The Health Benefits of Pursuing New Hobbies as an Adult

Mia Barnes 03/03/2023

Once you move into adulthood, you have less free time than ever. You may be working full time or are preoccupied with caring for kids or pets. It might be challenging to find a moment for yourself. Still, tackling a new hobby can benefit you in several ways. Here are a few great benefits of doing something fun in your leisure time. 1. Offers More Socialization One great thing about hobbies is that they can open your world and allow you to meet people you would never have known otherwise. You can join a group where you can learn advanced techniques or share fun stories with others. Your hobby can get you out of the house and talking to like-minded individuals. Additionally, hobbies give you…

To view this post, you must purchase a paid-subscriber plan—learn more here.

Categories: Happiness, Institute of Women, Wellness & Work, Wellness & Personal Growth

Tags: self-care, wellness

Mia Barnes

5 Exercises for Practicing Self-Compassion

Have you ever beat yourself up or said unkind words to yourself? If you’re like most of us, your answer is probably “yes.” Especially as women, we tend to be our own worst critics, and we usually treat ourselves in cruel ways that we’d never treat other people!But there’s a different way. Self-compassion is the practice of being kind and understanding with ourselves — not only when we succeed, but when we fail, too. Here, we’ve compiled 5 exercises you can use to start practicing self-compassion. These practices are based on extensive research by Dr. Kristin Neff, a psychologist who specializes in self-compassion. Try to incorporate them into your daily schedule as much as possible. You can use these 5 exercises at any time, day…

To view this post, you must purchase a paid-subscriber plan—learn more here.

Gina Messina, Ph.D. 02/28/2022

Thriving in the Gig Economy: A Primer for Women

This post is based on a webinar hosted by Dr. Denise Reading. It’s the first in an ongoing series of workshops, webinars, and for-credit courses offered by the Institute for Women, Wellness and Work to help women explore freelancing, consulting, and solopreneur opportunities as a path to a satisfying and successful professional experience. “Gig economy” is a phrase you’ve probably heard a lot, especially in the last couple of years. It refers to the part of the workforce (more than half!) that doesn’t work full-time for one employer, but instead takes on multiple opportunities from different sources. The term got its start in the music industry. Musicians generally refer to a performance they’re hired for as a gig. That terminology has spread to other industries,…

To view this post, you must purchase a paid-subscriber plan—learn more here.

Institute Editorial Team 06/07/2021

How to care for yourself while taking care of others

Caregivers, this is for you. Even before the pandemic, more than 16% of the US population was providing unpaid care to an adult 18 years or older, including family members with Alzheimer’s or dementia. Women make up about 75% of those caregivers, and they put in the work while juggling jobs, children, and ongoing domestic-task overload. With COVID back on the rise, caregivers are under additional pressure to care for and protect their loved ones. If you’re a caregiver, the stress may seem relentless, and you may be: having trouble sleeping under/over-eating self-medicating with alcohol or drugs canceling (or not even booking) your own doctors’ appointments That’s because when you’re a caregiver, caring for yourself tends to happen only after everyone else’s needs have been…

To view this post, you must purchase a paid-subscriber plan—learn more here.

Institute Editorial Team 09/26/2023

woman sitting at table thinking about self-care and work-life balance

4 Self-Care Practices to Disconnect from Work

Why do we need self-care practices to disconnect from work? As we cope with the stress of phase 2 of the pandemic, many women are headed back to the office. Finding a healthy work-life balance seems to be more difficult than ever. Imagine this: You finally leave the office after a long day at work. You’re exhausted, and can’t wait to get home. But in the car, you start thinking about that project you’re working on, or that client, or that meeting tomorrow. You’re filled with worry and self-doubt, and you can’t stop thinking about work the whole way home. You get home and you are still thinking about it. Your body is physically at home with your family, but your mind is still at…

To view this post, you must purchase a paid-subscriber plan—learn more here.

Gina Messina, Ph.D. 09/06/2021

woman sitting at desk thinking, stressed, should you return to pre-pandemic job?

Is Your Pre-Pandemic Job Still Right for You?

Is Your Pre-Pandemic Job Still Right for You? The world is slowly returning back to “normal” 一 or as close to normal as things get while continuing to live with the threat of a global pandemic. And this return to “normal” has left many of us wondering: do I want to go back to exactly the way things were pre-pandemic? Here are some things to consider when weighing the pros and cons of staying at your pre-pandemic job. Many are leaving their pre-pandemic jobs As employers call workers back into the office, many people are choosing not to go back to their old jobs at all. Although a record number of open jobs are available in the U.S., hiring has gone way down. And people…

To view this post, you must purchase a paid-subscriber plan—learn more here.

Gina Messina, Ph.D. 10/18/2021

Related Articles