By “mindless”, I mean something which while doing, you weren’t be doing anything else.
I had some anxiety issues, and mental activities just can’t stop me from worrying - so I can worry incessantly in the background while programming, reading, writing and etc. However, yesterday I was helping to fix up some network cables when I realise that manual handicraft, which demands so much of my attention because by nature I am clumsy, I actually quite relax.
I won’t have a chance to untwist network cables all the time, so I am wondering what other similiar “mindless” manual hobbies I can take on to help me relax.
I do woodworking, mostly from commercially prepared plans (though I do design some myself.) It can get expensive if you go at it as I have, with the whole shop setup and so on, but I’ve been doing it for about 20 years. You can search these boards for threads about getting started in woodworking.
The advantage is that it does require your complete attention. That’s why I do it. I’m a worrier; sometimes stuff starts going around and around in my head and pretty soon I have myself worked up over something I can do nothing about and really isn’t worth my time anyway. Woodworking requires me to focus on the task at hand as I lay out the project, cut the pieces (concentration is essential with sharp blades whirring just inches from your fingers!) and trim them to fit. Time slips away rather quickly, and in the end you have the satisfaction of having built something with your hands.
You can start with a few tools and simple projects, but if the bug bites hard you’ll go on to become a world class tool collector.
Latch hooking. Time-consuming and requires a decent level of concentration and manual dexterity. With the added bonus of being an irritant to your friends and relations because of all the hand-latched craft items they’ll be getting as gifts.
Depending on your tastes, I’d suggest any of the needlework hobbies mentioned. If that’s not manly enough for you, I would suggest plastic modelling - it’s cheaper than case modding, I think, and with the time to do it right, you can get a very nice show piece. Other hobbies you could try include fixing electronics (Go to various electronic stores, ask them what their policy on broken returns is, and if they throw them out, ask if you can buy them, instead pennies on the dollar. This isn’t as easy to find as it used to be, though.) or small engine work.
I think that, instead of looking for a list of manually challenging hobbies, you’d do better to begin by thinking about your interests, and then figuring how you could adjust one into a manually challenging hobby.
I’ll second woodworking. I haven’t been doing it near as long as Sunrazor but it is a rewarding hobby when a project goes good and when it doesn’t you have still spent your spare time making something from wood
If you want mindless though, you may just want to start splitting firewood.
I find manual, repetitious tasks relaxing as well. I wonder if beadwork would appeal to you. I’ve never done it for real, but I’ve helped my kids with projects that involved putting things on a string and it was fun.
Latch hook and knitting, good suggestions.
When I was a kid, I loved paint-by-number kits, and making pot holders using looped cotton on small looms. Weaving for kindergarteners.
Very easy to work with - fairly inexpensive - and doesn’t require a lot of equipment to get started. Beads are very easy (send them to me and I’ll make jewelry from them) and you can progress to other things. You can find it at any local hobby/craft shop.
If you aren’t totally adverse to sewing, counted cross-stitch is a stress reliever for me.
Next time there’s a major craft fair in town, go wandering through and see what you like. You might get ideas of your own or you might see things you’d like to try that you can’t hurt yourself doing.
Spinning wool into yarn, on either a drop spindle or wheel. Soothing gentle rhythm of hands and feet, lovely tactile quality of the fiber, pleasing colors (if you so choose) of natural or dyed wool (or alpaca, or silk roving, or what ever you like). Completely brain-free activity.
I had to learn to knit to justify my spinning!
Crocheting is good too. Some simple but satisfying pattern like blocks or stripes is pretty mindless.
Oh, I agree with toadbriar. Spinning is a GREAT hobby for anxiety, as is knitting anc crocheting. Your hands are busy and you focus on that project and there’s something about the motions that are very soothing.
Colouring in a colouring book. Seriously. You can get adult type colouring books - I have one of mandalas. Or just visit Wal*Mart and see what they have in the colouring section.
You haven’t asked for any help with the anxiety and worrying, but I just got back from my anxiety self-help group where I am a facilitator, and I’m in help other people mode - meditation is great for relieving anxiety, relaxation, teaching your brain how to switch off worrying, and sleeping better (if you have anxiety, I would bet five dollars that you have trouble sleeping).
toadbriar and BoBettie, I went on a long car journey with my mom this weekend, and we were talking about her life being raised on a Mennonite farm. They always had a couple of sheep, and my grandma would take the wool that my grandpa sheared off the sheep, and turn it into socks and blankets. How cool is that?
) and would like to avoid anything with sharp edges 
