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Why Having a Hobby is Important

14 March 2022

2020 changed the life course of many. The world stopped and sent employees to work and report from home. Because of this, people’s everyday routines were disrupted. Work became more flexible and they suddenly have more time in their hands. Workaholics became stressed because they were so used to working all the time, spending almost every waking hour in the office. Others resorted to watching more TV series while there are some who wanted to learn new skills in their free hours. Achieving a work-life balance became a priority for so many people. They have been realizing how important it is to have a hobby to fill up the free hours and live a more fulfilling life. They understood how a hobby could help one to cope with mental health issues. With so many hobbies to pick, it’s impossible that anyone will run out of an activity he or she wants to engage in. There is also no limit as to how many any of us will pick.

But not everyone could appreciate a hobby. They think that something must be monetized for it to be worth someone’s time and effort. For them, it’s just playing and not being serious as an adult—being reliant on parents' money and living that “you only live once” mentality. This may not be essentially good but if you also dedicate all your time to work and no room for play, then you’re also not living life to the fullest. Life is not all about work. In fact, it’s just a fraction of it. It’s your moneymaker but it doesn’t mean that your whole world revolves around it.



You have goals for your finances, career, and self-worth and you lose the opportunity to become even closer to achieving these goals by cultivating hobbies.

For instance, the education system is part of the problem. There are many teachers who give their students an overload of homework and exams that they don’t have enough time for extracurricular activities. Or if not, the quality of one gets sacrificed because time and energy are limited. Imagine, five whole days a week is taken up by school and then when at home during the evening, students still do homework and review for their subjects. PeaceInnovation.com disagrees with this setup because it leads to a disturbance in “unstructured playtime,” a time that should be dedicated for social skill development, problem-solving skills, and creativity. This means, if we allow the system to continue, a student will always have a full schedule of schoolwork with extracurricular activities, rest, social life, and unstructured playtime squeezed somewhere in between. When it’s too much, a student gets burnout and goes through anxiety—something that we must address by finding a balance between work/study and play.



Moreover, there is this topic of what hobbies will be socially accepted in the class stereotype that one belongs in society. There are social stigmas and stereotypes in place that most often drive people to choose a different hobby from what really strikes an interest in them. Take for example the boys who are in basketball but secretly want to perform onstage. Then there are girls who want to get into basketball but don’t want to be judged and instead join a cheerleading squad or a painting class. Another factor that makes people not want to try a certain hobby is age. They feel it’s already too late for them to start learning. And if people are suffering from a disability, there are many who will limit what they could do based on their missing body parts.

But sometimes, these people are ourselves. We are often guilty of self-stigmatizing. We associate attitudes and stereotypes we observe around us as brought about by our condition. But if we continue to live according to societal standards in our head, we are not going to build a society where anyone and everyone is free to go for their passions, regardless of status, title, or any social stigma. Your time belongs to you so it’s your right to do whatever with it to make you happy. So don’t let society dictate what hobby you should engage in and go for what your heart tells you.



Why You Should Have Hobbies

Think about this. You’ll be able to destress after a long day at work when you have a hobby. A hobby can help put your mind at ease. This can impact your mental health positively. It reduces anxiety, helps you manage stress levels, and manages any depressive symptoms.

You will be able to build a life outside your money-making gig. You don’t have any pressure to perform or be great at it so the hobby will allow you to just be yourself. There is no need for a structure or any rules. You don’t need to be on time or to work with different personalities to achieve a common goal. You may also do some of this if you wish but the bottom line remains that you play by your own rules when you have hobbies.

When you engage in the hobby of your choice, you will find like-minded people and build a network of friends who share the same interests. You will automatically have a support group to add more value to your life.

You become a nicer presence that people want to be around with. The hobby also becomes an opportunity to bond with your family and friends.

Your knowledge broadens and you learn positive life values. These you could apply in your life, no matter how old you are and the experiences you’ve gone through.

Decide that you want to pick up a hobby and then pick one that sparks your interest.



How to Find the Right Hobby

Know yourself and what your interests are. Take note of your schedule and if a particular hobby could fit it. For example, you might be working at a desk job on a standing desk all day every day for work. You want to add activity to your life apart from using an under-desk treadmill or a desk bike. You can slowly start to allot time for fitness including joining a marathon, engaging in yoga, or doing breaststrokes in a swimming pool. You could hike with your family or go camping with your partner.

There are hobbies that could be done in the comfort of your home. You may take online classes and join virtual groups. You may self-study by watching videos on YouTube.

If you are a foodie, why not dab into urban gardening and cook dishes under a particular cuisine, or bake sweets. If you want community involvement, you may volunteer for community service in your area or even travel to another place to volunteer.

There is no rule apart from asking yourself honestly what you’ve always wanted to try. You may want to read more books, paint portraits of landscapes, learn a new language or play an instrument. Go jump from one hobby to another until you find the right fit. It is never too late to learn anything new.