During our childhood days, hobbies are what we live for. We are almost inseparable from our hobbies. We collect coins and cards, we take music lessons, learn other languages, read books and many others.
But as we grow older and older, bombarded with our careers, learning and trying out new things become uninteresting. However, it is not too late to get the ball rolling again. Use this guide below on how to find a hobby and follow your passion.
Smart Tips On How To Pick Up A Hobby
Why should I have a hobby?
Picking up a hobby has a variety of benefits to both your body and mind.
Research done by experts have uncovered these benefits:
Better physical health
When it comes to your physical health, you don’t necessarily need a physically demanding activity to have serious health benefits.
Research studies of over 1,390 people including men and women, indicated that those who participated in enjoyable leisure activities experienced low blood pressure, smaller waists, and lower stress hormones.
More sleep
More sleep from a hobby? Yes! A research study at Pittsburg suggests that people who spend more time on their hobbies experience better sleep.
Lower stress
People who spent more time on their hobbies according to the Pittsburg study experienced lower stress levels. Those who scored higher on the enjoyable leisure test showed lower negative emotions and depression than their co-participators.
Happiness
Whether you are an introvert or extrovert, you have a chance at being happy by picking a up hobby based on your personality. Numerous studies show a correlation between having a hobby and your happiness level.
Hobbies in general are for fun. The better outlook on life the happier you are. Hobbies help you to not only transform your life but to find meaning in it.
More friends
Hobbies increase your social network. More time on hobbies means more association with more people to connect with. Hobbies specifically social hobbies like basketball, volleyball, or joining a cycling group help you to meet new people and build real connections.
Improved work performance
Your career receives a significant boost from engaging in a hobby. The more you engage in creative hobbies, the better you handle projects at work and improve your attitude towards your colleagues.
Research published in the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology found that people who had a hobby had a more positive attitude at work than those who do not.
How to make time for your hobby
Although we are all busy, it is essential to find a way to make time for your hobby. You’re in luck. We are here to help you.
Spend your free time wisely
Most people think they don’t have much free time but it is not true A survey done by the American Time Use Survey uncovered that people have enough time for leisure actives and their professional work as well.
Average Hours Per Work Day on Activities (Among people who work full time)
- Household activities*: 0.96 hours
- Eating and drinking: 1.11 hours
- Leisure and sports: 3.04 hours
- Sleeping and personal care: 8.64 hours
- Caregiving: 0.53 hours
- Shopping: 0.43 hours
- Working: 8.80 hours
Using these statistics will help find the sweet spot for your free time.
Don’t let your devices become your hobby
To get more free time, it is best to ignore much of the internet as it is a time-waster. It is only good if you are using it for productive things.
If you want to get more time for your hobby it is best to look through what is devouring your time and cut them out.
Time management apps are also effective tools to help you manage your time well. Here are some of the best ones.
- Todoist
- Trello
- Clickup
- Toggl track
- Calendar
Science has even shown that these devices we use affect our sleep because they emit artificial blue light.
Make a Calendar
Another efficient way to make more time for your hobby is to mark it on your calendar.
Whether it is learning a new language, running, cycling, or taking a painting class, it is better to have it marked on your calendar.
Just schedule it to when you are free and go with it.
Choosing a hobby
Hobbies vs interest
Is there any difference between a hobby and an interest? Yes. Most people cannot tell the difference, but it’s important to know so you don’t confuse yourself.
What is an Interest?
Interests are basically our desires to do or learn something. It has nothing to do with being physical. It is merely intellectual. For example, you may read a book about golf or volley, but until you start doing it, it is just an interest.
What is a Hobby?
A hobby is an enjoyable activity we engage in, voluntarily and mostly in our free time. When we are not dragged by the demands of work or any other responsibilities or interests. A hobby is not an interest but your interest can inspire a hobby. A hobby requires more action like cycling, collecting, or building something.
There are hobbies for men and there are hobbies for women as well.
Types of hobbies to try
It is important to have a hobby for every aspect of your life. Physical, social, creative, and one that makes you money without having to work 9-5. Most of the hobbies you do are already everyday activities so it won’t be an issue. Some of the hobbies also flow seamlessly into other types of hobbies.
Type 1: Creative
This type of hobby helps you to flex your mental muscles and think outside the box. They range from drawing, painting, writing, photography, and pottery. These hobbies allow you to think in different ways and will definitely help you with your problem-solving skills in your professional life.
Type 2: Physical hobbies
Having a hobby to keep you in shape is vital to your physical wellbeing. It flows into other areas of your life.
There have been studies that show that it improves brain performance and reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Some of the physical types of hobbies are running, walking, weight lifting, yoga, swimming, and cycling.
Type 3: Social hobbies
We all need to connect with new people. Social networking is the order of the day. These types of hobbies that enable you to meet with people are then a must. It could even help you meet up with your significant other.
Some examples of social hobbies include group cycling, golfing, basketball, and soccer.
Type 4: Hobbies to make money
Even if you have your professional work earning you income, it is also cool to have some side hustle(hobby) which can bring in sufficient income to pay off some bills as well.
Hobbies like blogging, freelance writing, and even painting can earn you a significant income on the side if you develop them well. You can either teach others the craft or sell products related to your hobby.
Ways to find a hobby
How do you focus and select one particular type of hobby? Here are some ways to help you decide.
Look back to your childhood days
If you are stuck on where to start, look back to what you loved doing as a kid. Was it collecting action figures, cooking with mummy, knitting, or cooking? Did you love running with dad, did you love drawing, painting, or writing short stories. All these simple activities are worth turning into your hobby.
Start trying new things
Ding a bunch of different things is another way you might find a hobby. Think of activities you might find interesting and pursue them – whether it is painting, cooking, knitting or even joining a dancing group, it is a sure way to get the boring ones out and thin out the list of hobbies you want to try.
Take a class
If you are interested in any activity, what better to see it through and turn it into a hobby than taking a class on the hobby. Maybe calligraphy, cooking, painting, knitting, or dancing class can really spark your interest to turn it into a hobby. With how the world is going, you don’t even need to attend in person. There are tons of online classes on any interest you might have.
For example, to learn a new language like Spanish, one of the most popular languages in the world, all you need is to take lessons on Memrise or Learn Spanish online from Marcus Santamaria, one of the best Spanish teachers in the industry.
Take an assessment of your everyday activities
Take a mental step and analyze things you do every day. There is sure to be an activity that you really enjoy and gets you engaged. Everyday activities have the potential of becoming a hobby.
Cooking
If cooking is something you love to do and takes most of your spare time, then you should consider it a hobby. Devote some of your free time if not all to cooking delicious meals. Take cooking classes and sharpen your skills.
Maybe baking, or cake decorating classes. You can also use it as a way to volunteer and cook for the needy in society.
Reading
If reading is your thing, then switch it from an interest to a hobby. Make it more fun and take writing classes on Skillshare or Masterclass and learn from the best writers in the world all using your free time.
Can exercise be a hobby?
Of course, exercise can be a hobby. It is one of the healthiest ways to be more active and avoid being a couch potato.
- Running
Running is an exceptional activity, and you make it social by joining running groups or clubs. If it is something you do every day, it is not an interest, make it your hobby and develop it.
- Strength training
Your desire to strengthen your body by lifting weights every day can become a hobby. You can turn your interest in weight lifting into a very active hobby by even joining competitive programs in gyms and fitness competitions. Research published US’s Journal of Women and Ageing shows a 75-year-old woman who started weight lifting just for fun.
Working on your computer
If you love working on your computer during your leisure you might as well turn that into a hobby and start coding cool stuff. Computer-based hobbies are some of the coolest hobbies you could ever pick up.
Organizing your hobby
The deal is done. You now have a hobby. But now you still need to organize your hobby and get the most out of it. Hobbies involve a lot of stuff: from gloves, shoes, painting canvas, and others depending on which hobby you choose. It is best to have a strategy to keep organized.
Below are some ways to keep your hobby organized.
Create a dedicated hobby room
To keep yourself more organized, it’s best if you have a spare room, you can exclusively devote to your hobby. If you don’t try getting a cabinet or a table and make it your hobby space.
Contain your hobby
If you get a dedicated hobby space for yourself, now you have to keep the place organized. Check out hobby shops and find baskets or jars to help you keep your stuff. This short video on YouTube will help you organize your hobby space.
Make it easy to reach
If your goal is to stick with your hobby, then it is best to keep every important piece of equipment or gear in reach. If everything is scattered about and nowhere to be found when your hobby demands it, you will find it difficult to stick with it.
Pick a minimalist hobby
If you find it difficult to get space for your hobby, then it’s best to pick up a hobby that does not require space. Learning a new language, reading or running does not require space. Or better still pick a hobby which you can do outside.
Limit your hobbies
It is best not to juggle with more than one or two hobbies. You may initially try out a lot of things in the beginning but after that focus on one or two as it is for fun. Check this massive list of hobbies no matter your gender, purpose, or age.
