Why are hobbies important?

Taking care of our personal and professional needs is important but also exhausting. A lot of us talk about work-life balance but often think the “life” part is about fulfilling our personal demands and needs. But sometimes, beyond all the daily chores, duties, and work, we would want to feel relaxed. Yes, of course, sleeping does help; it gives us rest. However, there should be something different, something we do consciously but also not as work. It’s simply for fun, leisure, and joy. That very thing is called a hobby.

But is it mandatory to have a hobby? Or is it even important? Are there any benefits to having a hobby? There could be several other questions that are bothering you. To begin with, let’s just make one thing clear. All of us are unique. So some may not even pursue any hobby or find the need to do so. Even if a lot of us have hobbies, our interests and tastes could largely vary. All that said, there is a lot of fun you can have once you find that one hobby (or many) that aligns with your interest and lets you explore more. This blog will walk you through the different advantages of hobby and why it is important in our lives.

Importance and benefits of hobbies

Hobbies aren’t things you have to do. Hobbies are activities you want to do and you wish to do. Each of us has unique interests and our hobbies may vary largely but the core of it remains the same: you enjoy and value doing something that genuinely interests you. So, hobbies are in a way a method of “self-care” and it benefits you immensely.

Relieves Stress

The first and foremost advantage of having hobbies is finding a stress buster. Say you like cooking and do it as a hobby. When you are cooking, you push all other thoughts away and focus on what you like. So hobbies help you take your mind off other stressful things in life and let you relax. In a way, hobbies are a way to romanticize your life and just live a little.

Increases Confidence

When you learn something new and have new experiences, you automatically develop a sense of self-confidence. As you keep doing your hobby, you will gain specific skills, and getting better at doing something you like is a good motivating factor.

Makes You More Patient

When you try a new hobby, there are more chances you fail at it or do it with so many flaws. But this imperfection doesn’t tire you. It makes you more patient and helps you understand how to learn something new and gradually do it in a better way.

Creates Space for New Social Life

We are all stuck within a social circle except for the most extroverted people who easily mingle with others. In such a scenario, having a hobby helps you meet like-minded people and strike a bond. You can join a club or meet someone who has an interest in the same space, expanding your social circle and doing something new in your social life. Since you will have a lot in common with fellow people who love the same hobby, you can enjoy the hobby and hang out even more.

Helps You Learn A Different Skill

Hobbies help you develop new skills and gain new knowledge about different things. Hobbies may or may not be something related to work. So, they most often lead you to a different side which is new and you get to learn so much about the skill and related trivias.

Eradicates Boredom

We work, finish our daily chores, sleep and probably hang out for some time. What else do we do? What do we do when we feel bored…bored of doing the same things over and over? Hobbies give you something interesting to do when there is nothing else you want to do. It eradicates boredom by distracting your mind with something exciting.

Helps you Gain Different Perspectives

Your hobby will help you explore an aspect of life or society that you never knew before. You get exposed to newer ideas and concepts as you pursue something new. Irrespective of the type of hobby you choose, you will be able to gain different perspectives and learn to look at life in new ways, which also improves you as a person.

How different are hobbies from pursuing something in your professional career?

Some may consider hobbies a waste of time. For instance, if someone spends most of their free time reading books, especially fiction, or watching films, several people tend to opine that they are wasting their time. It almost feels like a hundred other productive works can be done during the period you spend on your hobbies. However, there are two things that make hobbies different from doing something else that’s productive for your professional career. One, hobbies challenge you but are never pressurizing. It’s challenging and engaging enough to pique your interest but there is no sort of pressure, be it deadlines or perfection. So, in a way, you can embrace yourself with all the flaws you do. Two, even if you spend the time working on something for your professional career, it may not be as joyful and stress-relieving as your hobby is. Therefore, hobbies help you to work on yourself, and your mental health and make you consciously live in the moment and enjoy it.

Final Thoughts

Numerous articles about hobbies have been written. Like work, rest, fun, and fitness, hobbies too are a very important part of our lives. It’s like a getaway from our regular work and a stress reliever. One main thing about exploring hobbies is that there is no added pressure. You can do whatever you want at any time in any way you want. When you explore a hobby, you get to be yourself and enjoy what you do, and that satisfaction and completeness are all you want.