Spending Time on Hobbies — Productive or Unproductive?
It is rightly said that “Happy is the man who can make his living by his hobby.” No matter how true this might sound, one cannot ignore the fact that this is not true for most people. In this competitive era, people are always busy in the hustle-bustle of their lives and the world seems no less than a race track. And if you are a slow runner, not only would you end up last but also humiliated at every step which will make you think twice before pursuing any hobby.
While we cannot ignore the harsh reality, we certainly can ask for a time out in this race and do things that make us happy. Moreover, some hobbies give us space to be ourselves and bring forth the creative side hidden in us. Just as we yearn for Sundays and vacations similarly our body and mind yearn to rejuvenate through hobbies. It helps us refocus our energy and concentrate better once we are back in the Race. Indulging in hobbies can be compared to an energy drink that one needs in the middle of the game to boost productivity and perform better.
With work comes an undeniable amount of stress and anxiety that one needs to deal with and get used to. We cannot ignore the mental and emotional toll it takes on us in our day-to-day lives and in order to protect us from the burnouts, we need a break from all the stress that has been building up. Working on something one loves i.e., a hobby is an ideal way to release that stress.
We cannot categorize something as unproductive just because its output cannot be measured in simple terms. There are no barometers for happiness, calmness, peace, and satisfaction but if we don’t experience these feelings and emotions, we surely cannot give the desired output as well.
Life is like a buffet where you can eat all the food you desire but it is complete only when you have a dessert at the end. Similarly in life, you can achieve everything you desire and yet feel life is unsatisfactory without the things that add sweetness to your life.
So next time when you pick a book to read, take the first step at dancing, sing out loud, pick the paintbrush, try your hand on a musical instrument, take a photograph, or plant something in your garden just remember that its productivity can be measured by how happy, satisfied and relaxed you are.
