8 Hobbies That Can Actually Make You Smarter (And Are Fun Too!)
Analog activities are back in a big way.
Let's be real: It sure is easy to get sucked into scrolling your phone or watching TV for way longer than you intend when you finally have time to slow down in life. With a million and one things you could do in that time, might we suggest some activities that can be both edifying and fun? Here we rounded up a list of hobbies that will make you smarter, engaging your brain in new ways with long-lasting positive effects.
Try out one of these activities, and you just might find that hobbies that are mentally stimulating are far more interesting and enjoyable that you might have thought. They might not make you money, but they will often build knowledge and deeply satisfy you in many other ways. Whether you are looking for a cozy hobby for dark winter days (cross-stitch, perhaps?) or something to do on a hot summer day, we have plenty of ideas for you from crafting to gardening. Read on to learn more about how they're great for your brain too.
More ideas for hobbies to try:
Play a musical instrument
Did you know playing a musical instrument engages more of your brain than any other activity we know of? Well, here’s your excuse to brush up on the piano you learned as a kid or the trumpet played in high school, or to take lessons on whatever instrument you’ve always thought of trying. You’ll be strengthening and creating new neural connections as you do, and boosting your memory too.
Read anything and everything
Exposing yourself to new ideas and new words not only expands your knowledge and increases your vocabulary, but it also activates many areas of your brain, and the more you read the more it does so. Consuming words and stories helps you to learn faster and improves your memory, and fiction in particular can help connect regions of the brain over time. Better yet, join a book club to not only engage with ideas on page but also with other people.
Learn a new language
Taking on a new language does more than just give you an excuse to travel to a new set of countries; it’s also great brain exercise. Be it Spanish, French, Chinese, or any other language, it equips you to solve cognitive problems and increases your ability to focus and multi-task. Sounds like a big set of wins in our ever-distracting, phone-obsessed culture!
Play “brain games”
Just as you can’t expect to stay strong and muscular without physical exercise, your brain won’t stay as sharp without exercising your mind. Any game that gives you a good mental challenge can qualify: crossword puzzles, Sudoku, puzzles, board games like chess, even video games. Just make sure you do increasingly difficult versions and take on plenty of variety for the optimal “workout.”
Exercise regularly
We all know exercise is good for you, but we don’t talk as often about how it does more than just strengthen muscles and your heart, it can also boost your memory and thinking indirectly, according to Havard Health. This information might make a good excuse to try a coordinated movement like dancing, tai chi, pickleball drills, swimming, or rock climbing, but the most important thing is to do any exercise moderately and repetitively. Brisk walking is a great option as well!
Engage in creative activity
Maybe grandma was onto something with her hobbies. While we often tend to think of creative activity as a purely fun endeavor, it also activates your brain. Trying new recipes, woodworking, gardening, sewing, sketching, pottery, even coloring all qualify, so consider getting into a habit of whichever form most piques your interest.
Travel new places
Traveling sure makes for great photos and stories, but it’s also just plain good for you and your brain. Broadening your understanding of the world and engaging with other cultures helps increase your attention span and your memory, and it can bolster your creativity and help you be more open-minded too.
Meditate often
When’s the last time you did yoga or another form of meditation? Studies show that people who have practiced meditation long-term have higher IQs than non-meditators. It can even have an anti-aging effect on your brain too, while it reduces your anxiety and stress in the short term to boot.
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