Here is how to keep your hobbies while working a 9–5 job
A 9–5 job? More like a 9–6 and sometimes even a 9–9. This is true for most of us who have a corporate job and attend a multitude of meetings in a day. All this while wondering what you are doing with your life.
That guitar you wanted to learn has gathered dust, the few houseplants you bought after seeing your favorite Instagrammer's posts are wilted and are begging to be rescued, and the baking tools you had purchased to start baking every week are now in some corner of your kitchen. And the list goes on. Hobbies are such a fun thing, right? As kids, we were encouraged to have hobbies and pushed towards all kinds of extracurricular stuff. And then we grew up, got a job, and then life became monotonous.
Every time we felt the rut we promised ourselves to “rediscover” that one lost hobby and tried to start it again only to abandon it a few days later.
To be really happy and really safe, one ought to have at least two or three hobbies, and they must all be real.
Churchill, ‘Hobbies’, Pall Mall Gazette, Dec 1925
I try to find time to do the things I love. Writing is one such hobby of mine and after 3 failed attempts at maintaining a blog and a website over the last three years, I finally decided to give some time to it every single day with a “30 Days of Writing” challenge that I am trying to keep. Some hobbies I could not keep no matter how hard I tried. Baking and gardening were quickly abandoned because that’s what happens to hobbies when your work life gets hectic. But I do try to include reading, writing, and cooking new things in my everyday routine. How would life be if not for hobbies?
Pick a hobby that excites you
Don’t pick up a hobby because that’s the coolest trend or because your friend does it. Pick something that excites you or something you already liked as a kid. Hobbies are about enjoying them and should help you relax and unwind.
Set a time in the day for it
Be it 30 minutes in the morning or 30 minutes before bed, pick a time and stick to it. No matter what. This is your time to destress after a long and hard day.
Tell your friends about it
If you are a creative person and like to paint, sketch or make something then displaying your art to the world will make you happy. Share it with family and friends or post it on social media. Reddit is a great place to post it if you don’t want to share it with friends on social media.
Attend classes
Some of us want to connect with people who love the same things as we do. Join a pottery class or an art class if that is something you want to pursue. A break from your usual routine will leave you feeling refreshed.
Join a club
Find if there is a club for the hobbies that interest you. If reading is your thing and you like book clubs it might give you an incentive to read more. You also meet new people with who you share similar interests. This is really helpful if you are new to a city and don’t know how to make new friends.
No matter what it is, pick a hobby and have fun pursuing it. Because life is too precious to just be at your 9–5 job.
