Tag Archive for: Learn About The Benefits of Having a Passion Outside of Work

Learn About the Benefits of Having a Passion Outside of Work

Having a passion outside of work will boost your performance at work, increase your confidence, make you more resilient, and more. 

Being a workaholic is one thing, but lacking any interests outside of work can make you less productive on Monday morning. That’s what the current research says. Here’s why cultivating the passionate pursuit of a hobby outside of work makes you even better on the job.

Inc. Reports Having a Hobby Makes You a Better Employee

A recent article in Inc. suggests that people that pursue other interests when they leave work come back rejuvenated and inspired. Employers can take this to the bank; studies show that when their employers have a hobby, they are more productive.

San Francisco State University researchers studied how creativity outside the job in the form of cooking, painting, gardening, or knitting affected work performance. They found that people who engaged in a creative pursuit were 15 to 30% more effective at work. Researchers couldn’t tell if the creative pursuit was a motivator, helped people recharge their batteries, or had some other benefit, but they did show that these employees were at the top of their game when they returned to work.

But that’s not all. A British study recently found that if people have a hobby, they are more confident in their ability to overcome challenges on the job and in their lives. The study found that the more passionate the person was about their hobby, the more they achieved self-confidence and mastery in their professional and personal lives. The only caveat was that the hobby had to be radically different from their work in order to achieve this benefit.

The Inc. article also looked at the research of Duke University psychologist Patrician Linville. This researcher found that the passionate pursuit of an activity or hobby outside work made the person more resilient. When faced with a setback in one area, these workers were able to overcome it by using their hobby to bounce back. For example, if the worker faced a defeat at work, and their hobby was baking, going home to whip up a delicious baked item made them better able to cope with the setback.

Some hobbies nourish the brain and even make you smarter, according to research cited in Inc. Note that we said “some hobbies;” binge-watching TV or playing Mario Kart may not raise your IQ. However, exercising, reading, writing, or playing a musical instrument can all boost your energy and intelligence. The studies show that playing video games can even improve your ability to make decisions under pressure, although that may not help your IQ.

Finally, the article suggested the research shows having a hobby outside can increase your mindfulness and even make people nicer. Having a passion outside of work can lower stress and improve focus. Focusing intently on a project can help people sharpen their minds and relax, a de-stressor that many of us need after a long day at the office.

So, for those of you without a hobby, it might be time to consider one. Or, maybe it’s time to combine what you love with a great job in your field. That’s where Top Stack can help. We help people change their lives. Contact the team at Top Stack. We can help.