• 10 Nov, 2025 *

I’ve been in the woods a lot recently and one afternoon just started taking photos of mushrooms on my phone so when this popped up in the Discovery feed I clicked immediately: My New Microhobby: Mushroom Photography. Then I read all the microhobbies links and now I’m in a whole thing. Some of the cutest little mushrooms will appear through the post.

I should do like Joseph does and try identifying them. I also want to get better at identifying trees. And clouds. And just generally being better at nature.

What Are Micro Hobbies and Why are They Great?:

Hobbies are back because we need amateur pursuits. We need no-obligation activities that don’t stress you out when you don’t have time for them. And we need to engage in things that are not for profit.

Interestingly, the original article on Psychology Today is more of a mental health take on stopping a rumination spiral:

Another unexpectedly effective solution is to do a distraction activity that’s “cognitively absorbing,” meaning you’ll be drawn in by it and you’ll concentrate on the activity, and not be thinking about your ruminations. Ideally, this should be an activity outside your wheelhouse, something you wouldn’t usually do. An unusual-for-you activity will be absorbing and break you out of your thought process.

The article has ten suggestions including origami, word searches, cooking something new, and Rubik’s cubes - which is one of my microhobbies.

I keep a list of good things I should do instead of... well, bad things. Several of these I would class as microhobbies.

What’s the difference between a hobby and a microhobby? Maybe there isn’t - one person’s hobby is someone else’s microhobby and vice versa, for sure. Maybe it doesn’t need a different name. But I like it.

Mushroom photography is perfect because it’s so small - it’s a very specific thing and it’s mostly only an option at certain times. And I just had a couple of hours of fun.

Or writing a book for a month. Doing a hobby for a month. If there’s no destination in mind you can just see how far you get in a month.

My own definition of a microhobby, for myself:

• tiny time commitment. Can be worked on in small bursts with large gaps, or completed in an afternoon
• minimal ‘gear’. Does not require an investment in stuff
• not a grindy ‘productive’ thing. That is anti-hobby
• a speedy learning curve. So I can see progress and feel good
• ideally, no or minimal screens. I spend enough time in front of a screen

Some of my microhobbies:

Rubik’s cube. I went from not being able to do one - not even being able to fathom the possibility of completing one - to watching a video and completing one within an hour. Then, over weeks and months and years, I spent a few hours learning a new technique to get quicker. A few hours practicing. A few hours to learn the next new technique. A few hours practicing. Saving a video and taking my Rubik’s cube is a favourite way to spend a longish train journey.

Postcards. Browsing ebay for vintage postcards. (I know I said not ‘stuff’ but the postcards are the point, not equipment, also they are often less than two pounds each.) Cheap picture frame at the charity shop. Big bit of paper and I got some of the fancy sticky corners. I’ve done one of my hometown and here’s a 1905 to 1910-ish Paris one. With a guest appearance from Milan and Brittany. Don’t ask. The next one might be Loch Ness-related.

Jigsaw puzzles. I like how convinced I am something doesn’t fit anywhere at all, then finding it. It’s a nice thing to have on the table and do a few pieces passing by over the course of a week or to do for hours at a time. It’s pretty zen though I do have to watch not to hurt my back. Also the neighbourhood cat likes to come in and sit on it and knock pieces onto the floor. Apparently I also really enjoy watching people do this, like Karen Puzzles.

Juggling. I just can’t. I tried to learn during lockdown. I have awful physical dexterity and no rhythm. But it was still worth trying.

Also, like Joseph, I enjoy buying books I don’t read.

Some more links:

• Mike Boyd’s youtube videos where he learns all sorts of things - to unicycle, recite a hundred digits of pi, card tricks, Rubik’s cubes, all sorts. Many of them would be perfect microhobbies.
• The Joy of Hobbies covers a lot of the downsides, the risks, the tyranny.

The Psychology Today article says ‘It’s important you choose an unfamiliar activity.’ I understand that. It’s not how I approach it but I can see why that helps with the ruminating. I might line up a couple of unknown microhobbies.

Tomorrow I’m writing about trying new things and these are some of my ideas, which would be good microhobbies:

• learn a party piece
• learn a magic trick, possibly as part of the above
• learn at least one origami

Those are ‘impressing my niblings’ microhobbies.

It’s just about being curious. Staying curious and open. Letting myself be surprised and delighted. And surprised by myself, by what I can actually do.

#links