A hobby is a non-work activity that you enjoy doing in your spare time. Usually, it’s something creative or social and you have some passion for it, like reading books, playing music, writing or painting. A hobby can also be a skill-based activity, such as photography or cooking.
Hobbies can bring many benefits. They can help you relax, feel accomplished, and connect with other people. They can also give you a sense of purpose, which is particularly important for health.
In addition, hobbies can improve your work-life balance. For example, exercising in the morning or doing a crossword puzzle at work can boost your energy and productivity throughout the day. Taking a lunch break to go hiking or playing a board game with coworkers can be a fun way to bond with other people.
The benefits of a hobby can vary depending on what you choose to do and how much passion you put into it. One study, published in 2021, examined past research on a variety of leisure activities and found that hobbies positively impact your life in at least four ways. These include psychological effects, biological effects, social effects, and behavioral effects. Psychological effects can be immediate, such as lifting your mood, or long-term, such as building resilience skills and self-esteem. Biological effects can be both physical and mental, such as improving your cardiovascular health and immune system, or learning a new language to improve brain function.