If you're anything like me, you're always looking for a new hobby to try out. But when life gets busy and burnout begins approaching, sometimes you want an activity that doesn't take a lot of effort, but still brings a ton of joy. Enter: low-energy hobbies.
A low-energy hobby is essentially an activity to do when you're lacking in motivation but still want to feel like you've achieved something. You know, when you want to stimulate your mind beyond scrolling, but you don't want to exert too much brainpower or get too physical. These are also the perfect habits to do when watching TV, or when you're rotting on the couch.
A Nature Medicine study recently found that having a hobby is "good for your health, mood, and more," and when you're feeling overwhelmed with life, taking even 30 minutes back for yourself to try out a hobby can do a world of good. It's science!
So, whether you're looking to add a new hobby to your already filled roster, or simply want to try and inject some more fun into your evenings, scroll down to find 10 of my favorite low-energy and low-effort hobbies.
1. Reading
This is easily one of the most low-energy hobbies going, and one that you will (hopefully!) be able to do straight away. Seriously, I bet you could close this article and find a book on your shelf you've always planned to read but never found the time to. If you want to make this peak low-energy, try using a Kindle stand, so you won't even have to hold your book up while reading.
2. Coloring
Real talk, I miss when my biggest dilemma each day was which picture I was going to color that afternoon. While we can't exactly go back to this era of our lives, we can still enjoy the joys of coloring thanks to a range of coloring books for adults. Even Ariana Grande is a fan!
3. Puzzles
Whether it's jigsaws, sudoku, or a brain teaser book, there are so many ways you can test your brain while sitting on the sofa. Personally, I love a jigsaw puzzle. It's an easy and achievable hobby to pick up and is super fun to do on a Sunday afternoon while your dinner cooks in the background and Harry Potter is on the TV.
4. Paint by number
Again, this is a classic hobby from childhood that I'm all about bringing back into our adult lives. All you need to do is order a kit online and it'll tell you exactly which colors match the corresponding numbers on the canvas. Prepare thy paintbrush.
5. Sticker by number
This follows the same principle as paint by numbers, but uses stickers, instead. Yes, I'm an adult and yes, I still love a sticker book.
6. Diamond art
Chances are you've seen diamond art on your TikTok, and while it looks a little confusing at first, it actually couldn't be simpler—and if you buy a diamond art kit it will have all the essential tools you need to get started, complete with different colored beads (aka diamonds) that have a corresponding symbol on a canvas. Just dip the wax into the placer tool to pick up the diamond, and pop it into the correct position.
7. Yoga
This is the only hobby on this list that really requires any sort of physical movement, but as a gentle form of exercise, it works well as a low-energy hobby, I promise. You can head to your local yoga studio, or just find a flat surface and dig out your yoga mat, lie down, and put on a YouTube tutorial. It'll get you feeling relaxed in no time, and benefits your body, too.
8. Crochet
Crafts are one of the most low-energy hobbies you can pick up, and one of the easier ones to start is crocheting—just use a crochet hook to create interlocked loops of yarn or thread. Perfect projects for beginners? Scarves or small toys.
9. Learn a new language
Yes, this could turn into a high-energy hobby, but it doesn't need to! Downloading Duolingo or a similar app and learning any number of languages (French, Spanish, Italian, you name it) can be done from the comfort of your couch, and you don't need to commit a lot of time to it if you don't want to. Within weeks you could be impressing your friends and ordering beers on your Spanish vacation!
10. Make a mood board
Mood boards are so much fun to create on your own or with friends—and the power of manifestation is strong! You can make a physical board by finding a canvas and adding cutouts from magazines, newspapers, or printed-out photos. Alternatively, an even more low-energy approach is to use Pinterest's collage tool and create digital mood boards using your favorite pins.
