The Power of Hobbies: Discovering Joy Beyond the Daily Grind
Okay, queen. It’s Friday afternoon, and you’ve been working on the project for your new client all week. The clock says 3:37 pm, less than an hour and a half until the weekend. Head down, you power through. After what you assume is a good bit of time has passed, you check the time again…it’s only 3:40 pm.
We’ve all been in this position, exhausted and frustrated, suffering from productivity burnout. No matter where you are in your professional journey, two things are inevitable: the grind, and taxes. The daily struggle to maintain consistent high-quality output can become exhausting mentally and physically.
It’s more crucial than ever to set aside essential “me” time and maintain the skills you develop for personal enjoyment. These are more commonly known as “hobbies" and they’re an essential part of discovering the joy behind the daily grind.
We’re going to dive into what makes a habit a good one for you and guide you toward finding a daily escape that fits your unique interests and needs.
Find a hobby that can make you put your phone down.
Screen breaks are crucial. Both overuse of social media and consistent exposure to the blue lights of our phones can affect our health. The first step to incorporating a new hobby into your daily routine is to purposefully make time to disconnect.
We’re big fans of the Pomodoro method, a time management method that encourages 30-minute stretches of focused work followed by ten-minute breaks. It’s a simple way to schedule time for yourself to reset. Initially, it will be difficult to fill that 10 minutes of screen-free time, and there may be some internal clunkiness but remember, the intent is that you seek out things to do, and start to discover niche interests you are genuinely interested in.
We encourage you to try something completely foreign often. Brew yourself a cup of tea from somewhere local. Start learning how to knit. These days, making gorgeous custom carpets is a thing. It may seem awkward, but studies show that boredom can spark creativity. You’d be surprised at the benefits these short breaks can have. Taking 10 minutes for yourself can relax your mind and can help you refocus on the task at hand as you get back to work.
Your hobby should be selfish.
Being selfish is contrary to everything we’ve been taught in our society but we’re here to tell you, it’s okay to be the main character sometimes. If you're dedicating hours to productivity, a few minutes of pure self-indulgence daily is not only perfectly acceptable, it is healthy for your psyche. Burnout can come from spending too much of your time working towards an end that doesn’t serve your personal long-term goals. A selfish hobby can break up that feeling.
That being said, one common mistake we often make is using our breaks to complete different unfinished tasks, be it professional or personal lives. We’ll answer an email or schedule a doctor’s appointment not realizing that, instead of relaxing, we’re task-switching. Repeat after me: Being productive isn't a break. We challenge you to confront the notion that your time is only valuable as a measure of accomplishment.
We’re suggesting the radical idea that the more you practice being selfish for brief moments during the workday, the less you will feel your time is wasted. The more frequently you incorporate things into the day that feel personal, productive work will feel less like a chore. ork is worth the effort. Find a balance between rest and work in order to make both feel more fulfilling.
Your hobby should be a reflection of who you are.
It’s important to pick a habit that you genuinely enjoy, not one that society dictates.
Our culture's toxic relationship with “health and wellness” has empowered dozens of YouTube Gurus to lay the claim that walking outside, daily meditation, and a warm cup of masala chai will fix your life faster than Iyanla, but rarely do we hear the joy of free experimentation. The most important part of discovering personal joy amid the daily grind is to have fun, so Pick something you genuinely like to do.
Hobbies are widely varied and can be a great way to embrace your uniqueness as part of your personality. Some people listen to true crime podcasts, while others knit massive blankets. These days making custom rugs is a thing.
What we’re trying to say is, don’t be afraid to be weird; it's your joy.
As we move into 2024, we need to acknowledge that employment and work have fundamentally changed. As we assess the effects of returning to work after a global pandemic, with little to no reprieve we have to admit that productivity today doesn’t look the way it did five years ago. The traditional norms of work have shifted, and taking breaks is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity. It’s important to funnel minute moments of joy into your day so that while you work to maintain your lifestyle, you don’t forget how to live.
Hopefully, you feel like you’ve been handed the keys to be her. Be the main character for just 10 minutes a day. Go look in the mirror, and do that little dance you do, to that song you like, because you deserve joy.
Walk in your habits and reclaim your power. We’ll be right there, supporting you every step of the way.
We’re always in your corner, queen.
With love,
The Content Queens
