5 reasons you need a hobby
You’ll be surprised to find out how many people go to work, and then come home and scroll endlessly on social media or veg infront of the TV. Now, don’t get me wrong - these two activities are also great, but the trick is to do this in moderation because, most of the time, we leave instagram or TikTok feeling worse about ourselves...
So, finding something productive to do once or twice a week that’s not related to work can make the world of difference.
Why are hobbies so important?
Hobbies are extremely important because they give you a space where you can take your mind off of your every day responsibilities. As you can imagine, this contributes towards a healthy mind and body (if your hobby is physical).
Hobbies contribute towards a more balanced lifestyle because you’re able to peel yourself away from your 9-5 and put some time into you and the things that you like to do. So, here are 5 reasons you should start a hobby today:
Hobbies prevent Burnout
We don’t often realise how necessary it is to make time for ourselves. We can easily get so wrapped up in daily life and before we know it, we’re ready to scream at everything and everyone. Or, we cry at every inconvenience that’s thrown our way. Sound familiar? Yup - it’s a nasty little thing called burnout. In fact, it’s not so little and it can actually have a hugely negative impact on our mindset and resilience.
Having a hobby gives you that extra breathing space where you’re able to shift your focus onto something different and new that you enjoy doing.
2. Hobbies allow you to grow
Taking the time to learn how to do something new will allow you to grow and learn new skills. You’ll be taken on a little self-discovery journey as you figure out what excites you and what you’re good at. Having a hobby gives you space to play again. We forget how to do this the older we get…
3. hobbies improve your cognitive functioning and physical health
Taking the time to learn a new skill, whether it’s a craft or new sport, will automatically make you feel healthier and more stimulated. You’ll unlock new parts of your brain, too. Here are the parts of your brain that are used when you learn a new skills:
Prefrontal Cortex – Responsible for planning, decision-making, and problem-solving. It helps in understanding and organising new information.
Motor Cortex – Essential for learning physical or motor skills, such as playing an instrument or a sport. It controls voluntary movements.
Basal Ganglia – Helps in habit formation and procedural learning (e.g., riding a bike, typing). It plays a key role in repetitive skill practice.
Cerebellum – Important for coordination, precision, and fine-tuning movements. It aids in motor learning and muscle memory.
Hippocampus – Critical for memory formation and spatial learning. It helps store and recall information about new skills.
Dopaminergic System (Midbrain) – Releases dopamine, which enhances motivation, reinforcement learning, and reward-based skill development.
4. hobbies allow you to socialise
Not all hobbies allow for this, but most of them do, especially learning a new team sport. Padel is a massively popular sport at the moment and is a very social hobby. There are so many Padel courts around that you can book out with your friends for a couple of hours.
Imagine a sunny Saturday morning. You’re outdoors with your friends, you’re active and then grab brunch after. It’s definitely ‘day in the life’ vlog worthy!
But, your hobby doesn’t need to be physical - it can also be more creative like getting involved in pottery classes or cooking classes. You’ll definitely meet new people this way too if you’re looking to make new friends.
5. Hobbies change perspective
By learning something new and different, you’re able to get yourself out of that 9-5 rut, where you wake up, go to work, come home, cook and clean and go to bed - only to wake up and do it all over again the next day. Break the cycle - you owe it to yourself.
With a new hobby you’ll be able to shift your mindset and distract yourself (even if it is only for a little while) with something constructive.
So, what will you try next?
