Hobbies for Health
Hobbies and activities developed a new purpose during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a time where most people had little good news to share, hobbies became a way to communicate — to recommend recipes to friends, to learn new skills as a family, and to meet new people online.
The interest in these pastimes peaked in the early days of the pandemic, when trends such as sourdough and banana bread dominated the internet and many peoples’ homes. Though many of those initial interests have taken a significant dip in popularity, as seen in the Google search trends graph below, some other hobbies’ levels have been more consistent, while some, such as tie-dye, are seeing a return to popularity.
“I think hobbies that create things … that the maker values, will continue more than other fads” says Laura Watts, an amateur baker, tennis player, and my mother.
There are many potential reasons that certain hobbies have persisted above others. Some, such as hiking and knitting, that were already relatively popular pre-pandemic, have not experienced the major drop off in interest that other, more faddish activities have.
Other interests that did see a steep drop in searches, like tie-dye, are seemingly increasing again, suggesting that some of these pastimes will have seasonal comebacks, though they may never reach their early-pandemic peaks again.
Some hobbies that stayed consistent were those, like hiking, that happened outdoors. These served as a way to interact with other people in person, while remaining safe, and even as COVID-19 related restrictions begin to ease up, many people still don’t feel completely safe indoors, so outdoor activities continue to be popular.
Many activities that have retained interest were those that required some level of commitment. “Pandemic puppies” were adopted en masse, and though some, tragically, have been returned to shelters, many have stayed with their new adoptive families. Likewise, many interests that require consistent training, like sports, have remained popular.
In many households, including my own, that have had many people packed into one space for over a year, pastimes have been essential. They allow people to learn what they like, without the pressure of perfection.
As my father puts it, “you don’t have to be the best sourdough baker, you just have to be a sourdough baker.”
Though many may leave these newfound hobbies behind as the world begins to reopen, many more will continue on.
The point of hobbies is, after all, to “find things you enjoy,” says Watts.
She believes that the world’s focus on work has decimated the idea of “leisure time,” and that these new skills many have learned during the pandemic may translate into a greater appreciation for these activities that have often been labeled as frivolous or unnecessary.
Regardless of what people may choose to do in their future, her belief is that there will be a greater appreciation for hobbies in the world as a whole.
