A hobby can be a source of energy for your main job
Summary
- Those who take on hobbies after work, can return to work even more energized than if they had used the time to do overtime
Details
- Hobbies can also increase confidence in our regular jobs.
- The hobby has to be different from the main job
References
Quotes
When I ask people what it takes to achieve greater things, one of the most common answers is that you need to be laser focused and single-minded in your dedication. You need to double down and block out anything that threatens to drain your energy or divide your attention. If you want to excel at your job, spend more time at work: get in early, go home late. Put your hobbies on the back burner . . . and definitely don’t take on a side hustle. You don’t want to wind up distracted and exhausted. But the evidence tells a different story. A digression doesn’t have to be a diversion. It can be a source of energy. In one study, when people had spent engaging evenings on their side hustles, they performed better the next day in their regular jobs. The progress they made at night put an extra spring in their step the following morning. The motivation benefits outweighed any distraction costs. Hobbies have similar benefits. In another study, when people took on serious hobbies at home, their confidence climbed at work —but only if the hobbies were in a different area from their jobs. If you’re an artist and you’re languishing, doing ceramics on the side won’t do much to spur a sense of mastery. But if you’re feeling meh as a social worker or an accountant, a pottery project might just be a new path to progress.