Why you need a hobby and how to find one

Wednesday, March 3, 2021
As closely as my sister is associated with her day job, people also almost universally know that she is a mountain biker. She got into the sport more than a decade ago and now dedicates a large part of her time to training for races and planning where she’ll head for competitions. It’s a passion of hers that exists outside of her main job and she loves it.

I’ve always been somewhat jealous of my sister’s passion because I traditionally have always thrown myself into my work. Even when I was in college, my focus was on journalism all day and every day. I still struggle to break away from that routine by finding habits outside of my work, but I keep trying.

The reason I spend a lot of time trying to find activities to do outside of work is that I know how dangerous it can be to tie your identity to a job or profession. 

I spent the better part of a decade at Reuters as a journalist and editor. My job became part of my identity. In fact, it was so ingrained that I went through a rollercoaster ride of emotions when I left Reuters to join LinkedIn. While I had a great new job working with amazing people, I felt like part of me was missing. Eventually, I realized that feeling was due to my identity being so closely aligned to my old job. I had to create more of a distance between myself and my career. So, my hunt for a hobby or side project started (and continues).

The same can apply to job seekers who may feel a bit lost after losing their jobs. Also, it’s important to have other things that bring you joy and fill your day. Your search for work should not be your only focus. For example, a day filled with rejections from companies could be made a bit better by taking time to do something you enjoy. Even if the rest of the day was a bit painful, you’ll have a bright spot to focus on for at least a short period of time.

Full Article @ https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-you-need-hobby-how-find-one-andrew-seaman/?trackingId=w3WGkayqRluPllDa%2B9YsuQ%3D%3D