Bonjour lecteurs! Somewhere between the school run, the washing pile, and the never-ending to-do list, the idea of a hobby can feel almost laughable. But it is still très important to make time for something you like. After all, you are more than a mum. I am not even talking about a spa weekend or a grand reinvention. Sometimes, just a simple and relaxing hobby to switch off for a little bit. The French are really good at it, so let me guide you now. Here are a few genuinely relaxing hobbies that fit around real family life.
Painting To Relax
You could start with painting. Par exemple, watercolour is very soothing. You do not need a studio, an easel, or any talent whatsoever.
Grab a small set of paints, a brush, a jar of water, and a few sheets of paper, et voilà! You can lose yourself into it and there is no mess to manage for an hour afterwards. You paint at the kitchen table once the children are down, then the lid goes back on and it disappears into a drawer. Watching colour spread across wet paper is quietly hypnotic. Un autre plus? You can’t rush it as the it forces you to slow down. As you can see, I am not very good at it, but I gave it a go and it was actually really fun.
More Relaxing Hobbies For Busy Mums
Reading for pleasure deserves a mention. So many mums stop doing it without noticing. But reading a good fiction helps you escape the day to day reality. Ten pages before sleep, or a chapter in the bath, reconnects you with a version of yourself that exists outside of being somebody’s mum. Keep the book somewhere visible so it nudges you rather than getting buried.
Gentle movement is worth protecting too. Whether you like doing some yoga or going for a walk with the buggy, you will feel so much better inside out. The goal is not fitness in the punishing sense. You just want to feel good and forget about all your obligations. Take the time to breath properly, with nobody tugging at your sleeve. Even fifteen minutes helps more than you would think.
Make It a Ritual
Have a ritual that involves no goal at all. So much of a mother’s day is measured in tasks completed, so a hobby that produces nothing useful is strangely restorative.
There is no box to tick and no one to please: that freedom is the whole point. You pause and give yourself permission to do something simply because you enjoy it, rather than because it is productive. It’s a quiet act of self-respect that everyone deserves.
I also love keeping a small journal. It’s a ritual worth trying. It usually helps me put my feelings down and I can start the day afresh. Even if you don’t have much time, a 1 line a day journal is a great way to end the day and reflect on what you’ve done in the last 24 hours. Plus, it’s really interesting to look back at. I’ve been using mine for over 3 years now and it made me realise how seasonal my life was. Every year, I tend to have some rituals, without even realising it! You should have a look into it. It could be une grande révélation.
How To Make A New Hobby Stick
First, lower the bar dramatiquement. You are not training to be brilliant or totally change your life. You are merely giving your mind a rest. It’s not about creating the perfect painting.
Furthermore, keep the kit ready and reachable. Make it easy, otherwise, you will give it up too soon. You also need to find a slot in your day and stick to it. If you wait for downtime to appear, it will never simply appears. So put it into your diary if needed!
Personnellement, this year I really want to be more spiritual, but also find some new créativité. Painting is inexpensive to start and it gives you that meditative calm without any of the commitment a bigger hobby demands.
A compact travel set is parfait for the kitchen-table approach, and you can find beginner-friendly kits made for exactly this at https://tobioskits.com/, put together for people who want to start the same day without overthinking the supplies. C’est facile and so much fun to start!
Me-time Is Maintenance, Not A Luxury
The point of all this is not to add another task to your list. C’est l’opposé: finding a relaxing hobby is the one thing on the schedule that exists purely to give something back to you.
More than ever, mums need this, as they tend to prioritise other’s needs before them. Ferociously guard that small ritual that helps you be calmer and more present for everyone. It’s a winning situation in the long term.
Keeping fifteen or twenty minutes of it for yourself, with a brush or a book or a quiet walk, is not selfish. It is maintenance. And you, of all people, need to look after yourself daily.
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