3 Things on How Hobbies Make You More Productive

As mentioned countless times in my previous entries, I've been substituting my running with my childhood past time: the visual arts - drawing & painting. It's been quite a while since I've been so consistently with marking art, actually I don't think I've ever been this consistent before. There were definitely days I picked up a pencil, pen or brush and feel completely uninspired, but in one way or another - perhaps because mostly of boredom, I somehow find myself going back to painting over these past couple of months. It's weird but I guess it's a good thing.

That said, while many articles have emphasised how having a hobby is good for relaxation and taking time away from work in be that state of flow. I feel that there's more to that. Personally, it has helped me quite considerably when it comes to mental well-being and increased productivity. I like setting personal goals for myself in my hobby and what I gain from consistent practice has subconsciously translated to other more social or mundane parts of my own life.

I want to mention 3 key things that having a consistent hobby have taught me during this period. I hope that it would somehow get someone inspired to stay connected to his/her hobby when they feel uninspired from time to time :)

1) It teaches you patience - 

Learning is always hard, but somehow the state of flow in hobby teaches you how to press on. Whenever I get into the flow state while painting - especially when it gets painfully long to complete a piece - its therapeutic effects somehow pushes you on to keep focus and to refine until you are completely satisfied. 

If not, you tend to try again!

2) It allows you be unafraid to experiment - 

It negates the effects of having people's expectation. It's your hobby - no expectations are placed on you other than yourself.  

Sometimes when it comes to delivering a project for work, you're in the watchful eyes of people (maybe it's just the introvert in me talking) and you're pretty incentivised to present safest solution. Having a hobby removes this expectation, allowing you to explore a thousand methods out there and eventually find out what suits you :) I think this eventually translates to how you tackle issues outside of your hobbies too! 

For me, I'm still experimenting with different art styles and mediums but I'm starting to find a certain style I like. 

3) It makes you more resourceful -

Be it playing a game for your past time, a sport or expanding the creative side of you. Having that consistent hobby somehow creates ways to make you as resourceful as possible in order to find what you like best and how to practise best, or in gaming - what's the best stats to add lol. 

This resourcefulness somehow makes your hobby more meaningful. With the internet and interest groups, you seek how the best way of doing things, fail but somehow try again, research about the equipment, the characters the history about for the betterment of your understanding. 

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Suddenly thought of a salty moment that someone said I had no eye for design cause' she didn't like the way I edited pictures on my Linkedin post. Pft. Lol. okay bye.

(I'm still refining my preferences and style but it's been a pretty fun process so far :))