# What are good writer hobbies for brain turn off?



## DGS (Sep 25, 2013)

I remember reading that manual labor is best for writer hobbies as it let's the brain cool. What are yours? Which would you pick?


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## mrsrobinlcole (Jul 13, 2015)

I scrapbook (Project Life style, to be specific). Might sound silly, but I find it very relaxing. Its creative in a visual away so it allows me to switch gears while still being artsy and feeling productive.


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## Word Fan (Apr 15, 2015)

Manual labor does just the opposite with me. I get so many ideas that it's hard to get the work done. Doing dishes is the worst (best?). I have to stop every little while and try to get my ideas written down with wet hands.

I recommend reading.


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## dgrant (Feb 5, 2014)

Myself & C-- love to garden, and the character problems often resolve themselves while pulling weeds. S-- has the blackest of black thumbs, but she and C-- plot while ironing. I refuse to iron, but agree with both of them that baking, cooking complicated new recipes, and switching to drawing are all very good for easing the brain when it feels like the well's run dry, and refilling the well of creativity. Housecleaning in general works under the principle of busy hands, idle mind, and a neat and organized place that's not subtly stressing and complicating with all the clutter when you're done.

My darling husband loves to take road trips instead. Somewhere out there, as the miles roll under his wheels and I'm usually asleep in the right seat, the plots work themselves out and the characters do, too. Then he just has to write it down. 

This sometimes leads to him saying that we should live in an RV, and me looking horrified at permanent lack of garden. 

Other things that help: fixing airplanes, chopping wood, powerwashing the side of a house and subsequent painting. Reloading doesn't; I can't let my attention wander enough to plot lest I do a double charge. On the other hand, sorting brass works fine. 

Shoveling snow and chipping a couple inches of ice off the driveway are good for making the brain desperately want to plot and tell stories, and be anywhere doing anything but the current task. On the other hand, I can't really recommend these last two activities; I kinda moved to the Lower 48 with the gleeful exhortations that I shall never again have to do that...


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## HeyImBen (Mar 7, 2013)

I'm addicted to online Scrabble. Timed 3 minute games. Talk about a rush.


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## 77071 (May 15, 2014)

Top Gear 
Crossy Road
junk food


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## Jena H (Oct 2, 2011)

For me it's anything outside (a walk, light yard work, etc.).  It's like setting my brain free to totally disconnect from everything writing-related so that I forget anything and everything that's irking me.  As a bonus, sometimes the manual, brain-free activity somehow manages to magically connect some mental wires and spark the very thought or idea that I hadn't even been looking for.


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## Anarchist (Apr 22, 2015)

Playing with this guy...


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## Joshua Dalzelle (Jun 12, 2013)

HSh said:


> Top Gear


Not anymore  At least not for me until the original cast gets their new show on Amazon going.

I homebrew and make mead, the fruits of which I can then use later on to help with the writing. I also shoot trap and sporting clays when the weather is nice. Anything that requires enough attention to detail or hand-eye coordination to drown out the nagging part of the brain that says I should be working.


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## joyceharmon (May 21, 2012)

Online jigsaw puzzles. I play Jigsaw World on Facebook - my level is Jigsaw Wizard. 

Oh, and adult coloring books are fun too.


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## bendanarama (Jul 25, 2015)

I play driving games to switch off.  You get onto a focus place of racing lone and braking point!


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## German_Translator (Jul 26, 2015)

Cooking.
I find it very relaxing to deal with something real that has texture, scent and flavor after staring at a computer screen for most of the day.


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## Lucas (Jul 15, 2014)

1. I draw (digitally)
2. The Flash
3. Gotham
4. Agents of Shield
5. And waiting for Daredevil season 2


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## Patty Jansen (Apr 5, 2011)

I play the flute. It's absolutely impossible to try to read music while getting ideas.


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## Marilyn Peake (Aug 8, 2011)

I especially love hiking and swimming and outdoor photography for breaks from writing.


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## Patty Jansen (Apr 5, 2011)

Marilyn Peake said:


> I especially love hiking and swimming and outdoor photography for breaks from writing.


Photography is a good one, too. (Here's my profile on 500px: https://500px.com/patty2 Anyone else there?)


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## 77071 (May 15, 2014)

Joshua Dalzelle said:


> Not anymore  At least not for me until the original cast gets their new show on Amazon going.


There are still reruns, mate. They're fine for tuning out stress / real life. Must admit I'm looking forward to the new show, though.


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## Marilyn Peake (Aug 8, 2011)

Patty Jansen said:


> Photography is a good one, too. (Here's my profile on 500px: https://500px.com/patty2 Anyone else there?)


Very nice, Patty! You have some great photographs. I've been looking for a place to post my photographs. How do you like that site?


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## Paul Enson (Jul 11, 2015)

HSh said:


> There are still reruns, mate. They're fine for tuning out stress / real life. Must admit I'm looking forward to the new show, though.


So am I. I think Chris Evans will be a pretty good replacement for Jezza.


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## Patty Jansen (Apr 5, 2011)

Marilyn Peake said:


> Very nice, Patty! You have some great photographs. I've been looking for a place to post my photographs. How do you like that site?


It's free if you post less than 20 photos a week. They've recently gone through a complete site design which has taken away some of the previous silliness (like "popularity" of photos, bleh) and it looks neat and professional. The site is focused on art photos, in contrast to the ones that focus on stock photography. You can offer your photos for sale, but you don't have to (like, if you don't have all the appropriate forms). You can just hang out there and be an artsy amateur photographer, or you can be full on professional. They don't have the heavy vetting that stock agencies do (I guess because they sell art prints, not commercial photos). A lot of photographers link to it.

Yeah, I quite like it.


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## Marilyn Peake (Aug 8, 2011)

Patty Jansen said:


> It's free if you post less than 20 photos a week. They've recently gone through a complete site design which has taken away some of the previous silliness (like "popularity" of photos, bleh) and it looks neat and professional. The site is focused on art photos, in contrast to the ones that focus on stock photography. You can offer your photos for sale, but you don't have to (like, if you don't have all the appropriate forms). You can just hang out there and be an artsy amateur photographer, or you can be full on professional. They don't have the heavy vetting that stock agencies do (I guess because they sell art prints, not commercial photos). A lot of photographers link to it.
> 
> Yeah, I quite like it.


Sounds perfect. I'm going to check it out in more detail. Thanks for the information!


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## dianapersaud (Sep 26, 2013)

Gardening- pulling weeds. It's the only time my mind goes completely blank.


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## harker.roland (Sep 13, 2014)

Video Games.

Between Fallout and Battlefront, I will have a lot of time with my brain off this November.


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## Jana DeLeon (Jan 20, 2011)

In order for me to turn of thinking about writing, I have to do something that requires concentration or suffer consequences. I ride motocross and have race PWC. You can't think about anything else while doing that or you'll hurt yourself. So automatic writing turnoff.


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## bendanarama (Jul 25, 2015)

Also, hurling abuse at pretentious BBC4 documentaries.


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## Melisse (Jun 3, 2012)

I crochet and watch movies or tv shows.


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## Patty Jansen (Apr 5, 2011)

Weeds are good, too. Good thing our garden has so many


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## Soothesayer (Oct 19, 2012)

Mame emulation.

I swear I must have at least a fifty classics that are easy to get in and out in under 10 minutes. I get stuck writing, I pop over to Joust or Elevator Action II or Galaga and then a few minutes into it that 'A-HA!' moment arrives. I used to walk around Home Depot hitting up strangers for a quick convo whenever I'd get stuck. The trick is not to think. Get in and out quick. Unfortunately that means NO BALDUR'S GATE!

(but at least I save on gas)


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## Caddy (Sep 13, 2011)

Well, I have a lot of hobbies, but they don't necessarily turn the brain off of my writing. I am a painter, I swim, I love the woods. But the one thing that will turn my mind of my writing is coloring with felt tips in coloroing books made for adults. I don't have to think or plan, just follow the lines and go blank, enjoying the color.


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## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

Watching Pumpkin have fun at the dog park. 
(That's her in the front.)


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## Jim Johnson (Jan 4, 2011)

DGS said:


> I remember reading that manual labor is best for writer hobbies as it let's the brain cool. What are yours? Which would you pick?


My brain never shuts off, but to help move story ideas and such to the back burner, I play video games, or listen to music, or read, or get creative with LEGO bricks, or play djembe in local drum circles.


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## Bishoppess (Apr 11, 2015)

It's not manual labor, but I got for walks or to the gym. Plug in the music and let my brain turn loose. Fix lots of things that way. So far. I hope.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


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## NanSweet (Apr 14, 2015)

I love painting.  Also, I sit in the back yard and do nothing.


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## Crystal_ (Aug 13, 2014)

Yoga.

If you practice yoga at a more traditional studio (not "gym yoga" like CorePower), you learn to focus on your body without trying to force it into any one position. It can be intense letting your emotions bubble to the surface, especially in heart and hip openers, but it's a great way to clear your mind and move your body at once.

I mostly steam classes on my iPad and practice at home, but I get a lot more out of going to the studio. Personally, I prefer a more fast paced vinyasa so I get so caught up in my movements I can't even begin to think, but there are lots of different styles.

Biking in a busy area is another good way to clear the mind. Hard to think about writing when you're dodging cars and pedestrians.


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## Fishbowl Helmet (Jan 12, 2014)

Play with my daughter, go outside, watch daft old science fiction shows and crime dramas. Some true crime. Anime on Netflix. But honestly, I have to keep my notebook or smart phone within arm's reach no matter what. Video games help too.


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## Marcus Richardson (Aug 15, 2014)

Woodworking, video games, genealogy, astronomy, and drawing.  Though I'm not really unplugged doing any of that.  I find woodworking very meditative (I mostly use hand tools).  There's something about the schnick of a well tuned plane slicing off 1/1,000" of wood that just frees up my subconscious to solve any writer's block I encounter.  The problem then becomes which do I want to do more?  Create with my hands or create on the screen?

If I could figure out how to dictate and not chisel my fingers off, I'd attain nirvana.


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## Marina Finlayson (May 2, 2014)

I like crochet. You'd think it would be a good thing for thinking about writing: your hands are busy but your brain is free to wander. Mine doesn't. Watching the repetitive movement of the hook is almost hypnotic, and I find my mind is completely empty. It's very soothing.


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## Patty Jansen (Apr 5, 2011)

Marina Finlayson said:


> I like crochet. You'd think it would be a good thing for thinking about writing: your hands are busy but your brain is free to wander. Mine doesn't. Watching the repetitive movement of the hook is almost hypnotic, and I find my mind is completely empty. It's very soothing.


Yes, but what do you crochet? Doilies?


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## Sandy Raven (Jan 11, 2014)

I wish I could take better pics or I'd be a photographer. I wish I could garden or my yard would look nicer. 

To destress, I have horses. You cannot possibly be in the moment with a horse and be thinking of something else. They'll know and will take advantage of you. 

And I can't figure out how to post a pic, but there are pics all over my FB and Website.

Sandy :-D


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## LeahEmmaRose (Mar 16, 2014)

Jigsaw puzzles, exercise classes at the gym, and The Great British Bake Off.


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## Felix R. Savage (Mar 3, 2011)

Playing the drums. And cooking. NOT at the same time


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## Nic (Nov 17, 2013)

Walking the dogs. Candy Crush.


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## Fishbowl Helmet (Jan 12, 2014)

Felix R. Savage said:


> Playing the drums. And cooking. NOT at the same time


'Twould be a sight to behold if you did.


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## Patty Jansen (Apr 5, 2011)

Felix R. Savage said:


> Playing the drums. And cooking. NOT at the same time


Aw, geez, it's called multi-tasking!


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## Marina Finlayson (May 2, 2014)

Patty Jansen said:


> Yes, but what do you crochet? Doilies?


Blankets, hats, ponchos, stuffed toys, scarves, shawls, Christmas decorations, cowls, bags ... lots of possibilities.

But no doilies! My eyes couldn't take the strain, even if I was a doily kind of person. Blankets are particularly fun. They take a long time, and the colour play is very satisfying. And when they're finished, they're great to snuggle under on the couch. Win-win!


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## Felix R. Savage (Mar 3, 2011)

Patty Jansen said:


> Aw, geez, it's called multi-tasking!


Maybe in another few years when the cyborg augments in my SF series become a reality! In the meantime I already multitask by fending my 4-year-old off from the drum kit. She gets her turn though. In another few years we will have a family band


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## Issy (Aug 25, 2013)




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## Ceinwen (Feb 25, 2014)

Knitting, gardening, cooking and video games for me!


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## RinG (Mar 12, 2013)

Frozen Free Fall
Minecraft
Gardening
Watching TV

Not to mention all the household/family tasks that need to be done. I have to get out of the house a couple of times a week to take my daughter to homeschooling activities, so being forced to be social helps too.


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## Tommy Muncie (Dec 8, 2014)

I play guitar. Agree with what Patty said about reading music, although for the guitar I tend to use tablature as well.

Also, I do outdoor volunteering. I'm a countryside ranger by training, but such jobs are hard to come by, so while I'm searching and working a weekend job I volunteer with the National Trust during the week. I'm qualified to do all sorts of neat stuff, and I've always found the winter work is best for clearing my head of all things writing. There's nothing like working on trees with a chainsaw to keep me both on my toes and not thinking about writing at all!


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

Working in the yard and the garden. There is nothing like the feel of dirt of hands and the funk of dead leaves and that satisfying there-I-fixed-that feeling when you yank a full grown weed out by its roots.

Somebody else mentioned snow shoveling. That satisfies too - but when I am done with that I am usually so darn beat that my brain isn't good for anything, except maybe zombie-fodder - and even then I might be guilty of cruelty to zombies.


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## sarahdalton (Mar 15, 2011)

I usually watch some trashy TV and play a bit of Candy Crush. I'm so cool...

I've recently started jogging, which is great to get me out of the house and into some fresh air, but it does end up with me thinking about what I'm working on. But that's quite nice. I like that 'thought time'.


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## Julie W (Apr 27, 2012)

I'd say the top two things I would do when trying to take a break from writing is artwork of some form or playing video games.


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## Talbot (Jul 14, 2015)

Classic fantasy/horror movies (just discovered Svengoolie. Love it!) Doing container gardening on my balcony and holiday arts and crafts. Guess which holiday. 

I'd be going on walks, too, but I recently broke two toes chasing the cat so that's out for a few weeks. Bummer.


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## N. Gemini Sasson (Jul 5, 2010)

Shopping at Kohl's. Seriously. They lure you in with 30% off coupons, discount entire racks of name brand stuff, give you a big cart to pile it all in, limit the amount of outdoor light to two doors so it's like being in a Vegas casino and you lose all track of time... Then, just about when you feel guilty for buying clothes when you already have plenty at home, they ring you up and give you Kohl's Cash, so you HAVE to come back again. I totally forget what I do for a living while I'm there.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

A lot of creative people use adult coloring books to unwind:

http://www.amazon.com/Adult-Coloring-Books/e/B011OD1P7I/kbkindleb-20

Betsy


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## karendawn (Aug 4, 2014)

I'm a knitter (nice to see some other fiber people posting here) and I spin yarn using a spinning wheel. Spinning is especially relaxing and I use it as stress relief.

I started knitting in graduate school as a way to get my eyes away from text (just a quick look at the pattern here and there) and get my brain and hands doing something completely different.


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## lisamaliga (Oct 28, 2010)

Caddy said:


> Well, I have a lot of hobbies, but they don't necessarily turn the brain off of my writing. I am a painter, I swim, I love the woods. But the one thing that will turn my mind of my writing is coloring with felt tips in coloroing books made for adults. I don't have to think or plan, just follow the lines and go blank, enjoying the color.


Caddy,
I'm seeing a lot more of these eBooks and books available online & they're aimed at adults. I think they're very beneficial for relaxing and unwinding because you can get lost within the pictures!

Personally, I like to bake or make soap/bath & body products.


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## dalyamoon2 (Oct 22, 2015)

I thought I was going to take an improv class. But I talked myself out of it. Not because I was scared or anything, but because it was just too big and I knew if I put one foot in, I'd go whole body and it would consume me to where I had no energy or drive for writing.

And that made me sad, because for the first time, I got a sense of what sacrifices I've made to be a writer. 

But I can do small things, like doodle on the iPad and go for walks in the forest. And I've really grown to appreciate a good night's sleep and going to bed early. LOL.


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## ShayneRutherford (Mar 24, 2014)

Archery. When you're shooting with just a bow - no weights or sights or anything to help - it can be a very zen experience. And if you want to have any hope of hitting the bullseye, you'd better be paying attention to the target and nothing else.


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## LGOULD (Jul 5, 2011)

I like trashy TV for relaxing. I'm a fan of the Real Housewives franchises on Bravo. They give me inspiration for my chicklit-style novels.


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## steffmetal (May 8, 2014)

I brew alcohol - mead mostly, and a bit of fruit wine. This is a very fun hobby, and drinking the results is also fun!

I own a lifestyle block/homestead, so there are always things to do outside. It's nice after being in front of the computer all day to spent an hour or two in the garden or pulling weeds.


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## nightfire (Mar 22, 2012)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> A lot of creative people use adult coloring books to unwind:
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Adult-Coloring-Books/e/B011OD1P7I/kbkindleb-20
> 
> Betsy


It's always fun to see an "author" be a series of keywords.


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## A.C Louis (Sep 28, 2015)

As for me, games does it. However, I do get a lot of my ideas from the games I play. So I don't know if that counts as really "cooling off". Aside from that, it can be a mixture of playing guitar, Netflix, drawing or just laying dead over my carpet all day.


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## Not any more (Mar 19, 2012)

Skiing.


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## Guest (Nov 14, 2015)

Gardening!


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## medicalhumor (Feb 15, 2011)

Picking up after my dog in the back yard with a shovel always makes me forget about writing. One wrong step......


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## John Ellsworth (Jun 1, 2014)

Writing and playing music. 

Shooting my Glocks at the range.

NBA.


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## JV (Nov 12, 2013)

I collect blu rays: steelbooks, criterions, rare slipcases, special edition box sets, out of print titles, and just straight up blu rays without those frills. It's a hobby that takes up a lot of financial resources, but I love it...hell, I love film in general. In the last two weeks alone I've added 14 new titles to my collection. I'm constantly expanding it.


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## joyceharmon (May 21, 2012)

Just a few weeks ago, I dug my old keyboard out of a closet and ordered a new cord for it and some learn piano books. I'm surprised how quickly it comes back, since the piano lessons I took were decades ago.


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## JV (Nov 12, 2013)

Boyd said:


> Fallout 4........ my new obsession.


Hell yes, mine too. It's taking away from my movie watching time at the moment, but man, it's worth it. It's not quite better than Witcher 3 for me (which is one of the best, if not the best, open world game of all time), but it's probably my second favorite game of the year.


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## Michael W Griffith (Sep 6, 2014)

Riding my street bike (bicycle) on long trail rides, playing my guitar(s), and this time of year, watching Cincinnati Bengals football.


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## Seshenet (May 20, 2015)

Coloring, reading, exercising, watching a movie, art projects, and playing with my cat.


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## TonyWrites (Oct 1, 2013)

Railfanning is my favorite hobby, but I do keep a notebook with me at all times in case sudden inspiration strikes while I am out photographing trains.


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## BlinkFarm (Oct 25, 2015)

Playing guitar or video games. Watching movies. A long, hot shower.


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## 75814 (Mar 12, 2014)

Video games and Netflix.


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## clippingpathdesk (Jan 8, 2019)

Watching movies...
https://www.clippingpathdesk.com/


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## Decon (Feb 16, 2011)

Playing guitar. Also decorating


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## Lady Vine (Nov 11, 2012)

Playing video games, coding, or playing an instrument.


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## MaxDaemon (Dec 15, 2018)

Patty Jansen said:


> Photography is a good one, too. (Here's my profile on 500px: https://500px.com/patty2 Anyone else there?)


Wow. Looks to me like you have another career available! Some really nice stuff, composition and lighting and subject choice all look great!


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## thegreenheron (May 2, 2018)

Holy Zombie thread, Batman!

Another vote for photography. (If anyone is still left on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/goellnitz )


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## Nicholas (Feb 22, 2018)

For a writer, there's nothing better than cooking. Writing is a solitary act, so it's nice to be able create something nourishing for other people. It's a great way to pull stories out of people. It's also a great way to experience far away cultures without having to pay for travel. You don't really know a culture until you know its cuisine. 

And if you're really trying to turn your brain off, I think the trick is to not eat for a few hours so you're starving. Then when you're salivating over a beautiful miso ramen you've been working on, the rest of your concerns have a way of fading away.


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## Sunbird Books (May 10, 2016)

thegreenheron said:


> Another vote for photography. (If anyone is still left on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/goellnitz )


I am! https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/

My method to get out of my head is hot yoga.


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## Joyce DeBacco (Apr 24, 2010)

I never saw this thread before today, but I'll add what I do to unwind. I like to do jigsaw puzzles. And they're cheap at garage sales. 25 or 50 cents.


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## CaptnAndy (Dec 11, 2014)

I play the Internet game World Of Warships for a couple of hours at the end of the day. After sinking a few digital warships, I read for a half hour before going to sleep.


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## thegreenheron (May 2, 2018)

SunbirdBooks said:


> I am! https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/
> 
> My method to get out of my head is hot yoga.


Nice! Love your macro work.


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## Joseph Malik (Jul 12, 2016)

My go-to is boxing. I find even light sparring extremely focusing and even relaxing. It really brings a sense of perspective and makes you focus on the immediate. There are no minor concerns when someone is trying to punch you in the face.


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## Bookread (Mar 8, 2016)

I'd say anything you do with your hands that's on the border of idle work. Such as gardening, scrapbooking, whittling, massage, cooking, etc.


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## jb1111 (Apr 6, 2018)

I don't ever want to turn my brain off.

It turns off when you're gone off this world, and I'm in no hurry to get there.

If anything, once the writing flows, it turns the brain off. You're just observing, recording what you're seeing inside the head. But not really thinking, except for spelling corrections and the like.


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## Rod Little (Jun 18, 2017)

A game of DARTS!  And replace the dart board with your favorite bad reviews (the really funny ones that make no sense). It's therapeutic and fun.


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## RRodriguez (Jan 8, 2017)

Drawing works for me  Once I get deep into a new sketch I feel like something 'clicks'  and I shift into this mindset where I'm using a completely different side of my brain. It's more like instinct than it is intentional thought.


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## Sunbird Books (May 10, 2016)

RRodriguez said:


> Drawing works for me  Once I get deep into a new sketch I feel like something 'clicks' and I shift into this mindset where I'm using a completely different side of my brain. It's more like instinct than it is intentional thought.


Flow state.


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## NanSweet (Apr 14, 2015)

basketball, painting, walking, putting together puzzles  

Most of my hobbies have been compressed because I write so much, but I still find time here and there to do them...


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## Nick Marsden (Jan 28, 2015)

I'm a big advocate for watching good movies and playing story-based videogames (Tomb Raider, Fallout, Skyrim, Spider-Man PS4, etc). You can watch or play pretty mindlessly but still get exposed to storytelling ideas and techniques.


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## Diana Kimpton (Feb 19, 2018)

Painting's a good way to rest your writing brain but still exercise your creativity.
If I'm trying to let my subconscious come up with ideas, any sort of physical activity seems to help - walking, digging, etc. I got the idea for my first book while washing the floor.


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## ccruz (Oct 11, 2014)

Another scrapbooker here, though I mostly make cards. Smaller format to work with, so it's easier. My scrapbook pages are 12x12".


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## Ashmor (Jun 13, 2018)

75814 said:


> Video games and Netflix.


This.


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## Ex Aureolis (Dec 18, 2016)

I play Sugar, Sugar, read or clean the house.


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## Alex Anders (Apr 11, 2012)

I might be suffering from a little bit of burn out and I'm trying rock climbing.


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## Evenstar (Jan 26, 2013)

I make book covers for books I will never write. I'm ridiculously bad at it, but enjoy it so much!


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## tdecastro31 (Mar 2, 2018)

Golf


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## liveswithbirds (Jun 14, 2016)

Try gardening. Very relaxing and engages all the senses. And you get to shop, too! After having a black thumb all my life, I got bit by the gardening bug about ten years ago. I'm a condo dweller, so everything's in containers, but even so, there's a lot you can get into even with small spaces.

Backyard astronomy is another one. That hit me this past summer. Winter is our rainy season here in the Pacific Northwest, but I can still squeeze in at least one clear night a week to see the constellations. It's great relief for the eyes after staring at a computer screen for hours on end.


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## WDR (Jan 8, 2014)

I find walking is a good mind clearing activity.

Also, motorcycle riding. Keeping focus on keeping the bike upright and safe tends to push out all other extraneous thought. Very much akin to Zen meditation. I find riding to be very relaxing.

Chopping wood. There is something wonderfully primal about splitting a log with an axe. Probably explains why my first series of books is a fantasy, where the protagonist chops wood with a magical sword...


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## Evenstar (Jan 26, 2013)

liveswithbirds said:


> Try gardening. Very relaxing and engages all the senses. And you get to shop, too! After having a black thumb all my life, I got bit by the gardening bug about ten years ago. I'm a condo dweller, so everything's in containers, but even so, there's a lot you can get into even with small spaces.
> 
> Backyard astronomy is another one. That hit me this past summer. Winter is our rainy season here in the Pacific Northwest, but I can still squeeze in at least one clear night a week to see the constellations. It's great relief for the eyes after staring at a computer screen for hours on end.


Actually yes, in the summer months I find gardening the best therapy too. Something about getting your hands in the earth, and of course there is the added benefit of being outside in the sunshine instead of hunched over my desk inside. Vitamin D and all that.

Astronomy sounds delightful! I might consider that, but we live in a city, so light pollution would ruin it quite a lot.


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## liveswithbirds (Jun 14, 2016)

I live in a city, too, and on a fairly busy street in my neighborhood, and I'm amazed at how much I can see, even with an average set of binoculars.


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## Connoleib (Nov 7, 2021)

We often immerse ourselves in work and other worries. The result is nervous disorders, fatigue, and apathy. Relaxing hobbies help me to distract myself from negative thoughts and problems. When choosing a relaxing hobby, focus on your hobbies. The desired anti-stress effect will be achieved only if the hobby brings you pleasure. For me, reading is a great way to distract and "reboot." Sometimes I like to meditate and do creative work. Often I [do] paint by number pictures, and it helps me relax and distract myself.


_Edited out link. - Becca._


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## NickD (Jan 6, 2022)

You could try learning to juggle - hard to think about anything-else and enough movement to counteract some of the sitting around - oddly satisfying when it gores well.


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

I always found walking very relaxing. Had been doing everyday for decades.


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