Hobbies rule. Without hobbies, where would we most of us be?

At the end of the day when we are bored out of our minds and/or simply choose to capitalize on our strengths, we will organically find our hobbies.

More hobbies help show that there are many facets to your self-concept.

If you diversify your hobbies then, as such, one blow to one aspect of multiple aspects of your self-concept is less damaging. Simply put, your eggs aren’t all in one basket and can serve as a means of identity protection.

Hobbies promote flow. Left to our own devices, we often opt for comfort seeking leisure; such as, television and internet are at the top of most people’s agendas.

Of course, we all need to theta out from time to time. But we are so much more energized by actually engaging in activities the sort of thing psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi calls “flow activities”

If you’ve ever lost yourself in a challenge, project, or other consuming, high pressure activity, you’ve experienced “flow”.

Time speeds up, self-consciousness fades away, then you are completely engulfed in the actual activity.

Hobbies, especially those that stretch our comfort levels and/or enhance ones focus, encourage this desirable and increasingly powerful state of being.

Hobbies can generate new social networks. While some hobbies can lead to individual challenges or journeys, some hobbies actually pull us out in our communities, where we get the chance to meet others.

Getting out there is key, or if one would otherwise stay comfortable or remain stagnant, then he or she wouldn’t share passions or form new bonds.

Hobby’s help form new relationships. Relationships help others battle loneliness and or boredom.

Below are great alternative sources about hobby development. Be sure to read to the end to learn how to capitalize on your hobbies.

6 REASONS TO GET A HOBBY

Endless studies show that fundamental social connection is a basic piece of happiness and a meaningful life.

Hobbies make you more interesting.

Hobbies give you something to talk about at gatherings or events and around the barbecue.

They add layers to your self-concept, diversity to your overall identity.

Be around those with passions, with a sense of proactive curiosity, with rich stories.

You not only feel more apt to lead a prosperous and joyful life, you will also may impact others to follow suit.

“There is a misconception that to succeed in the startup world, we need to be working nonstop. Phrases like “Good things come to those who hustle” dominate the conversation. At the same time, the prevalence of burnout in the workplace is at an all-time high, which makes having a hobby outside of work all the more beneficial. Studies show that spending time on leisure activities not only releases dopamine—that feel-good organic chemical in our brains—it may actually lead to a range of benefits that help with launching or running a competitive business”

How hobbies can improve your happiness and productivity at work

THE BENEFITS OF HOBBIES

Though some people may think hobbies are unproductive, they can make us more competitive in the workplace. Beginning in the late 1950s, physiology professor Robert Root-Bernstein studied the effects of hobbies on the lives of 40 male scientists over 20 years.

Professor Root-Bernstein found that the most successful scientists (which included four Nobel laureates) were more likely to engage in hobbies involving imagination, hands-on activities, art, and music. Different types of hobbies have been linked to different outcomes. For example, doodling can improve memory by 29 percent. People who read books have more activity in the part of the brain associated with language and intelligence. And good news for workout fanatics: Cardiovascular exercise improves cognition and mental performance.

Creative hobbies have been shown to enhance performance and problem-solving abilities. One study from San Francisco State University found that people who often engaged in a creative activity scored 15-30 percent higher on performance rankings. They were also more likely to come up with creative solutions to on-the-job problems.

For this reason, the study’s authors wrote that “[o]rganizations may consider implementing programs that encourage creative activity.” Zappos, for example, encourages employees to flex their artistic muscles by incorporating employee artwork into office decorations. With all of the benefits flowing from hobbies, the only thing that remains is choosing one for yourself.

THE FLOW STATE

You know that feeling when you’re entirely immersed in an activity, so much so that hours fly by and you might even forget to eat lunch?

That’s flow.

Carol Kauffman, an assistant clinical professor at Harvard Medical School, told the New York Times, “The lost sense of time in flow state restores your mind and energy. It also requires a high level of concentration, and can enhance your creativity, help you think more clearly and sharpen your focus.”

Be it baking, painting, or jogging, choose an activity that you enjoy so thoroughly that you’re entirely absorbed in the present. Not only will you find it a mental reprieve from work, but you might also discover that it improves your performance in the office.

HOW TO TURN YOUR HOBBY INTO A CAREER NOW