Creative Recreation: The Beautiful, Chaotic Antidote to Burnout, Grief, and Boredom

This week is shaping up to be a classic cool-and-rainy June, which means I won’t be outside frolicking in fields of wildflowers like some carefree cottagecore influencer. Nope—this week, I’m digging into the warm, messy, soul-soothing world of creative recreation.

I mean, let’s be honest: I’ve got year-end work chaos happening, my stress headaches have been sending passive-aggressive messages to my brain, and I need something—anything—that doesn’t involve emails, spreadsheets, or trying to remember if I already took the chicken out of the freezer.

So What Is Creative Recreation?

In very official, non-boring terms:Creative recreation is engaging in imaginative, expressive, or hands-on activities simply for the joy of creating something.

It doesn’t need to be productive, profitable, or Pinterest-worthy. It just needs to light you up, even if it also makes you swear a little.

And—fun fact backed by actual science—creative activities have been shown to reduce stress, improve cognitive function, and boost your mood. According to research from the American Journal of Public Health, creative expression can even promote healing and reduce the symptoms of anxiety, depression, and trauma. So yes, your crafting chaos is basically therapy.

My Version of Creative Recreation (AKA My "Artfully Cluttered" Life)

Let’s just say I have a few creative projects on the go. And by “a few,” I mean my brain is essentially a Pinterest board with ADHD. Here’s a sample of my current works-in-progress:

• A hippie curtain for my granddaughter (think colour, fabric, and “what was I thinking?”)

• Diamond paintings of dark Disney princesses, because trauma, but make it sparkly

• Photo editing projects (I take more pictures than I know what to do with)

• Refinishing a piece of furniture, I refuse to give up on

• A sunflower painting with actual paint and actual frustration

• A crochet project that might be a blanket or a really complicated scarf

• A knitting project that’s either going to be finished… or frogged

• Learning to use the fancy camera I got for my birthday a year ago (I can turn it on. That’s progress.)

• Oh, and somewhere in the foggy future, I want to write a book. That one’s marinating.

Also, let’s not forget my ongoing love affair with gardening. My Aerogarden is thriving—probably because it’s indoors and doesn’t rely on me remembering to water it daily.

And Then There’s the Digital Stuff

When I'm not elbow-deep in yarn or covered in furniture dust, I like to unwind with video games—because sometimes zoning out with Diablo 4 on my Rogue Ally or farming turnips in Stardew Valley on my phone is the only kind of peace my brain can process.

Let’s not forget this blog (hello!)—which is, in itself, a form of creative recreation. Writing, telling stories, connecting with others through the messy middle of life—yeah, I’d call that creative work. And it helps.

Once Upon a Pandemic...

Back in the “stay home and cry” era of COVID, creative recreation literally saved me. I dove headfirst into DIY furniture projects and fantasy gaming scene building—we’re talking miniature medieval towns crafted from insulation board, Mod Podge, and leftover paint. Gloomhaven and D&D never looked so good.

We stopped after going back to work—because life, routine, and all that space-taking guilt—but I still remember how deeply that creativity helped me cope. It distracted me from pain, grief, and the general existential dread of that time. It gave my hands something to do while my heart slowly tried to stitch itself back together.

Why Creative Recreation Matters (Even When It Feels Like a Mess)

Listen, I know I’m not alone in the half-finished-projects club. (We should get jackets… maybe ones we sew ourselves but never finish.) But here’s the thing: every project, every scribble, every small act of making is a step toward reconnecting with ourselves.

Creative recreation isn’t about finishing—it’s about feeling. It’s about giving your brain space to breathe, your heart permission to play, and your soul a reminder that it’s still in there, under all the to-do lists and overdue laundry.

For me, it’s helped with grief, with stress, with those weird days where I’m not sure what year it is or what day it might be. It restores my sanity. Mostly. (Let’s not go making promises.)

What Can You Try?

If you’re wondering where to begin, here are some ideas for creative recreation that don’t require a master's degree in Pinterest perfection:

• Watercolor painting (or messy doodling—no judgment)

• Scrapbooking or photo journaling

• DIY home decor or furniture upcycling

• Crocheting, knitting, or sewing something wonky and wonderful

• Making jewelry, beaded bookmarks, or clay charms

• Photography—yes, even if it’s just your cat and your coffee

• Journaling, blogging, or writing poetry that may or may not rhyme

• Baking something from scratch just for fun (burnt edges count)

• Digital art, collage, or Canva creations

• Creative writing or character design (even if no one reads it but you)

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So this week, I’ll be diving into creative chaos—paintbrushes, pixels, yarn, and all. Not because I need to produce something useful, but because I need to remember who I am when I’m not just surviving.

If you need me, I’ll be crafting my way back to sanity. One diamond, one brushstroke, and one unfinished project at a time.