Why busy moms (especially) need a hobby

Whether you’re alligator-wrestling toddlers, packing lunches, or chauffeuring teens, motherhood fills your days in a thousand meaningful ways. There is beauty in the constant busyness, while also very real demands on your time, energy, and attention.

Somewhere between caring for everyone else and keeping the household moving, many moms quietly set aside things that once brought them joy, curiosity, or creative rest. Not because they don’t matter, but because there never seems to be a “right” time.

I’m a mom of three under 4, and for a while I assumed this was simply part of the season. Then I rediscovered something simple and surprisingly powerful: having a hobby. Not a side hustle. Not another obligation. Just a small, life-giving interest that offers rest, sparks the imagination, and is something to look forward to in the middle of full days.

As it turns out, hobbies aren’t extra. They’re essential, and yes, there can be time for them even in the busiest of family routines or seasons.

The why: Hobbies nourish the whole human person

At their best, hobbies do more than pass the time. They help us relax and recenter. They wake up parts of our minds that go quiet in the repetition of daily tasks. They reawaken creativity and curiosity, and they often give us something small — but meaningful — to look forward to.

At a deeper level, hobbies speak to something very human. We aren’t meant only to produce, manage, or serve (even though those things matter deeply). We’re also meant to enjoy beauty, to grow, to learn, and to create. That doesn’t stop being true once you become a mom.

In fact, it may matter more.

When so much of your energy goes into cultivating little people — shaping hearts, routines, and futures — it’s worth remembering that your own growth doesn’t have to be set aside. In fact, the consequences of getting burnt out can take a far greater toll on you and the people that matter to you if you don’t rest and recharge. Give yourself permission to slow down a busy routine just a little bit occasionally.

Caring for yourself in small, intentional ways isn’t a drastic detour from a meaningful life, but it’s part of what makes life rich, healthy, and whole.

The how: Taking stock of who you already are

One of the biggest misconceptions about hobbies is that you need to take on something entirely new, expensive, or all-consuming. But for many moms, the best place to start is simply by looking back.

What did you love before kids? Reading? Baking? Painting? Sports? Learning new things? Not everything will fit into your current season — and that’s okay. Motherhood changes us. But some interests may still apply, or they may just need to be adapted.

This isn’t about reclaiming a past version of yourself, but allowing parts of who you are to grow with your motherhood, not in spite of it.

Start small (really small)

If even the idea of a hobby feels overwhelming right now, here’s the good news: It doesn’t have to be a big commitment to matter.

Just five minutes a day, a week, or even a month counts.

You don’t need to be good at it. You don’t need to invest a lot of money. You don’t need to turn it into a productive outcome. And you certainly don’t need to stick with it forever. Hobbies are allowed to be light, imperfect, and seasonal.

Sometimes it helps to have a few simple interests you rotate between, depending on your energy. Your goal isn’t mastery, but enjoyment, discovery, and slowing down.

Look for hobbies already hiding in your routine

For me, the real breakthrough came when I realized I already had a hobby – I just didn’t recognize it as one.

Amid the busyness of early motherhood, I discovered I was genuinely looking forward to daily meal prep. Not just getting food on the table, but setting aside a little extra time for the joy of crafting something delicious. I’d always considered myself a foodie, but only recently did I realize that for me, cooking wasn’t just a task but something that brought me joy, challenge, and inspiration.

I had to cook anyway, but once I gave myself permission to see it as a hobby — to approach it with intention and delight instead of pressure — it became a source of freedom rather than stress. Researching recipes while nap-trapped didn’t have to feel overindulgent or unproductive. I was feeding my family, and also my own spirit. It’s the same activity with a completely different mindset.

Many hobbies are already woven into our lives. They just need to be named and intentionally cultivated.

If you plan to work out anyway and love to dance, try a barre class or online dance-based workouts. If you enjoy dressing-up, explore fashion history or trends. If you like reading or movies, follow themes or genres that genuinely excite you. If you love gardening, start with one pot or herb on a windowsill.

Sometimes the simplest shift is the most powerful one.

Let hobbies be imperfect and seasonal

One of the quiet freedoms of motherhood is learning that not everything has to be permanent. You don’t have to stick with a hobby just because you started it and you don’t have to feel guilty if an interest fades.

Different seasons of motherhood invite different kinds of creativity. What fits when you have a newborn may not fit when you’re juggling activity schedules. And that’s not failure, but honest growth.

Last summer, our family spent a lot of time at the beach, collecting shells as we went. Somewhere along the way, I started painting them — nothing elaborate, just simple designs.

I didn’t carve out long blocks of time. I took three to five minutes here and there to clean or paint a few shells. By the fall, I had a small collection I could use for home décor or gifts. It was relaxing, encouraged gentle focus, and surprisingly grounding.

What made it work was that it fit naturally into our family rhythm. It didn’t require isolation from my duties or perfection and I’d happily return to it again someday.

Invite your support system into it

One of the most practical steps you can take is simply telling your people what you’re trying to do.

Whether it’s your spouse, older children, or a grandparent, letting others know that you’re hoping to invest a little time in something life-giving allows them to help you make space for it. That support matters.

This ask isn’t selfish. It’s sustainable. A mom who has room to breathe, think, and enjoy something of her own brings that peace back into her family, and that is a beautiful gift.

When time and energy feel truly scarce

There are seasons when survival mode is real. If that’s where you are, give yourself grace.

In those moments, look for the lowest-effort forms of nourishment. Audiobooks while folding laundry. Learning something new in tiny increments. Allowing yourself to enjoy beauty wherever you already are.

Even minimal engagement feeds something important inside you.

Growing alongside your children

Motherhood doesn’t ask you to disappear; it invites you to become more fully yourself. Enjoying hobbies simply because they’re good, beautiful, or interesting doesn’t compete with your role as a mom — it enriches it. As your children grow, your own imagination is allowed to grow right alongside them.

If you’re not sure where to begin, start small. Five minutes. One idea. One simple joy woven into the beautiful life you already have.

That’s more than enough.

What are some of your favorite hobbies or ones you’d like to try?