Not only do crafts produce a wonderful finished project to be proud of, they are also good for your mental health!
If you're a crafter, you know that feeling when you become completely emerged in your project, when nothing else exists in the world besides your paintbrush and the canvas, the glue gun and the ribbon, the paddle and the glitter, etc... Though it may be frustrating at times if you make a mistake, crafting can be good for your mentality.
Studies show that crafting can be very beneficial for people with anxiety or depression. Whether you're stressed about finals week or bummed from a break up, crafting can become your muse! It allows your brain to take a break from everyday problems and focus on a specific task that is peaceful. Some scientists even say crafting and its affects can be close to meditation practices. Some do hot yoga, some craft. It's also been said that crafting releases dopamine which naturally puts you in a good mood. Seeing what you have created afterwards also puts you in a great mood, too!
Doing hands on crafts works with motor skills and hand eye coordination, as well. Why this may seem like it's only important to kindergartners who don't know how to tie their shoes yet, motor coordination is an always-improving skill! No one can tell you that bedazzling with 3 mm rhinestones doesn't take coordination. No matter what degree you're going into, extra motor skills could never hurt!
Crafts can be the perfect break from studying, doing homework, physical activity, you name it. You don't have to spend all day on a project to reap the benefits. Taking twenty minutes out of your day to escape from daily worries can help you step back from this thing called real life and bring yourself to focus. If you're having writer's block on a research paper or can't stay sane if you study another second, a little bit of hands on art is all you need.
The left side of your brain is exercised often on a daily basis. Whether it's classes or just the going through the motions of life. At this age, this left side of the brain isn't underused. However, between college classes and a job, the right side of the brain is severely under appreciated. Crafting may use both sides of the brain, but it exercises the right side of the brain the most if you do it right. This is why, when you're completely fixated on what you're working on, you feel that everything else is irreverent at the moment. That "paint is falling perfectly in line with the chevron" kind of feeling. It appeals to the side of the brain that doesn't force you to think logically, it allows you to put your personal self into something you're creating.
Crafting can help you feel accomplished and motivated by taking you from the initial idea stage to the final stage of completion of your finished project. It gives you confidence to know you have completed something with your own will and with your own hands. The process of crafting is good for you, but the finished project can sometimes feel even more beneficial. The idea of you being able to create something one of a kind is pretty cool if you think about it.
Whether you're a crafter or not, doing things like arts and crafts are good for your mentality. Between coordination, de-stressing, and a finished product to be proud of, there is little to be lost when you give yourself some time to sit down and express yourself. Next time you're feeling stressed or a little down in the dumps, pick up a paintbrush and a canvas and cheer yourself up!
