As I now have more time on my hands, I have been sorting through a large pile of magazines I was given and came across an interesting article. This was called Get a Hobby by Marisa Bate, a journalist and writer.
According to research from Sheffield University having a hobby unrelated to your job can make you happier at work and boost your confidence. I can see the truth of this and I would agree that doing something that is enjoyable and also absorbing enough to take your mind of things could be a godsend during stressful times. Whilst making or doing something unrelated to work can really help you to achieve Flow. (in layman’s terms-being in the moment)
The article stresses that this hobby should be for yourself, for your enjoyment rather than for results. Which is not to say that a hobby cannot lead to more, but in the first instance is more about having a go and enjoying it rather than by judging the results. I often hear people saying they have taken up a new hobby, and then follow though my saying they are not very good yet. Marisa, says that you should not judge what you do as good or bad, as its not a race. Now everything has to be posted to Facebook or Instagram so there is more pressure to show your best side so to speak. When you start something new, it takes time to learn and practice to improve.
As a creative person, I have worked as a designer and had my own crafts business, as a design student, at a highly competitive Art School, we were judged harshly on our design work often with a degree of cruelty. Producing design work of a high standard was instilled in me from an early age and it has taken decades for me to just have a go and not worry too much about the results. Having sold what, I produced also means having had to produce commercial work to a hard standard often to a tight deadline. Its fair to say at times I didn’t fully enjoy producing design or art work. However, this changed from doing craft projects with my nieces and nephews. Young children have such fun and love what they achieve naturally which we all should do!
I have drifted a little from the point, but doing something in a light-hearted non-judgemental way and having fun sounds like a great way to relive everyday pressures.
Creative folk, myself included in this are not always great at finding something which is not work related, as our work can become all absorbing and there is little time for anything else, particularly during a large project. I know myself I find myself looking through magazines and Pinterest and saving items that I can use later, rather that just in the pursuit of pleasure. Perhaps we need hobbies more than anyone?
I started and still write blogs as a hobby; this is more for myself that as a professional tool. I do write about subjects related to my work, I didn’t for many years of blogging link this to my website or social media, I wrote because I enjoyed it. Some of my first blogs were really bad, but with practice I got better and are still getting better.
I guess my last words are to have fun and don’t be too hard on yourself.
Created Curated by Sara Brown 