Did you know that hobbies are great for mental and physical health? In our busy lifestyle, we forget to take the time to pursue what we enjoy. Browsing social media is not a hobby. It is in fact a demotivating factor which consumes energy and time (our most valuable resource of all).
Some of us know exactly what we enjoy doing and there are others, like myself, who are confused! If you also fall into this category, then how do you find what you enjoy doing in your spare time? I have found that one approach is to try different hobbies; running, cooking, biking, pottery, drawing, painting, rock climbing, & playing different sports. I have tried wheelchair basketball, wheelchair tennis, swimming, yoga, knitting, textiles, drawing, photography, reading and now writing. All of them were enjoyable, but I cannot possibly have time for all of them. So I switch between them. I read somewhere that we should have one hobby to keep us physically fit, one to keep mentally fit, one that will make you money, and one that will help you connect with people for social wellbeing. If only I realized this secret earlier, it would have made life a little easier 🙂
In this blog post, I am sharing some benefits of having hobbies, and how they can keep us motivated/productive in our day to day life. Here are some of the benefits I have observed:
Creates work life balance – as we know, all work and no play can lead to many complications in our personal and professional life. For many years, I attended yoga sessions after work, five days a week. This allowed me to disconnect from work, get the blood circulation going and relax the mind. During the covid era we struggled to have this balance because work was accessible from home all the time. We did not know where to draw the line and focus on family and ourselves. Our puppy, Dahlia, helped us disconnect from work as her walk time was 4:30 pm and she made sure we knew it was her time to go outside. Pets can create a schedule for you if you cannot. Have some activity to look forward to after work. Preferably, one that gets blood flowing in the body and that disconnects you from work mentally.
Stress relievers – If we don’t take breaks from repeated tasks, they cause burn out and leave you feeling overwhelmed. Having a hobby or participating in an enjoyable activity greatly reduces this level of stress.
Quality time with family – we cannot take family to work unless it is a family business, and we are self-employed. Even then, our focus is to get things done as there are strict timelines. I am not sure if watching TV together is quality time as a family, but it is debatable. There are so many activities to do together as a family, from playing board games to even eating together (with no phones or other distractions at the table).
Networking – hobbies provide great opportunities to network and meet new people without the pressure of having to network. From my personal experience, nothing is more overwhelming than going to official meetings or events and networking during break times. Everyone stands and starts mingling or talking and there is little me trying to get past the crowd or looking around to see who notices me so I can ‘network’. While it might sound like I am feeling sorry for myself or making an excuse, I often found it challenging to get around and meet people in my wheelchair in tight places for networking purposes. I definitely do not discourage it but if you find it overwhelming, you are not alone. I met more people at the coffee station who offered to help, and maybe that’s why I developed my love for caffeine 🙂. Anyhow, hobbies can connect us with like minded people.
Increase/boost creativity – I have been there so many times when I’m going through many creative hobbies in my mind and thinking “I am not good at this and that” without trying them out. I can give you one perfect example; during my college days I was approached by an art teacher and she asked me to join her class. It was all free by the way, and can you guess what my answer was: “I am not creative and I can’t draw.” This teacher encouraged me and I joined. Initially, I was intimated and a little annoyed too, as I felt I didn’t belong there due to a lack of creativity skills. However, I started to draw and we were not allowed to draw with a pencil on a white piece of paper. Instead, I was given chalk and a black sheet. I was doing a terrible job at it and then she gave me a sculpture of a bird. I drew that so well that I even surprised myself. And the next day, I drew the Taj Mahal and a clock. The project then headed towards textiles. I ended up creating a hat which was inspired by the Taj Mahal monument and had clock hands on it. That was the final outcome, and I truly wish I still had photos of it, but unfortunately, they got lost along the way, as I have relocated so many times. I was graded on it, and received an A (a little boost to my ego there).
I picked up so many skills on the way – drawing, cutting, tie dye material, sewing, and stitching. I absolutely enjoyed the class and the experience. It all started because a Fine Arts teacher approached me, and I am always grateful to her as she created space for me to explore my creative side which I didn’t know existed. So try out new things, you never know where you will end up or what you will create.
Increase focus – I pay more attention in meetings if I can doodle. I know it may seem rude and as if I am not paying attention but doodling keeps the mind in the present moment. It is so relaxing. It is a form of meditation for me. I also follow a YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/@TamaraMichael and I am very impressed with her patience and creativity. There are some great ideas to practice and it will help you get into it if you would like to explore.
I personally feel it is extremely important to have some activity outside of your professional life which keeps you active, helps you connect with people, and brings joy over all.
