Step away from the everyday stressors of school and work, take a break from your phone and pick up a “useless” hobby.
We’ve all heard this simple piece of advice before — take time to do something you enjoy — but how many of us follow it? We get so caught up in our assignments, deadlines and constant pressure to keep moving forward that we forget the importance of slowing down and all the ways we can utilize it.
This fast-paced mindset is exactly what’s damaging our ability to truly unwind, and hustle culture is ruining our hobbies. It has distorted the idea of relaxation, convincing us that every moment of free time should be productive.
Hustle culture, a mindset that heavily encourages working hard and constantly striving for success, may sound like a good thing on the surface, but the reality is that there are significant drawbacks. It often creates a lack of work-life balance, which can have a negative impact on productivity and health.
In fact, people who maintain a healthy work-life balance tend to perform better at work, being 21% more productive than those who don’t. Working more than 55 hours each week also increases the risk of stroke by 35%. Yet, in our modern society, we often prioritize work over personal well-being.
We forget how important it is to spend time nurturing our passions for no reason other than personal joy.
Sometimes, when we try to turn these passions into something more — an obligation or a source of income — the pressure to succeed can drain the joy they once brought.
This is a lesson I’ve learned firsthand. When I was too young to work a typical part time job, I created an Etsy shop to sell products I crocheted. I started crocheting purely for fun, but after monetizing it the fun quickly faded away. I spent hours and hours crocheting until my hands were sore, only to create a product I couldn’t even keep.
I don’t remember the last time I picked up yarn and a crochet hook, and although this is in part because I’ve been busy with school, it’s also because I got burnt out.
There’s a certain luxury to doing something exclusively for leisure. We don’t always have to make everything “productive” in the sense that they’re guiding us to our ultimate life goals.
After all, hobbies are productive in their own ways. They’re important to giving the brain a break and sparking creativity. In fact, hobbies have been linked to good mental health, according to a study of over 93,000 people across 16 countries.
I have a long list of seemingly pointless hobbies I’d like to pick up just for fun. For instance, I’d like to learn Russian. Am I ever going to use it? Maybe not, but that’s OK. I want to learn piano too, and although I don’t think I’m going to be the next Beethoven, that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t give it a try.
Moreover, I’m constantly struck by the amazing things I see my friends and peers doing. For me, watching others dive into their interests with a carefree enthusiasm is an important reminder of how valuable it is to just have fun with what we love.
I have friends with remarkable talent for painting, writing stories and poems, playing in bands, doing photography and skateboarding, and I’ve always been inspired by how they embrace their passions, no matter how impractical it may seem to others.
At the end of the day, most of them aren’t aiming to turn their hobbies into careers, like becoming professional painters or skateboarders, but that doesn’t make their efforts any less meaningful.
Their dedication reminds me that it’s not always about mastering something for the sake of achievement — it’s about enjoying the process.
It’s time to let go of the idea that every moment needs to be filled with purpose. Taking time without the pressure of goals or outcomes can refresh your mind and soul. So, go ahead, embrace that “useless” hobby, and see where it takes you. You may be surprised by the sense of fulfillment it brings.
