Why Working With Your Hands Makes You Happier
We at CBM Mart are all about hands-on learners, do-it-yourselfers, and put-me-to-work-ers. But did you know that working with your hands is actually good for the mind and body in a number of ways? Whether your craft of choice is construction, gardening, woodworking, baking, painting, sewing, or anything in between, taking on a task that involves creating or transforming something – big or small – is scientifically proven to be good for physical and mental health. Let’s find out why.
It Relieves Stress
There are so many stressors in our day-to-day lives, from budgeting for bills, to intersecting hectic schedules, to work responsibilities and career pressures. But taking a little time focus the mind on a task that puts your hands to use allows your brain to disconnect and recharge as it prioritizes what’s before you instead of what’s buzzing through your mind on the daily. As long as the task at hand is meaningful in some way to the person doing it, working with your hands releases serotonin and endorphins and reduces levels of cortisol, the “stress hormone”. And reducing stress can have a ripple effect on your health, from reducing risk of heart disease to getting better sleep. So the next time you find yourself a bit crushed by stress, consider taking time for a hobby or task that gives you joy.
It Promotes A Healthy Lifestyle
Most hands-on hobbies, crafts, or tasks encourage a more active lifestyle in an organic way. Not all of us can or want to run a 5K three times a week or carve an hour or two out of the day to hit the gym. Instead, we may find we prefer to prioritize time in the garden, an hour-a-day in the woodshop, or a couple hours baking bread loaves for friends and family. All of these crafts involve being on your feet and moving your body without thinking about it. Hands-on crafts like sewing, knitting, or bullet journaling may not require as much energy expulsion, but they keep the mind active, alert, and challenged, stimulating the mind and improving neuroplasticity by creating new pathways between neurons.
It Creates A Sense Of Accomplishment
Working with your hands gives you instant gratification and a visual representation of what you’ve accomplished with your time and energy. Many tasks in our daily lives, at work for example, don’t offer this type of satisfaction, either because they are being completed for someone or something you don’t have a personal investment in (like a corporation or client), or because the task itself is not one that provides a visual representation of what’s been achieved (sending 15 carefully composed emails into the either, for example, or taking part in four back-to-back meetings). Working with your hands on a craft that you enjoy, however, provides you with an immediate sense of accomplishment, as you can literally see what your time and effort produces – a pristine garden, a freshly painted wall, a cozy knit scarf. It’s nice to appreciate what you’ve accomplished in a tangible way, I don’t think anyone can deny that.
So, here’s to more wood carvings, painted pottery, herb gardens, and DIY home improvements. Looking to transform your space with a little hands-on work? CBM Mart is here for that.
