Best Slow Living Hobbies & Activities for a Calmer Life

Start creating some room in your schedule for these slow living hobbies! They’re a great way to help you unwind and enjoy the simple things in life.

If you’re stuck in the hustle-bustle cycle of modern life, you probably have a hard time really enjoying your free time. Many of us actually feel uncomfortable when we set aside time for ourselves and end up using it to scroll through social media or do something productive.

My friend, rest is productive. You can’t pour from an empty cup, and it’s vital to have activities in your lives that refill yours. Also, productivity isn’t everything. It’s just one facet of who we are. Our growth, healing, and joy matter the most!

If you’ve been struggling to slow down and feel present, the following hobbies can help you harness your attention, focus deeply, and get into a flow state. It takes practice, but it really works and is so worth it. 

How to find the right slow living hobby

Hobbies are a fantastic way to enrich your life and learn about yourself. Because they can be so all-encompassing, they can also be a way to keep hopping from task to task instead of actually resting. If you find yourself jumping from task to task, including your hobbies, then you might be using them as a distraction or a way to run away from yourself.

The goal is to choose a hobby that helps you feel present and grounded. 

To find the right hobby for you, notice how you respond as you read this list. Are there any that make you feel calm or excited? Start there! Hobbies that make you feel excited are a great way to have fun and add more joy to your life while hobbies that make you feel calm are great for slowing down and resting. 

If you try one and don’t love it, try not to judge or criticize yourself. It’s okay to try a new hobby and not like it. Give it a try, see what you think, and if you don’t like it after a few “play” sessions, try something else. 

​If possible, try a new hobby with a friend who already does that to get some expert help and play with their supplies instead of forking over a bunch of money for new supplies. See what you think first, then purchase mindfully if needed.

Best Slow Living Hobbies & Activities

Ready to get connected with yourself? Find some new hobbies or activities on the list below to support your growth and inner peace.

1. Walking

Don’t underestimate this simple activity. Walking is a great way to release stress from your body, improve your physical health, connect with nature, get some fresh air, and change your perspective. Walking daily will help you be more reflective and identify what you want in life.

2. Hiking

Hiking is such a powerful experience. From overcoming physical discomfort to enjoying the sights, hikes can be profoundly transformative. Go solo or bring along a friend to enjoy some quality time together.

3. Reading

Books have been a friend to me since childhood. There’s something so beautiful about falling into a story so captivating you forget the world around you. It’s amazing when a good book transports you to new worlds. There’s nothing like it!

Try reading just a chapter a day and noticing how it relaxes your body and mind.

4. Journaling

This is one of the best slow-living practices because it can truly change your life. Journaling slows you down so you can process your stress, fears, and excitement. It’s a phenomenal way of increasing your self-awareness and helping you craft a life you truly believe in.

5. Junk Journaling

One of my readers recommended junk journaling as a way to unwind and relax. Unlike regular journaling, you create your own physical journal using found or made items. Then, you decorate each page in creative ways.

6. Meditating

Many people are reluctant to meditate because they think it will take a long time. Well, it doesn’t have to (also, isn’t that the point?). Just take a moment to focus on the present moment. Notice your breath and root yourself to the ground. Listen to a guided meditation if your mind tends to drift.

I have to say that meditating is one of the most powerful ways to transform your life. If you only try one activity on this list, I’d encourage you to try meditating daily for 5 minutes and see how that changes your life. It’s lifechanging for your mental health and can lead to tremendous personal growth!

7. Baking

This is one of my favorite hobbies, bringing me back to my childhood. Baking allows you to get creative, knead or mix dough, and enjoy the flavors of your creation. It’s also a gift you can share with your friends or family, which feels heartwarming.

I especially enjoy baking and decorating sugar cookies or working with sourdough. It instantly brings down my stress levels and helps me feel more focused.

8. Food preservation

I’ve been fascinated about where food comes from since I was a child. I loved learning about how people lived, what they wore, and the food they ate. As I got older, I was amazed at how people could save enough food to survive the winter and wanted to understand how to do the same.

Whether you want to start drying herbs, making your own extracts, or canning, food preservation is a great way to connect with the seasons, spend some time outside, and enjoy the freshest, most delicious produce.

9. Gardening

Gardening should probably be at the top of the list because it can be healing and transformative for many people. Whether you love growing your own produce or colorful flowers, caring for a garden will get you outside, connecting with nature, and enjoying healthy produce.

It doesn’t take much – keep a succulent in your house, a container on your patio, or dig up the backyard for a huge kitchen garden (like we did).

10. Foraging

If you live in a small space and don’t have room for a big garden or just want to spend more time outside, foraging is a fantastic choice. Not only do you get to spend hours in the forest, you also get to come home with gorgeous mushrooms, flowers, and herbs, and you can get lost for hours researching different plants and how to use them.

This is an amazing way to deepen your connection with nature, too.

11. Weaving

Whether you’re weaving macrame, tapestries, or baskets, this is a great way to focus on your hands and create. I learned how to weave baskets during an incredibly stressful part of my life, and they were so therapeutic for me that it eventually turned into a business. Come join me at a virtual basket class!

12. Crocheting & Knitting

Crocheting and knitting are wonderful slow living hobbies that occupy your hands and mind. There are so many opportunities to be creative, and it feels so good to crochet a scarf or knit a hat for a loved one. Look into amigurumi to learn how to make the cutest little animals and objects.

13. Embroidering

I grew up with my grandma constantly crocheting or embroidering (counted cross-stitch), and I eventually took up both of those hobbies myself. It’s lovely to chip away at a picture one X at a time.

14. Felting

In a similar fashion, felting is a fun way to turn felt into dolls or creatures. Using colored handfuls of felt and felting tools, you can create your own custom designs in no time.

15. Puzzles

You might even have nostalgic memories of doing puzzles with your family as a kid. This old-fashioned, tech-free hobby requires you to slow down and focus on your every move.

16. Playing Board Games

There’s a reason board games are still incredibly popular, even with the rise of hyper-realistic video games. It’s fun to getting lost in a new world and spending time with friends. In our busy lives, many of us struggle to find time to visit with friends or play.

Try hosting a game night or whip out a deck of cards for a round of solitaire. It sucks you in once you get started.

17. Playing Instruments

Whether you’re picking up an old skill or learning something new, playing instruments is the perfect way to tap into your creative side and enjoy a little productive struggle. It feels so good when you finally start playing smoothly.

18. Crafting & Tinkering

It doesn’t really matter what you do to occupy your hands. It’s more about having a good time and getting creative. Fix up an old gadget or make your own.

19. Drying Flowers Or Herbs

This old-fashioned activity gives off cottagecore vibes for sure. I love tying up homegrown herbs to dry them out, and this activity immediately makes me want to live a slow life.

20. Making Tinctures

Herbalism is a lovely way to connect with the power of nature. I love having little jars of this or that fermenting or resting around the kitchen. One of my favorite things to do is to make homemade extracts or this delicious lavender liqueur. Projects like these make it fun to get creative in the kitchen and play with flavors.

21. Making Skincare Products

Although it takes much less time to pick up a lip balm at the store than to make it yourself, making skincare products feels good and is one of my favorite ways to unwind. It’s fun, and you end up with lotion or lip scrub, which feels like a special treat. Plus, you can share them with your friends, which is nice.

22. Making Soap

I love making soap because it requires you to pay attention. When you add lye to water, the water immediately begins to boil. You have to follow specific safety procedures, which feels scary and intimidating. Except it’s not. Your ancestors made soap forever, and you can, too. It feels lovely to make new creations and test the lather on each bar.

23. Candle Making

This is another one of those old-fashioned hobbies we don’t need to do but that bring us joy. I love candles, but I am sensitive to fragrance and decided to make my own beeswax candles two years ago.

They give off a warm, inviting glow, and I’ve been making them ever since! It’s a fun hobby, and your candles can help you build a daily ritual around making your morning coffee or journaling.

24. Dying Fabrics With Natural Dyes

Growing and gathering natural dyes like drying herbs and flowers harkens back to yesteryear. There are so many resources to get you started.

25. Crosswords

Distract your brain from overthinking with crosswords! They’ll absorb your complete focus, and getting the correct answers is so satisfying.

26. Hand Lettering

If you loved handwriting as a kid, you’d love calligraphy or hand lettering. This slow living hobby requires practice and precision to get the up and downstrokes just right. There are plenty of hand-lettering books to get you started.

27. Coloring

Adult coloring books are still trendy because many people find them relaxing. The rhythmic motion of sliding your colored pencil or gel pen across the page draws you in and lowers your blood pressure.

28. Sketching

Break out the charcoal pencils to sketch images of the world around you. The sound of the charcoal rubbing the page can be soothing, and you’ll enjoy getting to improve your craft over time.

29. Painting

There’s a reason people have painted for centuries. It’s a fantastic way to express your emotions or replicate the world around you. Try taking a watercolor class for a beautiful, romantic medium.

30. Photography

Although you can specialize in different types of photography, I appreciate that this activity requires you to engage with the world around you physically. The proper lighting and angle can be incredibly evocative and beautiful.

It’s okay to just take pictures of your dog or cakes, too. Whatever makes you happy!

31. Sculpture

Although most of us aren’t likely to chisel away at a block of stone, it still feels good to make something out of your two hands. Get some air dry clay to sculpt pint-sized creations of your own imaginings.

32. Pottery

I’ve always been drawn to pottery because it’s a physical craft. The process of running the wheel is so complicated and requires a lot of time and practice. 

33. Dance

For millennia, people have used dance to connect to their bodies and have religious experiences. It can be a transcendent and beautiful part of a slow lifestyle.

34. Yoga

Yoga makes me think of water. It seems simple, but is incredibly powerful and creates a significant change in your mind and body. It can strengthen you physically but also help you feel attentive and calm. Try building a daily practice.

35. Tai Chi Or Qi Gong

These activities help you move at a slower pace. Every moment requires intention, presence, and focus. Qi Gong and Tai Chi also help you keep your muscles strong and raise your energy.

36. Exercising

It feels good to use your body and get your heart rate up. Opt for slow fitness by weight training occasionally to remember how an unhurried approach can build incredible strength.

37. Bathing

Being in water always feels so freeing. Set the scene by turning off the lights and lighting some candles. Practice slow movement by noticing how your arms feel when you move them through the water. Add some magnesium flakes for a truly restorative bath.

38. Play a Musical Instrument

Playing an instrument requires your full focus and can help you feel much calmer and more grounded. You’re never too old to learn a new skill!

39. Woodworking

There’s something so satisfying about building thing with your own two hands, especially practical tools and furniture you can use in real life. There are many different types of woodworking to consider including whittling and carving, building furniture, building boxes, and more.

40. Quilting

Similar to the craft project above, quilting can be a wonderful way to unwind. 

41. Sewing

This might not be quite as common these days as it was in the past, but there’s been a resurgence in people making their own clothing. It’s such a fun way to really slow down and you can even purchase sustainable materials, like linen or organic cotton, to make slow clothing. 

Darning clothing is a great activity, too! It’s slow and intentional, and there are lots of different stitches to give your socks or snagged sweaters a little personality. I always get a great sense of achievement when I fix a hole in something.

42. Creative Writing

Although I covered journaling above, writing is a wonderfully creative hobby and a great way to expand your mind. I highly recommend trying NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). It’s a group of people who try to write a 50,000 word novel every November.

There are often in-person meet-ups, so your hobby can also help build community. So important!

43. Animal Training

If you want a hobby that gets a little physical activity and strengthens the bond between you and your pet, animal training is a good choice. It’s practical in many ways, as our pets need to have good recall to stay safe in the world. But, you can also teach them how to maneuver obstacles, follow different commands, and more. Plus, it’s not an entirely solo activity and is a nice way to give your pet an outlet, too.

44. Collecting

There are so many things to collect from rocks to antiques to stamps and more. I like to collect antique kitchenware, like stoneware mixing bowls, and crocks. Since these items are secondhand, I’m often supporting small businesses and antique shops and not buying new items.

It is easy to go overboard with collecting, so this is a good one to set some limits with to avoid overspending or filling your house with too much stuff.

There are so many great hobbies for slow living out there, and there is no right or wrong option. If you find something that brings you joy or helps you feel calm, keep doing it. And, please don’t judge yourself. Many of us tell ourselves that we are not creative, so we instantly eliminate many of the hobbies on the list like painting, drawing, etc.

We’re all inherently creative. It’s part of human nature. If you haven’t had a chance to develop this skill, you probably won’t like what you create at the beginning. Keep going! Learn through failure, watch videos to improve your skills, and give yourself a chance to grow at something. It feels amazing!

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