In Sweden, as in our Nordic neighbors, we value our free time. Meaningful leisure time is high on the list of must-haves for mental well-being. Therefore, a really fun hobby is not something that is a waste of time. Rather, you should see it as the thing that helps you recharge your batteries so that you can cope with everything you need to do to keep your job, career and family together.
1. cooking
Cooking is something you have to do to keep your life running smoothly. But why not make it a hobby and passion? Take the time to try a new recipe once a week. Challenge yourself in the kitchen and try new ingredients, new methods and explore the unique flavors of different cultures. In 2023, many people have discovered that taking some extra time in the kitchen can actually be really fun and relaxing.
Maybe you want to try cooking older Swedish recipes from your grandparents’ generation? Or maybe you want to recreate some of the exciting dishes you tried on your last vacation?
There are plenty of places to find inspiration online and in cookbooks. If you really want to develop your skills in the kitchen, you can even take cooking classes and learn from a real expert.
2. Learn new games
Playing games is a fun way to socialize and in many cases also a way to keep your brain sharp. If you have a family, there are plenty of games you can play with your children to help them develop and learn, no matter how old they are.
But there are also plenty of games designed primarily for adults. Advanced board games like Settlers of Catan are great ways to socialize with friends and exercise your brain. Classic card games like poker are also perfect for playing with your friends and are a fun way to socialize and compete against each other. Poker also has the advantage that you can play online and practice your skills when your friends don’t have time. Both poker and many of the best board games have the advantage of being relatively easy to learn, but take a long time to master.
3. local tourist list
Most Swedes go on some kind of vacation at least once a year. It could be a sun and sea vacation in Thailand or Turkey, a city break to Paris or New York, or a trip back home to the archipelago or any of our other scenic areas. It’s a great way to recharge your batteries and your brain benefits from seeing new environments and having new experiences.
But did you know that you can actually have these types of experiences without leaving your local environment? This is something more and more Swedes will discover in 2023. We tend not to think about all the destinations and activities that we have available on our doorstep. Whether you live in a metropolitan area or in the countryside, there are plenty of tourist destinations in your local area.
You are guaranteed beautiful natural environments, local history museums, exhibitions of local arts and crafts, fun events such as concerts and festivals, and much more going on all year round. Most municipalities have a website for local events and tourist destinations that very few residents use. Instead of spending the whole year looking forward to the holidays, keep track of what’s going on locally and take one holiday each week to get out and see something new in your local area!
4. photography
Swedes are taking more photos today than ever before. This is of course because the cameras in our phones are now so good that they can take pictures that even professional photographers couldn’t achieve in the past. But most people only use auto mode and let the hardware in their phone do the traveling. If you want to take it a step further, you can buy a real camera that gives you even more possibilities with a larger sensor and interchangeable lenses. By far the most common subjects that Swedes photograph are children and family, pets, food and holiday destinations. There’s nothing wrong with that, but for those who want to explore photography as a hobby, it’s fun to experiment. Don’t just take pictures to show your everyday life to others but try to explore new subjects and new angles to take your photography to the next level. You can also use software such as Lightroom and Photoshop to edit your images and create your own unique style!
Hej! Jag är Johan Sundkvist, passionerad teknikentusiast och hjärnan bakom johansundkvist.se. Min nyfikenhet för teknik vaknade redan i ung ålder, och med tiden växte den till en passion som jag idag delar med er genom min blogg.
