Finding new things to try? Hobbies are essential in having a well-rounded, healthy life. If all you think about is work and get bogged down by countless responsibilities, you’ll slowly fade into having an unfulfilled life.

Even jobs and school applications ask about what your hobbies are. Why? Because hobbies provide enrichment in life. If you’re still not convinced, here is a list:

1. Hobbies helps to relieve stress by keeping you engaged in something you enjoy
Hobbies provide you an outlet to relieve your worries of everyday life. Don’t punish yourself by thinking that you do not deserve some glimpse of happiness or even time for yourself. Make time. Make it engaging with something you enjoy.

2. Hobbies help reduce or eradicate boredom.
On the other side of the spectrum, you could be bored out of your mind. Mindless scrolling through Netflix, Reels, TikTok may just not be enough. Hobbies give you something to do when you find yourself with nothing to fill your time. They also give you an activity that you can look forward to and get excited about.

3. Hobbies help your social life and create a bond with others.
You may be an introvert, extrovert or something else, but life isn’t supposed to be lived alone. There will always be something new to learn from other people. Hobbies give you opportunities to join communities and create bonds with others. These do not necessarily have to be physical (hello, introverts). For example, journaling communities exist in Facebook, websites. They do not meet but through the digital sphere, they get to connect with other people with the same interests.

4. Hobbies give you a different perspective on things.
Yes, the world may be on your shoulders, but sometimes the best decisions arrive from viewing problems from a different or from many other perspectives. Having a hobby is also going through a process of understanding something diverse from the usual hustle and bustle of daily life.

5. Hobbies increase your confidence and self-esteem.
Often people, companies, schools ask this: What are your hobbies? Have you found yourself in silence? Time to find yourself a hubby hobby. Showing that you have hobbies also tells others that you have confidence to try new things or enjoy things that you are usually pretty good at. Hobbies provide you an avenue to excel in things outside of the usual expectations of work and family. They’re for your self esteem and happiness.

6. Hobbies can turn to passion
From simple enjoyment to passion, hobbies can help you turn an interest into something more. It does not have to be something that just remains as a filler to down time. They can turn to passion projects and those help you recover from a long day, or get your mind working.

Find a Hobby as an Adult: It’s Never Too Late
No one is too old to find a hobby- or even have a new one. The point of hobbies is to take a break from the daily grind or from existing hobbies and engage yourself in something new and enjoyable. It’s also a misconception that some hobbies are boxed to certain types of people: knitting is for old ladies, sports are for the buff. Get the bias out of your head.

If it works for you, go for it. But we get it. Trying to figure out what to do during your days off or your evenings could be some tough stuff (or cheesy, for some). Here are some questions to serve as nudge points for you to check:

• What did you like doing when you were a kid?
  Think back to what you loved doing as a kid. Those were the times you were wild and free, and you didn’t do something unless you really, really loved it. Chances are, you still have a lot of those same core interests.

With all the things going on, you might’ve forgotten that you used to love playing in the sand. Was there anything in particular that you loved about it? Is there any similar activity you could do?

• What do you usually buy as guilty pleasures?
  Think about purchases that you made for yourself that made you happy. Is there a certain thing you just can’t help but buy every time you’re out shopping? The item might be holding the clue towards your next hobby.

Love collecting pots? Maybe you could make your own. Are your walls adorned with fine art? Try painting. You may not have to look far.

• Choose something that will make you forget about your day
  When you’re restless with everything, think about what you want to be doing instead. “I really should be doing X instead.” What is true about you today that would make your 8-year-old self-cry?” Meaning, what have you stopped doing just because it stopped being lucrative or adult responsibilities got in the way. Then, go after it. Chances are it’ll give you a new sense of purpose.#