Over the past couple of years (looking at you, lockdown of 2020), I noticed a heightened awareness of the importance of hobbies in the world. I’m guessing that everyone being trapped at home with nothing to do made them face the fact that they didn’t really have any hobbies. I know I didn’t even know what I enjoyed doing in my spare, distraction-free time, but I can tell you that I quickly realized I needed to find out.
Pictured: Bikes in a bike rack in Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico
What counts as a hobby? According to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, a hobby is an activity that you do for pleasure in your spare time. This could be anything from reading to biking, or baking every banana bread recipe you can get your hands on. A hobby can even be something you make money off of, but it shouldn’t be anything you’re obligated to do or spend a majority of your time doing.
Now let’s get to the benefits of having a hobby:
Hobbies help you de-stress: After a long day of work I take a walk around the neighborhood to de-stress. This solo walk used to be a mechanism to unwind at the end of the day, but it has since become a staple in my routine simply because I enjoy it. Any leisurely activity can have the same effect of taking a break to relax, unwind, and act as a distraction from any stressors.
Hobbies improve your mental health: Just as hobbies can help relax us, they can also have a greater impact on improving our overall mental health. It’s been proven that people who partake in leisurely activities are found to have lower heart rates, experience less stress, and feel an increase in happiness while participating in their hobbies. The effects during the activities seem to spill over into the rest of people’s lives too, as those with hobbies report feeling greater overall happiness and meaning to life. Who would’ve guessed that doing things that bring you joy would make you an overall happier person?
Hobbies help you meet people – Most friendships are sparked through a similar interest or commonality, so it only makes sense that one’s own interests and hobbies could foster friendships. Some hobbies, such as team sports, require other people and easily lead to friendships. Meanwhile other “solo” hobbies, such as crafting, may not require others. However, I’ve still found communities and made friends through social media groups focused on sharing tips for crafting and other solo hobbies.
Hobbies provide mental stimulation – Rather than watching tv or scrolling your phone for hours each night, why not try to learn a new skill or dive into a new book? Engaging your mind in even exploring new activities to try is enough to keep the mind moving and curiosity sparking.
Hobbies boost your confidence – I’ve listened to enough self help podcasts to know that one of the easiest and quickest ways to boost confidence is by increasing your knowledge. Why not go all in on a topic that interests you? In no time you can learn a new skill, turn it into your hobby, and get better and better with time. The act of improving your skills and knowledge leads to a confidence boost all around.
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