"Self-care is so important." 

"Make sure to give yourself a little 'Me' time!" 

"Don't forget to do something for yourself today."

"Remember to make yourself a priority, too!"

These sentiments are often voiced to me, under the best intentions, and I'm sure many other moms have heard the same.  People tell us we need to make ourselves a priority in addition to our kids, but no one tells us how to do it!

Having a hobby is a great way to relieve stress and devote more time to yourself. I’ve always been the type of person that’s needed a hobby as an outlet, even from a young age. I’ve been fortunate to have had the chance to try my hand at many hobbies over the years. From sports to dance to art to music to knitting, I’ve pretty much dabbled in everything.

However, while having a hobby or two as a kid is one thing, I’ve found that as an adult, and especially as a parent, busy schedules can make it near impossible to find a hobby and stick to it. The hardest part is taking action. It’s easy to make excuses, create mind blocks, and put yourself in your way when it comes time to doing something for yourself. Not to mention, we Moms are just. So. Tired. All. The. Time. It's easy to laugh to ourselves as we say "I don't have time for that" or "that would cost too much money". We're used to putting others first so the excuses come easily.

This year, however, I have a focus on changing that. I started 2020 promising myself that I would be better at putting myself first. And best of all, I want to empower you, fellow mom, to do the same!  

So, in the spirit of that, I’ve put together a list of potential hobbies to start this year. Don't want to spend money on something you're not sure you're going to stick with? All ten suggestions on this list can be started with little to no money investment!  And while blocking off two hours to have to ourselves sounds heavenly, we know that in reality distractions might happen and you may get pulled away from your "Me Time". So for each hobby, I've tried to give an idea of how "interruption friendly" they are as well. Here we go!

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1.  Gardening

Cost: Minimal; with the potential return on investment in the money you'll save on groceries!

Interruption friendly: Yes, somewhat.

Gardening can be a great stress reliever. It's a good way to get out in the fresh air and sunshine and get some serotonin flowing! Bonus: while you're working, you can pop in some headphones or just listen to the sounds of nature. I recommend starting with just a small herb garden to see if it's a hobby that will "stick". If you love it, you can expand from there!

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2. Read More

Cost: Minimal to free.

Interruption friendly: Yes, extremely.

I'm a pretty heavy reader by default, but I've promised myself to devote even more time to read this year since it's something I truly enjoy. It's a great way to escape without actually having to get up off the couch. If you're not currently a huge reader, this can be a great, easy hobby to start! It's so easy to pick up a book and set it back down again if something comes up, which as a parent, you know you're going to have interruptions! Best of all, this is a hobby that requires no money, if you take advantage of your local library!

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3. Write

Cost: Minimal to free.

Interruption friendly: Yes, extremely.

Whether it's creative writing, journaling, or anything in between, writing is also a great hobby that anyone can start and is a task that can easily be walked away from and picked up again quickly. As long as you have access to a pen and paper, or a computer, this is a hobby you can begin immediately and for free. If you find yourself getting really into writing, there are great resources out there such as prompt journals that you can invest money in, but that's totally optional. Writing is also a great way to learn more about yourself!

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4. Cooking/Baking

Cost: Minimal.

Interruption friendly: Varies.

As someone who doesn't enjoy cooking on a regular basis, I felt a little funny about putting this one on the list. But I have fellow Mom friends who love to cook and bake, and truly consider it a hobby and a source of stress relief. These friends get the most enjoyment out of baking and then testing their skills when it comes to the decorating part. So, fire up that Pinterest account and get inspired to make your next dessert!

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5. Painting

Cost: Minimal.

Interruption friendly: Not very.

This one's pretty self-explanatory! Buy some paintbrushes, paint, and canvas, and see how it feels to spread that paint around. The cost is pretty minimal to start, as I recommend just buying the most basic of supplies. If you find yourself loving it, you can then begin to build your paint collection and invest in higher quality materials. Treat yourself!

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6. Knitting/Crocheting

Cost: Minimal.

Interruption friendly: Yes, very.

I picked up knitting a couple years ago by buying some discounted yarn and knitting needles, and self-taught myself by watching YouTube tutorials. Once I had the technique down, I was able to find free knitting patterns on Pinterest for hats, scarves, blankets, you name it! As long as you're even a little bit resourceful, this can be a very cheap hobby to start. Like many others on this list, if you find yourself truly enjoying it, you can always invest more money at a later time.

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7. Sketching

Cost: Minimal to free.

Interruption friendly: Yes, very.

Similar to writing, if you have a pencil and paper, you can dive headfirst into this hobby immediately and for free! Gather up some inanimate objects around the house to set up a still life scene. Head out to a park, or hit up a museum on a "free day" and sketch what you observe. The possibilities are endless! Again, if you grow to love this hobby, you can invest in higher quality materials at a later time.

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8. Yoga/Dance

Cost: Minimal to free.

Interruption friendly: Yes, somewhat.

You can find some pretty good prices on fitness classes these days. If you're unsure whether you'll be able to make it to a yoga class/dance class on a consistent basis, a subscription service such as "Beach Body on Demand" is an option. Best yet, a little bit of Google and YouTube searching will provide you with free yoga and dance videos that you can test out in the comfort of your own home to see if it's something for you. Bonus: this is a great hobby to start with a friend!

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9. Photography

Cost: Minimal to free.

Interruption friendly: Yes, extremely.

Have a smartphone? Then you can start practicing photography for free, right now! There's a big misconception that you need to have an expensive camera to take good photos or to consider photography as a hobby. The two essential elements to any great photo are composition and lighting. This can be achieved with any camera, but will take practice. Try it out by taking practice shots on your smartphone to see how you like it! Similar to many of the hobbies above, money can be invested in higher quality products at a later time if it's something you really want to stick with.

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10. Learn a New Language

Cost: Minimal to free.

Interruption friendly: Yes, extremely.

There are so many benefits to learning a new language, making it a hard hobby to pass up. There are dozens of free apps out there to help you start, but I would recommend visiting your local library to check out some books and audio CDs (for free, of course!). Feeling really ambitious? You can listen to said CDs while gardening, knitting, sketching, etc. Two hobbies for the price of one! You can say "gracias" or "merci" to me later!

Do you have any other hobby ideas, or were you inspired to start one of these hobbies above? Let me know in the comments, and enjoy yourselves, moms!