Hobbies often get put on the backburner when work cranks up, but research shows doing what you love outside of work comes with all sorts of health benefits.
And here’s the kicker: taking time away from work for hobbies can actually boost your creativity and productivity at work.
So how do you balance it all? Here are a few ideas.
It’s easy for free time to get swallowed up with “urgent” work, so block out specific times in your calendar for hobbies and treat them like important meetings you simply cannot miss. Once you get into the swing of this, it’ll become a habit.
Keep work and personal time as separate as you can. When it’s time for hobbies, try your best to disconnect from work completely.
Creating some kind of buffer can be helpful, like putting your phone away, taking a brief walk or meditating.
This separation helps prevent burnout and keeps you more engaged in both areas.
Find ways to integrate hobbies into your routine. Think: reading during your commute or knitting while watching TV. Multitasking can help you make the most of your time, but remember to notice how you feel – is it more enjoyable to do both things at once? If not, reassess.
Communicate your needs
Let family and friends know when you need moments for yourself. Whether it’s a set time each day/week or more of a how-your-feeling-on-the-day situation, communicating your needs helps create a supportive environment where everyone feels respected.
Blumencweig, S. (2020). From pastime to purpose: design for the elevation of creative hobbies (Doctoral dissertation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology).
Charnock, T., & Vicary, S. Exploring the link between Leisure-Time Creativity and Motives for Workplace Creativity: A. Innovations in a Changing World, 192.
Davis, L. N., Hoisl, K., & Davis, J. (2014). Spanning the Creative Space between Home and Work: Leisure Time, Hobbies and Organizational Creativity. Paper presented at The DRUID Society Conference 2014, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
Ilha Villanova, A. L., & Pina e Cunha, M. (2021). Everyday creativity: A systematic literature review. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 55(3), 673-695.