Hobbies That Can Help You Get Better at Your Job

Hobbies are really awesome. They make our day better, we get to advance in a discipline we like, and it can have mental rejuvenating properties. However, some hobbies are more beneficial than others, since they can help us get better at our own jobs, and maybe discover an additional source of passion for what we do, due to the possible synergy. So, now we are going to explore what kind of hobbies can sharpen your wits and skills, and make you better at your job in the process.  

Yoga

You might think that, unless you are a gymnast or unless you are working in a circus as an extremely flexible man or woman, yoga cannot have a direct impact on what you do. However, yoga can be really beneficial for just about any line of work.

First of all, the majority of jobs include either a lot of sitting or standing. Since this is the case, our muscles do not get enough exercise, and yoga can give them enough stretch to keep the blood flow regular. Moreover, yoga is more than just stretching; it is also a mental exercise, to calm down, to practice focus, and to build up your endurance.

In other words, if you are getting better at yoga, you will become more diligent and disciplined, you won’t perceive everything as bothersome, and you will cope with stress easier. You will be more energized, less lazy, and a more positive person to work with, and that can help regardless of the line of work you have selected.

Gaming

Good games provide you with a good challenge, meaning that they can boost your IQ, your critical thinking, and your problem solving abilities. Chess is a game that has been played for generations, and it is an incredible mental exercise. There are other strategy games that can hone your focus and awareness, like Texas hold’em, plus a variety of different board games (“Letters from the Whitechapel” is a good example)

Again, better focus and critical thinking can be applied to any job, but there are also games that can, in a way, help you become a better manager. People who played or play World of Warcraft seriously, create their own communities within the game called guilds, and every guild has a guild leader. As a guild leader, you get to organize resources, explain the tactics to your team mates, develop strategize, coordinate others, etc. There are those who vouch how this experience really helped them out in real life, because they knew how to organize their co-workers.  

Drawing and painting

Well, this is basically art, and therefore if you are fully devoted to it, you will be able to tap into some deeper feelings that you might not have been aware of, or have simply pushed back. So, in a way, it is a good method of catharsis. However, it can also boost your creativity and out of the box thinking that many creative jobs require you to do.

Now, this is all great, but it does not really make you any better at your job. Well, for some professions, not counting graphic design, drawing can actually help you advance. For example, Dr. Katrin Krüünvald, who is a plastic surgeon from Estonia, claims how drawing helped her grow professionally. And, when you think about it, in addition to creativity and aesthetics, plastic surgery demands precision and hand eye coordination, and a firm hand grip. These are all benefits of drawing as a hobby.

Crafting

Crafting is a great hobby. It also hones your motor skills, it gives you a chance to make your own furniture and decoration, and also to repair a lot of things. In a way, you get to create and innovate your own unique items.

In terms of work, craftsmanship can help you because it improves your improvisation skills, and also motor skills, as mentioned. Also, it can be really frustrating so, over time, you’ll learn how to calm down and focus, much like with yoga.
What do you think? Do you know of any interesting hobbies, or any interesting story when someone got better at their job thanks to their hobby? It really is an interesting topic, and it can inspire you to take up new things.

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