Whether you consider yourself a creative person or not, creativity can help you better solve problems, see things differently, give you an outlet to relax and process the world around you, or even uncover a passion or skill you never knew you had.

Below are some ideas for getting your creative on with an after-work hobby or weekend activity.

I started learning calligraphy a few years ago. It was something I did to wind down, relax and do something creative that was just for me after a long day of creating for others as a designer. That hobby eventually turned into a small side hustle Ink+Ash.

A lot of people think you need “nice handwriting” to do calligraphy, but all it really is is muscle memory and a bit of practice. And it’s a great skill to have to be able to make your own cards, gift tags or place settings around the holidays.

I recommend this modern calligraphy set by Written Word Calligraphy. Modern calligraphy is a lot more forgiving and easier to learn than traditional styles.

For a more affordable, everyday alternative with lots of project ideas, check out the book By Hand: The Art of Modern Calligraphy by Nicole Miyuki ($23 on Amazon)

Creating doesn’t always have to be artistic or require paper and paintbrushes. You can create simply from your mind.

The See it to Life toolkit is an interactive card deck to help you bring your ideas to life. Even though I helped create this card deck, I still pick it up to get ideas for creating content on instagram or fine-tuning my brand.

To be honest, I’m not a fan of coloring books. But I have so many friends who have come to love coloring, especially during quarantine, so I had to add it to the list. And I found a wonderfully impolite coloring book to add some humor to your hobby.

Don’t feel like you have time to be creative?

Not to worry. I used to keep these tiny little books on my desk at work. You can open to a random page or do a prompt a day and quickly doodle on a break or conference call.

In hearing from friends this week on how they find creativity, I was surprised at how many of them mentioned the importance of stepping away from creativity in order to strengthen it.

One way I love to do this is with a sound bath. It might sound a bit woo-woo, and maybe it is, but I love it. It’s a great way to escape for a minute, reducing stimulation and surrendering to sound. I think there is nothing like an in-person sound bath at your local yoga or meditation studio, but in a post-covid world you can easily find virtual or video versions.

This has been a creative gift I’ve been gifting to everyone I know. It’s a scratch-off surprise adventure book that turns into a scrapbook. There are 50 adventure challenges in each book and after picking an adventure you snap a pic and place it into the book, leaving you and your family or partner with a creative keepsake.

Creativity has nothing to do with art. It’s all about opening yourself up to new experiences, new ideas, new places and people.

Try a new workout, learn something new. Take a cooking class or eat at a new restaurant. Watch an unexpected movie. Drive to a new place. Watch the sunset from the other side of town.

Whatever you do, don’t worry about being good at it. Let creativity find and meet you wherever you are.