Don't have a creative hobby? Here's why you should paint, sew or bake

CNA

20 hours ago

When I am not typing away on my laptop on weekdays, you can find me out and about with my camera, photographing events for people I know.
I picked up photography in university but now, as a working adult, I don't have much chance to practise it often. A year ago, I saved up, bought a camera and started offering to shoot my friends' showcases, corporate events and fitness classes. I also started taking my camera to social events I attend, such as small concerts featuring indie artistes.
I enjoy the challenge of looking for ways to present my friends and subjects in the most flattering light through camera angles and other techniques. Editing the photos is another form of fulfilment because I get to experiment with varying styles for different types of shoots.
Photography is my current favourite medium, but it is not the only one that can lift your mood and enhance your well-being.
There are other pursuits such as drawing, knitting, baking, gardening or playing music that can connect us with our innate drive to express ourselves and create something out of nothing, clinical psychologists told CNA TODAY.
Mr Jesudas Soundhraj, senior clinical psychologist at Better Life Psychological Medicine Clinic, said these hobbies involve producing something unique, which often leads us to a sense of discovery or a new way of seeing the world.
"Creative hobbies are more generative, unlike sports, which may focus more on performance or competition, or passive leisure like watching shows that is often about consuming content for rest or distraction," he added.
Since the finished products can be gifted, Mr Soundhraj also believes that there is something meaningful about the tangible outcome of creative work because you can share it as an expression of care or appreciation for someone else.
It is certainly the case for me. When I send over the edited pictures to my friends, hearing their positive reactions and seeing them post the photos on social media makes me feel like I have brought them some joy, too.
STIMULATING DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE MIND
Mental health experts said that engaging in the arts helps to activate other parts of the brain that are not tapped in our day-to-day work, specifically those involved in emotional processing and non-verbal communication.
Dr Geraldine Tan, principal psychologist at well-being centre The Therapy Room, said that most people stay in one profession so they will always be exercising the same parts of the brain.
"For example, a lawyer's verbal comprehension component would definitely become more developed than the visual spatial part (over time)," she said.
Verbal language is primarily associated with the left side of the brain, whereas the right hemisphere is more involved in non-verbal, emotional and intuitive processing.
"Creative hobbies tend to activate the right brain, allowing access to emotions and experiences that may be difficult to articulate in words," Mr Soundhraj explained.
This is akin to physical strength and fitness. Dr Tan pointed out that some people may be extremely fit because they do cardiovascular, strength and core training, but their whole body may still ache after riding a horse for the first time, simply because they had exerted muscles that they never had before.
Psychotherapist Joachim Lee from private practice Neuro Therapy said that when we engage in creative hobbies, our prefrontal cortex – the part of the brain responsible for our executive function such as planning and solving problems – "quiets down, softening self-criticism and judgment".
"This opens the door to 'flow', a natural alpha brainwave state where stress melts away and dopamine (a hormone and feel-good chemical in the brain) brings a gentle sense of joy."
Apart from the brain working to make us feel better, the rest of our body joins in as well. For instance, the rhythm of our hands moving when we are stitching, brushing or shaping things activates sensorimotor systems that regulate our nervous system and bring a felt sense of grounding.
"Making art isn't just relaxing," Mr Lee said. "It's a neuro-emotional reset."
AN OUTLET FOR EXPRESSION
Creative hobbies can be a powerful tool for lasting well-being, but they can also help us to express ourselves in a different manner, especially for people who may struggle with articulating their thoughts verbally.
Mr Haikal Jamil, the founder of ImPossible Psychological Services, said creative activities are typically driven by our internal processes such as emotions and thoughts. That is why they can provide a channel for organising our internal experiences, which can promote insight into ourselves.
He suggested that people facing significant emotional struggles and who enjoy engaging in creative expression can consider turning to creative therapy such as art or music therapy.
"Talk therapy tends to encourage you to talk about your emotions," Dr Tan from The Therapy Room said, referring to a more conventional form of therapy where patients engage in direct conversation with mental health practitioners.
"But in terms of creative arts, there is a lot of reflective work being done there.
"So in a way, you don't need to talk about it, but you are putting that contemplation into the art that you are doing."
Apart from photography, I also write poems when I feel strongly about certain issues – be it about the people I meet, problems that plague society or reflections on my life. For me, using metaphors and imagery definitely helps to capture my feelings more vividly compared to just talking about it in more prosaic, everyday words.
When my grandmother had a serious fall about three years ago, I wrote a poem grieving the loss of some of her faculties.
The medium of poetry allowed me to contrast her past self with her current state – how she used to comment on Taiwanese dramas and exclaim over lottery numbers, but now only lies down on her bed at a nursing home and stares blankly at the caregivers and workers, no longer recognising family members.
Poetry also gave me a way to visualise my own pain through the emptiness of her house, which is now gathering dust. It used to be filled with her vibrant presence and voice among loved ones during large gatherings such as Chinese New Year.
Re-reading that poem now brings back some of my most precious memories with her that I embedded in my writing. I remember the feelings I felt as I selected each word. I've instilled fragments of myself into poems like these.
For me, writing poems helps me reckon with my emotions and my experiences, whether they are made of hardship or happiness. It also helps me preserve my own personal history, and pushes me to keep pursuing new opportunities to write new chapters of my life story.
NOT AN INDULGENCE BUT AN ESSENTIAL
Living in fast-paced Singapore, how can working adults and professionals carve out time to pursue creative hobbies?
Mr Soundhraj the senior clinical psychologist said that despite our many responsibilities and burdens, we are not "machines". Even for busy individuals, prioritising leisure and creative hobbies is not indulgent but essential.
To reduce feelings of guilt when setting aside personal time for such pursuits, Mr Haikal said it is helpful to establish clear work-life boundaries such as avoiding job-related tasks outside of official working hours.
Hobbies also typically do not require long hours, he added.
"Scheduling short timeslots, such as 30 minutes before bed or during a commute, is sufficient. What's important is being intentional with how time is spent and recognising that such hobbies hold equal value to work responsibilities."
In Mr Haikal's view, it is helpful to choose a hobby that matches one's skill level, so it remains relaxing rather than stressful.
He also advised against "achieving perfection" when starting on a hobby. Instead, it would benefit us more to focus on enjoying the process rather than concentrating on the outcome.
"If a hobby starts to feel overwhelming, it is all right to take a step back and break it into smaller, more manageable parts. This way, creative hobbies can remain a consistent and enjoyable part of daily life, helping to improve well-being without adding extra pressure to an already intense workday," he said.
This is certainly true for me. While I enjoy photography, sometimes I find myself committing to shoot too many events and this started to make it feel more like a chore rather than a source of enjoyment.
To prevent this from happening again, I am now more mindful about accepting opportunities or volunteering my efforts at a pace that I can handle, even if it means politely rejecting some requests.
To me, this is a worthy trade-off, allowing me to continue investing my time and effort in this hobby and making the most out of the variety of experiences it offers me outside of work.