Being a teacher can be a stressful job. There is very little time off to enjoy the simple pleasures of life.
Even when students are vacationing and enjoying summer break, teachers are hard at work, preparing the new syllabus for the coming months or marking and grading outstanding papers and assignments.
What Types of Hobbies Are Best for Teachers?
High levels of stress make it especially important that teachers make the most of the time that they do have for personal pursuits – including hobbies.
The ideal hobbies will provide a sense of calm, foster creativity, or encourage social interaction. But what sorts of hobbies will teachers find the most rewarding?
Here are some ideas to make one of the most demanding and unappreciated jobs that little more rewarding and less stressful.
Recommended Hobbies for Teachers
1. Jigsaw Puzzles
There is something tremendously calming about facing down the challenge of a 1,000-piece puzzle or even something a bit more challenging. It takes tremendous focus to complete a puzzle – and there is simply no room for distraction.
The beauty of puzzles is that they can be completed at home. Those papers may be able to wait for a while. The puzzle is an ideal break from the monotony of grading.
An additional attraction is that there is an almost unlimited number of puzzles with different subject matter. There are even 3D puzzles for those who want to take the challenge to the next level.
2. Coloring for Adults
Many people may find the idea of adult coloring odd. It seems to be reminiscent of a childhood activity. But the truth is very different.
Adult coloring is tremendously challenging, creative, and relaxing at the same time. It takes immense focus – there is simply no room for error.
The great thing about adult coloring is that the end result can be a stunning work of art that would not look out of place on a mantlepiece or a work desk.
Another bonus is that the actual coloring activity is only the tip of the iceberg. Shopping for the right coloring supplies, such as art pencils, can be a tremendously rewarding part of the hobby.
There are a huge number of different adult coloring books that will reward those of varying skills, so there is also the satisfaction of honing your skills as you become more familiar with the task.
3. Photography
This is a hobby for teachers that is tremendously rewarding on a number of levels. It is also one that takes teachers outdoors.
Whether they wish to focus (pun intended) on landscape photography, people or cityscapes, or even hone their skills in microphotography (insects are a favorite subject), the end result will be some fabulous images.
It is also a hobby that is, by nature, creative. It may not even be necessary to invest vast amounts of money in equipment. Many modern smartphones have tremendously powerful cameras – and there are plenty of free editing software packages available on the Internet.
The result of using these can be professional-grade images. Mastering the art of photography involves elements of storytelling, composition, and honing technical skills – all important to those teachers who want to provide their students with an exceptional learning experience.
4. Baking
It seems that during the lockdown that was so much a part of the COVID-19 experience, everyone on social media was exploring their inner home chef, and why not? The end results are delicious meals.
But one skill stood head and shoulders above the others – and that was baking. It is a hobby that is incredibly multifaceted. Baking can involve bread, cookies, cakes, and even savory dishes.
However, it is in exploring the ingredients that go into the perfect dish that the true joy of baking is revealed. That and the preparation of the ingredients. That takes focus and tremendous creativity.
It can also be a social hobby. There are numerous social media groups that are devoted to baking. Interacting with other members of the baking community can be immensely rewarding.
5. Book Clubs
If there is a single hobby that could claim to be simply perfect for teachers, it is being a member of a book club. It simply ticks all the right boxes.
Book clubs allow for discussions of favorite genres and authors, and those who are members have the comfort of knowing that they will be interacting with like-minded people.
There is also a social aspect to being a member of a book club. It is almost inevitable that once the discussions are over, there will be ample opportunity to interact on a social level and enjoy snacks – and perhaps the adult beverage or two.
A book club is also the opportunity to interact with adults. For people who spend a large amount of their days interacting with children and teens, it can be a relief to enjoy some adult conversation.
The bonus is that you might very well be increasing your general knowledge (depending on the book of the week) – and for a teacher, that is valuable.
6. Gardening
Sometimes just focusing on the job at hand is the best way to simply destress – and gardening provides some quality “me” time.
It also requires focus, and it is tremendously rewarding to be nurturing growing things – something that will have drawn many teachers to their chosen profession. You’ll also be getting some valuable exercise and healthy doses of vitamin D.
There’s nothing like a day in the sunshine to revive and energize those who have been stuck at a desk grading papers for long periods of time.
The bonus: for those who choose to plant vegetables, the end result is some of the freshest ingredients that will help to make any meal a delight – and save some money, and on a teacher’s salary, that would be very welcome.
Hobbies to Avoid for Teachers
Teachers spend much of their time interacting with the younger generation – and they have devoted a large amount of their adult lives to enriching young minds. However, sometimes it is nice to mix with adults.
For many people coaching Little League is the perfect hobby, but perhaps teachers could do with some adult conversation every now and again.
Teachers should also avoid hobbies that might add to the burden of an already stressful life. It may be wonderful for some to indulge in hobbies that emphasize competitiveness.
The best hobbies for teachers should encourage relaxation. Going head to head with others in an attempt to win is something that should be avoided. An example of this sort of hobby would be involvement in some sort of sporting league.
But this is not a hard and fast rule. Something like a bowling league can allow for a healthy amount of socialization and friendly competition.
Online hobbies such as gaming should also be far down the list.
These sorts of online interactions may expose teachers to others, but there is simply no substitute for quiet and focus or person-to-person contact that takes place in the real world.
Again the company of other adults can help teachers to destress – and perhaps meet like-minded people.
Summary
Teachers simply need to enjoy some downtime. A hobby provides the perfect way to destress from a job that can be incredibly demanding.
Teachers have very little free time – and a hobby can provide a focus that can help them to make the most of what limited time they have to themselves.