Why It’s Necessary to Make Time for Hobbies

“I like to (insert hobby) but I just don’t have the time.”

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You’ve probably heard someone say this. Or maybe, you’ve said something along these lines.

“I like to–paint, write, bake, go biking, go hiking, read, sing, play an instrument, play a sport, etc.–but I just don’t have the time. Whatever the hobby is, it seems time is its worst enemy. There never seems to be enough of it to fit in a hobby.

But in the hustle and bustle of our busy schedules, we can end up stripping our lives of the very things we’re most passionate about–our hobbies. Consequently, our lives might begin to feel more empty–lacking the things that give it meaning, joy, vision, and perspective.

Furthermore, in the midst of our busy schedules, we may adopt the same old routine each day, especially if long workdays are involved. Most of our days might start to look like this: 1. Wake up, 2. Go to work 3. Come home, 4. Eat dinner, 5. Get ready for bed, 6. Sleep, 7. Repeat.

But life is short. And this is no way to live. Therefore, we must make every effort we can to change-up our mundane routines and make time to do the things we love–the hobbies that we “just don’t have the time” for.

Here are the top three reasons why this is important.

1. When we make time for our hobbies, we are investing in ourselves.

How have you grown or advanced in a personal goal this week? This month? This year? The bottom line is when our hobbies are closely linked to our personal dreams and aspirations, not making time for our hobbies kind of puts our dreams and aspirations at a standstill. All our energies are, instead, spent on everything else but that. So, making time for our hobbies could be an investment in ourself and our future.

2. When we make time for our hobbies, we find meaning and purpose.

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Going through the same motions almost every day (wake up, go to work, come home, eat dinner, sleep, repeat) can strip life of meaning and purpose. Even when we aren’t successful in making time for our hobbies, there’s always a part of us that looks forward to our hobbies when we do eventually get around to it. So our hobbies can give us meaning and purpose by being something we can look forward to today or tomorrow. They also provide meaning and purpose by providing a way to express ourselves and channel our emotions.

3. When we make time for our hobbies, we tend to be happier.

Making time for hobbies is good for our mental health, simply put. In a way, this last point results from the first two; but it can also stand alone. Yes, our hobbies are generally things we enjoy doing. We consider them to be fun and engaging. Therefore, it’s natural to feel happier while doing them. But as mentioned in the previous two points, they help us invest in ourselves and discover more meaning and purpose. Both of which not only increase our overall happiness but also our joy.