The COVID Pandemic that is sweeping its way through the world has left far too many of us with too much time on our hands. Indeed, the pandemic and its subsequent stay-at-home orders have given people the time and excuse they need to dig into hobbies that they had never previously had the time to explore.

What hobbies can you do around the home, when your ability to get into the real world is limited? Here are a few examples.

Sewing

Sewing is an ideal stay-at-home hobby, as it requires relatively limited supplies that you should be able to order off of the internet or pick up on a grocery run. Many sewers have found it to be deeply peaceful, and they’ve also turned their hobby into a public good, sewing masks for first responders.

Sewing does require good fine-motor skills, but if you are lucky enough to possess those, you may find yourself in a great position to start sewing. Even better: Sewing allows you to make your own clothing and repair clothing that has been ripped or torn.

Working Out

There are real benefits to staying in shape – benefits that can not only increase your health but keep you feeling better on an emotional level. As a result, more and more people have turned to working out in order to feel better during this pandemic.

In some cases, people have resorted to expensive workout equipment, and that’s why companies like Peloton have seen their sales shoot through the roof during the pandemic. However, as this pandemic has proven, you don’t need fancy gym equipment or a fancy personal trainer to stay in shape. Indeed, all you need is a bit of space and the ability to google at-home workouts or download any number of fitness apps.

Origami

Origami is another peaceful, calming habit that many users have found makes them feel better during this pandemic. It is an ancient art of delicate paper folding, allowing users to make intricate and beautiful creations by merely folding a thin piece of paper. It originates in both Europe and China. Indeed, it is so old in China that some studies have noted that it was present at Chinese funerals as early as the 9th century.

One of the nice things about origami, and a reason that it may be relatively easy for people to acquire this skill, is that there is a relatively low barrier of entry. All you need to get started is paper, and while thin paper is preferable, any paper can be used to make the more basic shapes. Like sewing, you have to have good fine motor skills, but from there, you can find any number of websites or YouTube videos.

Drawing and Coloring

Most of us liked to color or draw as kids and now seems to be the perfect time to restart this meditative habit. Furthermore, adult coloring books came back a few years ago but have become even more popular thanks to the pandemic, with some psychologists actually noting that these coloring books can help relieve stress. Indeed, the reemergence of this hobby a few years ago has given plenty of people experience at coloring and given them a taste for just how relaxing this hobby can be.

Puzzles

These days, it seems as if everyone is doing jigsaw puzzles. There is something relaxing and meditative about them – you can just relax and absorb yourself into putting together a picture. Strangely enough, puzzles also appear to have many benefits, including increased problem-solving skills, better ability to conduct visual-spatial tasks, and lowered stress levels, something we can all use these days!

However, if you are looking to get into puzzles, you’d better hope you already have them at home, as a new report indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a nationwide shortage of jigsaw puzzles