Left-Brain Activities: Hobbies That Flex Your Mental Muscles

Hobbies aren’t just a way to have fun or decompress — they can also serve as a support system for your brain as you get older. Picking the right hobby can give you the tools to keep your mind sharp and your boredom at bay. If you’re looking for some ideas for activities that flex your “left brain,” look no further; I’ve compiled a list of some hobbies to consider.

Puzzles & Games

If you’re looking for a left-brain hobby that’s fun AND good for your mind, a 2022 New England Journal of Medicine study found that completing crossword puzzles regularly may slow cognitive decline and brain shrinkage. Here are some other puzzle and game-based hobbies you may want to try:

• Sudoku
• Crossword puzzles
• Chess or other strategy board games
• Rubik’s cube solving

Math & Logic-Based Hobbies

If you want a hobby that could also expand your skills and aid in your job search, you may want to consider a math or logic-based hobby, like one of these:

• Computer programming/coding
• Data analysis projects (e.g., tracking sports stats or personal finances)
• Cryptography or code-breaking challenges

Collecting & Organizing

Item collection and organization allows you to create your own treasure hunt where the treasure is up to you! While the research and education necessary to support an interest in your collection with scratch your analytical itch, you’ll also work out your left-brain by cataloging your items.

• Stamp, coin, or card collecting
• Archiving photos or digital files
• Genealogy research

Skill-Based Hobbies

Art and creativity are considered “right brain” activities, but many can fall into both categories: analytical AND artistic! Things like baking, model building, or sewing, require attention to detail, measurement, and following instructions, while also allowing room to get creative. Here are a few ideas:

• Cooking or baking with precise recipes
• Model building (like cars, planes, trains with detailed instructions)
• Electronics or robotics kits
• Sewing or knitting with detailed patterns

Language & Writing

For the same reasons listed above, writing or learning a language may be a fun option for a logic-based hobby, depending on your approach! They also come with the added benefit of helping you connect more with other people, if that’s something you’re interested in.

• Learning a new language
• Technical writing or journaling with structured prompts
• Writing outlines or nonfiction essays

Misc. Analytical Hobbies

If none of those struck your fancy, here are a few more bonus ideas!

• Amateur astronomy with data logging
• Budgeting and personal finance tracking
• Collecting and analyzing trivia or facts

Share your own left-brain hobbies below!