The Man Cave On… Working With Your Hands
Some people are born handy and able to fix – or make – anything, and others….well let’s just say they might do a passable job making a bird house. (I fall into the latter category.) No matter the skill level, though – working with your hands is good for you!
Get off the Keyboard
Lots of us hold or held jobs where the only required use of our hands was on a keyboard. We worked in teams, or added a component to a project, but rarely had an assignment where we had 100% control. In my case, at the corporation I worked for before becoming a full time author, I was one of many cogs in a single wheel.
But on weekends I took on projects using my hands because I saw the task through from idea to finished product. That included a few bluebird houses that may not have looked spiffy, but functioned well enough. Over time, dozens of fledglings started their bird life in one of my houses.
Later I graduated to working with a chainsaw at my cabin in Vermont, and loved every minute I used it. Instead of sitting at a computer I was standing in the woods focusing on a single cut. I needed to make a clearing and I was then bucking up the trees I felled to use as firewood. Many happy days were spent covered in sweat and sawdust, losing all track of time, until I finally took a break and hydrated, followed by a jump in the lake.
When I reached 65 I still worked with the chainsaw – but no longer tackled large trees; now I only use the chainsaw when someone else is with me. Safety is more important than results, but I don’t plan to stop using the chainsaw until I notice a slippage in my ability to wield and balance the cutting machine.
Try it for Yourself
There are literally hundreds of projects you can do with your hands from drawing, sculpting and carving to learning a musical instruments. Senior Planet offers many opportunities to gather online to share your work and your enthusiasms, from Senior Planet Community and its many groups for crafters, DIY, gardeners and more, to its dedicated online groups like Creative Creations. The beauty of all of them is that while sharing your ingenuity, you can then present your best work to someone you love, whether it’s a gift, a keepsake or even a song you’ve worked on at the Songwriters Night.
After working with your hands and crafting something special, show and share your work on Tuesdays with the online Creative Creations Group! It meets virtually on Tuesdays – details are here.
Benefits of Crafting
Besides the benefit of crafting something, research has shown working with your hands is good for the brain. Personally, using my hands stops the hard thinking that is required while writing; I feel freer. I’m not demanding quite as much from my brain but instead I’m letting my hands do their thing, – and most importantly I’ve switched from sitting and looking at a screen to physical labor, even if it is far from demanding. The hand hobbies tend to let my brain (and any churning thoughts) take a break and relax.
I have another project coming up that is a perfect fit for me. It is one that doesn’t involve too much skill and the finished product will only be used by my granddaughter. I’m going to build little Robin a treehouse, just like I did for my kids over 30 years ago. The treehouse will be in the woods behind my house, and I have a feeling that no matter how modest and ram shackled it looks, Robin will love playing in it as much as I plan on enjoying the building process.
Maybe you’re not the woodworker type. Whatever you choose, step away from the screens and the keyboards for a while and use your hands. You’ll find you free your mind – and your spirit as well.
YOUR TURN
What crafts or DIY projects do you enjoy and why? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Michael J. Tougias is a New York Times bestselling author and co-author of 30 books for adults and nine books for middle readers. His latest book is Extreme Survival: Lessons From Those Who Have Triumphed Against All Odds. Tougias speaks to both business groups and at public libraries across the country. www.michaeltougias.com
Photo credit: fstop123 – Getty Images
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Comments
I was getting into gunsmithing and really loving it! Probably even more than actually using the guns :D
I have always enjoyed paint by number projects and reading this article has inspired me to get back to working with my hands other then using them on a keyboard.
I have learned so much by taking this OATS class and I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of AARP offering this class to seniors.
Thank you,
Lucy
I have always enjoyed needlework: crocheting, sewing, blackwork, string art, needlepoint, cross stitching. I continue to do these, but what I’d really like to do is to get the sort of instruction that boys (only!) were offered in junior high shop classes! They learned the basics of tool use, measurement, joining, and probably a lot more that I don’t realize. It’s not that I want to make a specific thing, just to learn generally how to do these things. Any takers?
I started cross-stitch when I was 15 yrs old and continue to do it now at 54. Seeing a project from beginning to end, working on the big picture to adding the final details allows me a break from daily work as a therapist. Being able to put my focus on one thing after a day of multi-tasking is priceless. Plus, it allows me to create something with my own personal touches–literally.