We’ve previously talked at great length about specific hobbies such as photography and woodworking. We’ve even got some amazing lists of hobbies for specific scenarios or that certain people may be drawn to.
We haven’t, however, talked in a general sense about why hobbies are such a good investment of your time and how they can help expand your horizons beyond your normal day-to-day life. We think it’s worth iterating on those points as some people see hobbies as a form of non-productive time wastage which we believe is firmly the opposite.
Even hobbies that you do for fun can yield benefits that may not be apparent at the beginning which is why you should never underestimate the power of hobbies. So without further ado, keep scrolling and we’ll tell you why hobbies are not a waste of time and how they may benefit you.
1. Hobbies Can Inspire Others
One of the first reasons why hobbies are not a waste of time is that they have the ability to inspire friends, family, and outsiders who want to get involved or want to try to change their own lives.
Your active interest in getting a muscular physique or building beautiful furniture might just be the reason why a friend adopts a more positive lifestyle or gives them something to look forward to.
In essence, you become a guiding light for people who may have become stuck in a rut and you’ll also be able to share that knowledge to help them get started or implement their own hobby routine.
Most people end up doing this naturally once they hit a certain standard as they want to be able to leave a greater impression on the world around them. After all, life is better together, and gives you meaning to push yourself in the eyes of others.
2. Hobbies Expand Your Horizon
This is a statement we used at the start of the article which means that when you do a hobby, whether or not it’s for fun or function, it can give you a greater range of perspective on the world and the ability to think deeper.
This mental broadening increases your potential as a person to have better relationships and can even increase your prospects in your working life.
Some of the best discoveries in life are made by accident which is why you can never underestimate the impact of a hobby or how it’s going to shape you as a person.
3. Hobbies Help Friendships Develop
Hobbies can help friendships develop because it gives you both something to focus on or to talk about.
Many hobbies are constantly changing and growing which means you should never be stuck for something to do and you may even be able to attend events together which can help you meet even more people.
Hobbies transcend language barriers too so even if you can’t speak to a person properly from another country then you can at least involve them in a common activity that you both find enjoyable, and who knows, this may help you both learn a language together.
If you often feel lonely or without purpose then try picking up a hobby that specifically encourages socializing which you can find in our list of social hobbies.
4. Hobbies Keep You In Shape
Most hobbies involve extra activity either directly or indirectly which means you’ll be burning more energy throughout the day. If your hobby is especially fun then you won’t even notice all the extra energy you’re burning which means it won’t feel tedious or like a chore.
This is why we recommend having at least one physically engaging hobby that you enjoy, mainly because it’ll allow you to stay active without all the deliberate effort of doing something just for the sake of ticking a box.
5. Hobbies Can Improve Your Relationship
Most people know that relationships can be hard to maintain once the initial honeymoon phase dies down but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. Introducing a hobby to your relationship is similar to our third point in that it gives you and your partner more to talk about or do together.
Relationships are most rewarding when you both go through something together as it gives you the ability to reflect back on specific occasions and helps solidify those moments in your mind.
Try something hands-on so you can both make something together with our handy and helpful list of practical hobbies.
6. Hobbies Can Develop Your Intelligence
Most hobbies require you to improve or get better in a specific area to enhance how well you perform at it or how fast you can complete a task. For example, playing tennis requires you to have good hand-eye coordination and the ability to orient yourself in 3D space to avoid missing the ball.
Some hobbies can also prompt you to use problem-solving skills which in turn helps to develop memory and certain aspects of creativity. One of the most amazing things about this point is that it mostly happens unconsciously the more you do something.
7. Hobbies Can Help Us Relax
Being too stressed and not giving yourself an outlet to unwind can eventually lead to burnout which can be counter-productive to leading a life filled with joy. When you do a hobby, regardless of whether it’s for fun or function, you’ll be giving yourself something different to do that helps you break the norm for a little bit of time in your day.
This gives you the ability to engage different parts of your personality that aren’t usually used such as the ability to be creative or make things, and perhaps the ability to train your body for better physical health.
8. Hobbies Help To Develop Routine
If you lead a life that’s missing structure then taking up a hobby can also help you to implement a routine. Lack of structure can be a result of many different things but hobbies require goals that you can build on no matter how small.
A sandcastle does not stand without the thousands of grains below it; routine or structure is very much the same and you’ll need to add lots of different parts to create a big machine that works together in tandem.
Another point is that most people don’t become millionaires overnight, it’s a constant implementation of small improvements that helps them create the whole pie and this is the best way to create routine — Slow and steady, small and digestible!
Conclusion
Hopefully, you’ll now have a better understanding of why hobbies are not a waste of time and why you should not underestimate the power of having them.
Every moment in life can create a butterfly effect that could lead you to unexpected and great places. This is the best approach to have when thinking about hobbies and their potential.
