What is a hobby?

Lots of people have different definitions of what a hobby is. However, I go with the dictionary definition, which is, “an activity done regularly in one’s leisure time for pleasure.” That is an all-encompassing definition, so we can categorize just about anything as a hobby if you enjoy it. You might have the inkling to say, “I already have a hobby! I scroll on my phone all the time!” But do you truly enjoy that? Does it bring you something you were missing? Probably not, and a lot of people find that the endless scrolling, often termed “doomscrolling”, brings them dread instead. This leads me to my next point, the benefits of a hobby.

What can I gain from a hobby?

Do you feel overwhelmed? Bored? Stressed? Lonely? Anxious? Depressed? If you answered yes to any of those questions, have I got something that can help. There are so many benefits to getting into a hobby, and I even suggest you pick up three hobbies to cover all your bases. Depending on the hobby you get into (we’ll get into that later), there’s a myriad of things you’ll learn about yourself. For many people that I’ve exposed to hobbies and taking them seriously, have noticed that they feel better about themselves as a whole. Some hobbies have social elements, which can help you make new friends – that you don’t have to work with. In reality, any hobby can be a social one, you just have to find the right people. Humans were not meant to only work, we were built to be social, and enjoy ourselves, so why deprive yourself of that?

The phrase “idle hands are the devil’s playthings” means to me that when we are stuck for too long, our minds will go to dark places. But for me, and a lot of people, hobbies are a great way to get unstuck.

Time to pick a hobby!

Of course, this is not an exhaustive list of hobbies, but I hope you can find something that will feel right to you. Also, how social you make your hobby is up to you entirely.

A hobby a day keeps the doldrums away.

Phyllis McGinley