Benefits of Having a Hobby

Are you stressed? Perhaps you should consider taking up something new that piques your interest outside of your career. Studies show that having a hobby can help relieve stress and prevent depression.

So why not give it a shot? Here are some benefits of having a hobby.

Benefits of Having a Hobby

•  Hobbies encourage taking a break.

Hobbies offer an opportunity to take a break but a break with a purpose. If you're like us, you might like to feel productive while you're engaging in an activity and a hobby gives you that. You are doing something while still having fun. Hobbies are great ways to take a break from your busy life while still having a sense of purpose.

• Hobbies promote eustress

Eustress is that positive kind of stress, the kind that makes you feel excited about what you're doing and about life. Hobbies, we've found, are one of the greatest ways to access that kind of stress. When you're doing something you love—something you don't have to do for any other reason other than the fact that you love it you feel a rush of excitement and joy.

 

• Hobbies offer a new challenge

Hobbies break up routine sand challenge you in new ways, ways that are different from work, ways that are positive. The great thing about picking up a new hobby is that it provides an excellent outlet for challenging yourself without the negative stress that comes from a work-related challenge. The new challenge can also open your mind to new ways of seeing the world.

• Hobbies unite you with others

 Even if you engage in a solo activity, like illustrating, you're exposing yourself to a new world of people, people who find the same thing enjoyable that you do. Though we don't talk much about illustrating in the "real world," online we find ourself connecting with all kinds of people who are passionate about what we too feel excited about. 

• Hobbies provide an outlet for stress

 Adding another activity to your to-do list might seem like a way to create more stress, but we've found that engaging in a new hobby actually provides a great outlet for releasing stress. By focusing on a non-work-related task, you're giving your mind something else to focus on. And when you really get in the flow, all of your worries and stresses seem to fade away.

• Hobbies have physical health benefits

Research has found that engaging in enjoyable activities during down time were associated with lower blood pressure, total cortisol, waist circumference, and body mass index. Engaging in these activities also correlated to higher levels of positive psychosocial states and lower levels of depression and negative affect. Hobbies are good for your mind and your body. 


Planning is an important part of starting your new hobby. If you don’t plan enough you will run into snags that can hold you back and keep you from getting started. Have patience with your new hobby. It takes time to learn a new skill and before you begin to get what you want for you hobby. If you started playing guitar it may be years before you are good enough to play in front of a group of people. The main thing is you keep trying and practicing until you get what you want out of it.

If you start a hobby and find out it doesn’t take up as much time as you wanted it to then get another one. There is nothing wrong with having several hobbies. The more time you spend on your hobbies the better. Get started now and don’t procrastinate. You will be glad you did.