In our fast-paced society full of obligations, having a hobby, or even finding/developing a hobby in the first place can be impossible. We are expected to be up in the morning getting ready for the 9-5, hustling at that 9-5, and then taking care of other obligations like family and our life in the time-off after work. Only to sputter out at the end of the day watching an hour of Netflix, browsing social media, and then heading to bed.
While this routine can be normal, studies show that having only this rut of a go-go-go and chaotic routine causes people to become less creative, burn-out quickly, have increased anxiety, and report lower life satisfaction.
Even if you are working your dream job, and building your dream life, sometimes this routine lacks flavor.
The solution: adding spice to your life by developing a hobby!
The Advantage of Hobbies
Developing a hobby might sound like a simple solution. However, it is simple for a reason. The advantages of hobbies are multiple.
1. Forces you to practice self-compassion
By developing a hobby, you are slowing down by taking dedicated time for yourself every day or every week. Working on your hobby lets you focus on yourself and taking care of your overall well-being.
See this guide to learn other ways to practice self-compassion!
2. Gives you some control in your schedule
Studies show that when employees have very little control of their work schedules, they report more negative feelings about their job and overall life. The same is true for people in their day to day lives too. If all you do is get ready for work, go to work, handle your obligations, and then mindlessly relax a little at night, it can start to feel like you don’t get to dictate your life so you start going on auto-pilot. Having a hobby provides an outlet where you can make the time where you are in charge of your development.
3. You can Declutter your Mind
That busy schedule can leave lots of thoughts floating in your head even hours after you completed working or taking care of the kids for the day. The advantage of hobbies is your hobby can give you space where you can relax to forget about those issues and return to them later with a fresh perspective.
4. You Develop a sense of Flow
Hobbies can be difficult to start, like learning a new language or learning to draw. You will make a lot of mistakes at first. However, if you like the work, and keep at it, instead of mindlessly watching TV, you can challenge yourself, improve, and show what you are capable of.
See this guide on how to develop more flow in your life!
5. Improving your Professional Career
Aside from possibly turning your hobby into an income-generating side hustle, having a hobby overall increases your work performance at a 9-5. Studies show that employees with a hobby have lower levels of stress, increased creativity, improved attitudes, and take on more ambitious challenges at work. Having a hobby can vastly improve your work performance too!
See this guide on how to find a side hustle that works for you!
What Types of Hobbies should you Have?
Hobbies come in their categories. There is that old clique, “Find three hobbies you love: One to make you money, one to keep you in shape, and one to be creative.” The idea is that these three captures all the advantage of hobbies.
Now, you don’t feel pressured to go from 0 hobbies outside of work to have 3 or more. Gradually work towards adding these types of activities to your day to day over several months (or even years) and see how your life improves!
Also, if you get stuck on thinking of which hobbies to try, there are some resources at the bottom of the post. While going through this list, envision what your goals are and which hobbies align with those.
Hobbies to Keep you in Shape
Hobbies that keep you physically fit are great ways to boost your confidence, improve your overall health, and lower stress, studies have found. Some examples include:
- Running
- Weight-lifting
- Hiking
- Swimming
- Playing sports
- Rock climbing
- Biking
- Camping canoeing
- Rafting
- Snowboarding
- Skating
- Scuba diving
- Fishing
- Martial arts
- Yoga
Hobbies to keep you Creative
Hobbies that keep you creative or expose you to new ideas are great for building mental muscles and learning what you are capable of. Plus it is always fun to experience or create things that the world will enjoy!
- Traveling
- Calligraphy
- Coloring
- Drawing
- Dancing
- Musical instruments
- Singing
- Photography
- Pottery
- Writing
- Writing music
- Blogging!
- Graphic design
- Improve
- Magic
- Juggling
- Latte art
- Filmmaking
- Candle making
- Knitting
- Scrapbooking
- Sewing
- Baking
- Brewing your beer
- Gardening
- Mixology
- Board games
- Chess
- Puzzles
- Planted tanks
- Home improvement
- Learning a language
- Learning how to code
- Meditation
- Personal development
- Reading
Hobbies to make you Money
Good news! A secret advantage of hobbies is that almost every single hobby can be turned into a business. There are personal trainers, mountain guides, artists who sell candles, people who sell their board game ideas, and even people who turn personal development into a side hustle with a blog (lol me).
One caveat, not everything has to be a side hustle and not every hobby has to make you money. Turning a hobby into a business can make it something you loathe. I know many artists who tried to turn their hobby into a side hustle. Only to get frustrated when no one was buying their art. The worst part, they quit their art entirely. Don’t let this be you! Make sure you understand all the hard work that it would take to turn your hobby into a side hustle (By reading other success stories in that area) and make sure you are okay with the transition.
Also, see some of the below tips on how to manage your finances better.
- Learning how to manage your finances
- Working on your path towards FIRE
- Figuring out how you want to spend your money, not how society says you should
Photo by Alexander Schimmeck on Unsplash
How to develop a Hobby
Now we know about different kinds of hobbies. (there are way more than what’s listed here, check out this post of 100 hobby ideas)
The trick is learning how to find a hobby. It can almost feel like a lot of pressure to pick one. Luckily, picking a hobby isn’t like a marriage, you aren’t committed to the idea forever. However, much like in your relationships, you can date hobbies before you start developing them seriously.
Seems a little weird, but it is better to spend a low amount of money and see if this hobby is for you than jumping straight into the deep end. For instance, buy a cheap paint kit to practice painting before buying the “best” $200 set online.
Dating your hobbies keeps the cost down and allows you to try many things before deciding which hobbies truly enrich your life.
To learn how to develop your hobbies, try some of the below exercises.
12-month practice
Take the next 12 months and assign one overall hobby to that month for you to investigate. I did the practice and found out I love planted tanks!
Volunteer
If possible, volunteer for your potential hobby. That way you get to talk to people who are doing your hobby and get to further your experiences with others.
Talk to people
Go on social media, blogs, and forums for your intended hobby. See what people love, hate, and do with the hobby. It requires some research but you can learn the ins and outs of the hobby before you start getting into it.
Give yourself time
Developing a hobby takes time. There are new skills, jargon, and information to pick up. Plus, you have to add it to your current lifestyle. Your hobbies are supposed to be something fun that adds variety, not another checklist item. Make sure you are working on things authentically.
Main Take-Aways
- Developing a hobby helps your physical and mental health while providing an overall improved sense of well-being.
- Hobbies can improve your work performance and can even make extra money if they are turned into a side hustle.
- Developing hobbies takes time. There is no need to rush into one or freak out trying them all. Look at which hobbies pique your interest and start investigating them.
Action item
Pick 4 potential hobbies to look into over the next 4 weeks. Assign 1 hobby each week. Spend at least 20 minutes each day researching that hobby, or better yet, practicing it if you can. At the end of that month, ask yourself, which one brought you the most joy? Start developing that one more into your daily life.
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