping? Singing or playing an instrument?

I always think that when you're lost about finding a new hobby, you should think back on what excited you at a young age, before anyone told you that you shouldn't, or that it wasn't for girls, or that you wouldn't be any good at it.

Adult colouring books?
Jigsaws?
Genealogy?

Do you need a hobby in the traditional sense? What about volunteer work? There’s lots of people that need support and friendship, older people, people with mental or physical disabilities. Spending an afternoon at a gallery or walk could be fun.

Cooking or baking.
Decorating.
Gardening.

Reading? Easy to get lost in good book. Bullet Journaling? puzzle books? Gardening? I had zero interest in gardening until lockdown and now I am really into it and love eating much of the stuff I grow. I have a small garden but can still grow lots!

That's a great post altforvarmt, thanks for making me think about lost interests and how I could revive them

And good luck OP, I understand the feeling.

What about a free online course? Literally you can study anything you want online these days and it's either very low cost or free. Have a look on Futurelearn or Openlearn.

Forget about being "good" at something - that will come with practice. What do you enjoy?

So true about childhood interests, DF always said that.

I think do something where it kind of doesn’t matter if you are “good” at it.
Online yoga with adriene 30 day challenge? Online language class? Cooking of some description? Online book club? Some kind of interaction with people is good I find. But also making something and looking after your brain is excellent

If you have a flat water river where you live and can swim I would suggest kayaking.

There will almost certainly be a canoe and kayaking club where you live who can help.
It's not too expensive if you are happy to use club kit and or buy kit from eBay.

It is not about being good at something, it is about doing something you enjoy.
I have a horse on part loan which is an interest I have had since I was a tiny child. I have also recently took up open water swimming and am loving it. I find it very therapeutic and much more interesting than swimming lengths in a pool. I am never going to be a triathlete but find it is great for my mental and physical health.

Colouring, adult dot to dots, paint by numbers and printed cross stitches are good "creative" hobbies that don't require a lot of creativity.