5 mental health benefits of Crafting as a form of self care

Crafting can be more than just a fun hobby – it can also have mental health benefits. In this post, we’ll talk through the benefits of crafting for your mental health and examples of DIY projects you can do as a form of self care.

I have been crafting for almost as long as I can remember. I love being creative and expressing myself through the things I make. Crafting has been a great form of self care for me so I can’t wait to share how you can add this to your own self care routine.

In fact – I have a second blog dedicated to crafting if you want to learn how to make DIY decor, cards, and other paper crafts. You can check it out here!

Mental health benefits of crafting

Let’s get into all the mental health benefits you can see from crafting!

Relieve stress

Being creative is a great way to relieve stress. Crafting can be a calming and mindful activity that allows you to focus on the present moment instead of worrying about the future or past.

In fact, a 2023 poll from the American Psychiatric Association found that 46% of Americans use creative activities to relieve stress. Additionally, the poll found that participants who rate their mental health as very good or excellent tend to engage in creative activities more frequently than those who rate their mental health as fair or poor.

Express your emotions

Another mental health benefit of crafting is that it gives you a way to express your emotions. Sometimes it can be hard to express feelings through words, so creating something can be another way to do that.

You may even be struggling to identify how you feel about something, so crafting can be a method to work through that and see what comes up.

Connect with others

Crafting is also a way that you can connect with others. Whether you engage in DIY projects with friends or bond with fellow crafters online, being creative can lead to greater connection with others.

A shared passion is often a great jumping off point to bond with someone. And in general, relating to others can help improve empathy and your quality of life overall.

Boost self esteem

Finishing a DIY project can help give you a sense of accomplishment outside of work – an important factor in building self esteem.

Life can be so unpredictable and overwhelming, so sitting down and making something even if it’s just a card can help you feel like you’ve completed something.

Reflect on your experiences

Finally, the last mental health benefit of crafting is reflecting on your experiences. Activities like scrapbooking can help you process past experiences and celebrate them in a creative way.

Then you can share those memories with others by sharing your artwork!

DIY project Ideas to boost self care

If you’re interested in doing crafts as part of your self care routine, here are some DIY project ideas you can try.

Macrame

Macrame involves a lot of repetitive knot tying which means it can be a great mindfulness activity to add to your self care routine. Pay attention to how the colors of the cord look, how the cord feels in your hands as you tie the knots, etc.

DIY decor

Making DIY decor for your home is another great crafting self care activity because you get to enjoy what you make in your home for years to come!

Origami

Origami is another crafting activity that can boost your mental health through mindfulness. This form of crafting requires concentration as you fold the paper and helps you be present.

Card making

Another great crafting activity to add to your self care routine is card making. Making handmade cards can improve mental health and is a great way to show the people in your life how much you care about them – so it’s a win win.

Scrapbooking

One of the best DIY activities to process emotions and reflect on past experiences is through scrapbooking. Print off those photos on your phone and make something fun to celebrate all your memories.

What if I’m not crafty?

Crafting can benefit your mental health, but you might be thinking “Erin, what if I’m not crafty?”

That’s totally okay! It’s not about skill or making a professional looking DIY item. It’s about enjoying the creative process.

That being said, if you just can’t get into crafting you can also think about other creative activities you can do instead for mental health such as making music.

The bottom line

Overall, crafting has numerous benefits for your mental health like relieving stress and processing emotions. Even if you’re a total newbie at crafting you can add some creative activities to your self care routine and reap the benefits.