The Importance of Hobbies

A hobby, something you do in your leisure time for enjoyment, can be almost anything

• Hiking

• Collecting stamps

• Riding (bicycle, horse, motorcycle)

• Rock climbing

• Snorkelling

• Scuba diving

• Skiing

• Surfing

• Paddleboarding

• Rowing

• Drawing

• Painting

• Sculpting

• Knitting/crochet

• Needlepoint

• Sewing

• Calligraphy

• Scrapbooking

• Photography

• Woodwork

• Metalwork

• Singing

• Playing a musical instrument - guitar, piano, saxophone, bagpipes

• Chess

• Crosswords

• Sodoku

• Jigsaw puzzles (see my earlier post)

• Writing

• Reading

• Collecting vintage cars (or matchbox cars if your budget is limited)

• Antique furniture

• Birdwatching

• Origami

• Stand up comedy

• Juggling

• Swimming

• Dance

• Yoga

• Sport - football, cricket, soccer, netball

• Self-defence - taekwondo, karate, jujitsu

• Gardening

• Cooking

• Magic

• Soap making

The list above was compiled from the hobbies of my friends and family. The choice is as wide as your imagination.

There are so many reasons to have a hobby

• Stress relief

• Increased happiness

• Life satisfaction

• Excitement

• New experiences

• Challenge (either mental or physical)

• Meeting new people

• Create new skills

• Career development/change

• Secondary income stream

But hobbies also have health benefits including lowering blood pressure and cortisol (the stress hormone) levels. Having a hobby also reduces the incidence of depression.

Many people have had success in turning their hobby into their career - some of them making millions. Here I am thinking of the likes of Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook or the Jenny's (as I refer to them), Jennifer Hyman and Jennifer Fleiss with Rent the Runway or the amazing Mimi Goodwin of Mimi G Style (seriously, check this chick out of you have not heard of her before - she is fucking amazing).

We're all busy. We all have the same 168 hours a week to dedicate to a myriad of activities. However, if you have two hours a night to slump on the couch and watch reality TV or cat videos on YouTube, you have time for a hobby. Since I started working on Incremental Health I haven't had as much time for my hobbies as beforehand. While I am happy with my choice, I miss photography. I still read as that's part of my lifestyle and integral to my quest for more information. Reading is how I learn and inspires me to grow personally and professionally. And, since I'm not yet making money from Incremental Health, I still have a day job (which I love) that takes up a chunk of my time. 

But I still carve out some time once a month to get behind the lens of my actual camera. While I love the camera on the iPhone X it's no substitute for holding the weight of a DSLR and changing the lens to get just the right shot. I've also promised my daughter that this winter we will take up knitting again. Summer in Melbourne gets pretty hot so it's not conducive to sitting under a pile of wool. But winter is the time to do that sort of thing. While the boys watch a movie, the girls can click-clack away on a new throw rug. After reading Reese Witherspoon's Whiskey in a Teacup recently I have been inspired to try quilting. That's now on my winter to-do list.

What hobby are you looking to restart or commence?