For tens of thousands of years until the industrial revolution, humans made almost everything ourselves. We had a broad set of skills and could turn our hands to any task. Now we all specialise in one area, and everything we own is made by machines.

This is extremely convenient, but it’s a rather narrow, unsustainable way of life and ultimately leaves us feeling slightly empty and unfulfilled. The enormous reward centre in our brain associated with making lies dormant. We all feel like we should be able to do something with our hands, it’s part of being human, but most of us can’t.

We all know about the benefits of exercise, but making things is just as beneficial in a different and arguably deeper way. Every time we make something our minds improve, and we leave the process better and more capable than when we started. It builds confidence, self-reliance and even a sense of meaning and purpose that we can’t get from anything else. Not only can making make you feel great, it can also be a key tool for weathering life’s storms.

For tens of thousands of years until the industrial revolution, humans made almost everything ourselves. We had a broad set of skills and could turn our hands to any task. Now we all specialise in one area, and everything we own is made by machines.