Baking to Get Through It

I never really understood stress baking, though I understand it’s a real phenomenon.

To me, baking—something that requires some precision and attention to detail—is the last thing a stress-addled mind needs to be tackling. I’m more of a stress TV-watcher or stress online shopper.

But this past month, arguably one of the most stressful in memory, I have been baking a lot.

And maybe I get it now. When I thought of stress baking in the past, I thought of the kind of stress that comes with having too much to do, the stress that comes with that certain breed of frantic anxiety.

But now I’m realizing that baking during stressful time serves another purpose.

Stress Baking to Help

First and foremost, during hard times, baking is an easy way to help and to let others know you’re thinking of them. Bringing over a loaf of bread or a dessert to someone that needs a pick-me-up or who can’t manage to bake on their own is helpful. Right now, my mother-in-law has a particular taste for sweets and is unable to bake on her own, so a batch of homemade brownies hits the spot for us both.

Stress Baking to Soothe

What I’ve really found, though, is that baking is a good way to propel yourself forward. Baking won’t help the worries of the day subside or solve any problems, but it requires enough focus to make those concerns take a backseat for a moment—and in a way that reading, TV or embroidery can’t.

So I’m thankful that I have a hobby that can take me through these hard days and can even be useful.