Why should we have a hoddy?

1. Hobbies are an excellent way to de-stress
Let’s say I had pursued music as a career. Music has always been a de-stresser for me. Always.
Music would become my source of stress in many ways if it was my career. Spending too much time on the road, having tight deadlines for the studio, and lack of sleep can make you do crazy things.
It would be sad if music ceased to be the place I visit when I’m stressed and became the reason I experience stress. Where would I go to de-stress? What would I do? Maybe that’s why so many rockstars have historically turned to drugs?
Graphic design is my career and—believe me—my guitar or my piano has been a great help to me during times of stress.
(I’m not saying that music is a bad career choice, of course.)


2. Hobbies help you think clearly
I lose track of time when I play or write music—it’s wonderful. My mind stops running a mile a minute and I stop thinking about the future. I stop thinking about goals and everything that needs to be accomplished within the week.
I simply live in the moment.
I’d venture to say that living in the moment is rare in our society. Most people live in the past. Most visionaries live in the future. We need to find ways to live in the present more often.


3. Hobbies have terrific health benefits
You don’t have to be a 50 year old with high blood pressure to enjoy a hobby. There are more options than gardening. (But if you want to plant a garden, go for it!)
Even Millennials need a hobby. There are several health benefits that come from it. Staving off depression is a big benefit.


4. Hobbies re-spark your creativity
Inspiration is obviously important to creative professionals. What do you do when you feel like you’re running on fumes? You aren’t alone if this happens to you. Sometimes we feel like we don’t have an ounce of creativity left in us for the day. This can be bad when we’re on a deadline.
Turning to your hobby can do wonders when you need to get the creative juices flowing.
5. Hobbies are fun
This last reason may seem overly simplistic but it’s probably the most important. Life is short. If we allow it, life can be dull and monotonous.
You’ve probably worked with someone who seemed like a hamster in a wheel, right? Someone who has been doing the same thing every single day for 20 years…someone who seems joyless. Someone who is in a bad mood every day.
Adding a little bit of fun to your life can produce extraordinary results. It’s liberating to do something simply because  you want to, not because you have to.
When you schedule fun in your life, you have something to look forward to. When you decide to add fun to your life, your life can be a lot of fun!