So often, though, I see people saying they don’t have time for anything outside of work, or that they never switch off from their business.
But having fun can make you more creative, and it helps you recharge.
Why we need hobbies
One of my favourite activities outside of office hours is singing in a choir. I love it. Give me a stage and a microphone, and I’m in my happy place!
It gives my brain a complete reset – a break from thinking about anything related to work for a few hours a week.
It allows me to express my creativity, helps me come up with new ideas, and I always come back to work rejuvenated and ready for what’s next.
In short, it’s a lot of fun!
As adults and leaders, we spend so much time doing things because we have to, we have obligations to meet every day if we want to succeed.
By doing something playful with our free time, and actively making room in the diary to have fun, we can help mitigate stress, give our minds a chance to mull over problems and solutions in the background and form friendships that aren’t about business connections.
Consider what fun looks like for you
Singing is amazing fun for me, but for others, the idea of standing on a stage and belting out a song might be hellish.
I have colleagues whose hobbies include photography, jump rope, gaming, crafting, writing, wine and sports. It’s not about how ‘worthy’ the activity is, but how it makes you feel.
Making time in your day or week to do something that feels frivolous might feel self-indulgent, but it actually makes you better at work. It lets you continue to thrive at work and at home. It’s an investment.
Cultivating a ‘play’ mindset
Some of us can find it hard to prioritise fun, and we might even think that concepts like ‘fun’ and ‘play’ aren’t things that adults, especially leaders, should focus on at all.
But there are so many benefits when it comes to creativity, wellbeing, inspiration and connection.
How can you give yourself permission to do something just for yourself and just for the fun of it? How can you create a playful mindset?
- Curiosity really helps when finding your fun thing to do (if you don’t already know what it is). Trying new things and experiences can help you discover new passions that you want to make time for.
- Be kind to yourself. We often push ourselves too hard and too fast, never giving ourselves the downtime we need to enjoy life. When was the last time you booked an hour or two in your diary to focus on yourself?
- What if..? On the podcast I co-host, Genuine Humans, we like to ask guests what they would do if they had an extra hour in the day and what their ideal weekend looks like. How would you answer these questions?
I think it’s so important that we all take time to find what makes us laugh, smile and want to keep creating and exploring. Making time for fun in our lives shouldn’t be an afterthought, it should be something we run towards.
