Why you should take up a hobby

Hobbies can help you become happier and healthier. Here are tips on choosing the right one

- Akshita Nanda

If you are looking for a New Year's resolution to get the best out of 2025, experts suggest taking up a hobby.

You could do yo-yo tricks, join a group dance class, or try handicrafts. Most activities are beneficial, as long as you are having fun and can do it consistently.

Clinical psychologist Liew Shi Min explains why: "Physical activities help to release feel-good hormones such as serotonin and dopamine. Expressive hobbies such as painting and journaling release our emotions healthily in a cathartic manner."

Arts and crafts promote mindfulness, as such projects require repetitive movements and focus. The increased sensory stimulation from seeing colours or working with different textures also promotes calmness, adds Ms Liew, the founder and director of Heartscape Psychology.

However, not all diversionary activities are healthy, she says. Passively scrolling videos and watching Netflix are not helpful hobbies.

Dr Zheng Zhimin, consultant psychiatrist from Nobel Psychological Wellness Centre, says watching content on screens is a passive process not very different from a person's usual work or academic routine.

Hobbies should be a break from the grind and require you to be present and engaged, she adds.

So, how do you choose the right hobby?

LOOK TO INCREASE WELL-BEING

Ms Liew suggests asking yourself questions about your preferences. Do you prefer creative, mental or physical pursuits? What stimulates your curiosity, what would make you happy? Do you have fun doing solo activities, or do you prefer to be with a companion or a group?