You Need a Side…Hobby
A version of this post was initially shared on my Medium account in July. That version can be found here.
Hobby, Not Hustle
You need a hobby.
An actual hobby. Something you do for fun, not something that becomes a source of stress.
Sometimes, that means not monetizing your hobby.
Don’t get me wrong - I get it. Money is tight. The pandemic has been expensive. I was unemployed long-term and was physically unable to take essential jobs that required standing or walking. It is frustrating as hell.
I’m guilty of this too. Writing does pay my bills. I also enjoy writing in my free time. And then, I try to make more money by writing. Writing is mapped in my mind as a weird Venn diagram being my career, hobby, therapy, passion, skillset, etc. A friend of mine shared an article the other day saying how your profession is not a personality…definitely guilty.
Everyday, someone is hustlin’
It is also really easy to get caught up in the glamorized side hustle culture. Who hasn’t seen a headline where the author boasts that they made $2,000 in their first month doing XYZ?
Promoting side hustles is practically a side hustle in itself.
Again, I’m guilty. I have spent more money than I care to admit trying different crafts. I wanted to be cute and crafty. Talk about glamorized - Pinterest is a never-ending rabbit hole of perfect crafts. Actually, you can find a lot of those side hustle articles there too. They made it look so easy. Why couldn’t I make money making Cricut crafts?
Well, for one, it turned out I hated the Cricut. Turned out to be an expensive discovery. I spent so much money on that damn thing. Also, everyone and their mother had a Cricut side hustle. It couldn’t get more oversaturated.
Jewelry Making
Eventually I did find a craft I really enjoyed - making jewelry. What was weird about this, for me, is that I don’t have much patience. At all. Jewelry making can require a lot of patience. To my shock, I could work on projects for a couple hours and have nothing to show for it by the end, and I was fine with it. I wasn’t frustrated. I just enjoyed what I was doing.
Weird.
I said to have hobbies you don’t monetize. I’ll admit it - I have sold some jewelry. I do have an Instagram account for my jewelry...but I don’t think a stranger has ever come across my Instagram and then asked to buy a piece. Friends or family typically see something they like then buy it. Of course, Instagram and Etsy are filled with DIY jewelry makers, and that’s just too much work for me to make an actual “business” out of it. Again, not patient. That is a lot of work, with a lot of competition, and at a standard of quality I don’t think I can deliver with my current skillset.
To be honest, I don’t know what the heck I’m going to do with all this jewelry.
What really gets me though is when I look at beginner pieces I have made and cringe at the quality. More than once I’ve thought about taking apart some pieces and remaking them because I know my skills have improved.
Self Care
I could spend hours trying to make different jewelry items. Hell, I can get lost in organizing my jewelry supplies. When I’m making jewelry, I don’t feel like mindlessly scrolling through my phone. I’m content. Happy in the moment. My usually forever-racing mind finally can catch its breath and stop. Some inner peace.
Benefits
Does anyone remember rewinding VHS tapes? I kind of feel that is what my brain does when I’m trying to unwind with a hobby; untangling and resetting my brain. Hard reset.
All common side effects of enjoying a hobby.
It has been proven time and time again that hobbies are good for your mental health. Some hobbies can improve your physical health too, such as hiking, cycling, yoga, gardening, running, playing a sport, and countless other physical activities. Some of these hobbies are also social; giving you an opportunity to meet new people and create a sense of community. And, unless you’re playing a team sport, these activities can just as easily be done on your own. Or maybe a mix of both!
Even if your hobby is something you do on your own, the Internet and social media has made it easier to connect with people who share similar interests. Apps like Reddit and Facebook have areas dedicated to different interest groups, and you can find a blog on pretty much anything.
Self-care isn’t just about hobbies, but it can be an important component. Some connections may be slightly indirect, like sleeping better because you’ve taken up yoga three times a week or you put your phone away an hour before bed so you can read a book instead.
Self-care is important because it keeps you well-rounded. Taking part in your hobbies can be like releasing a long, deep breath and feeling relaxed after. It can move your focus, at least temporarily, on something else and lets the rest of your brain unwind and relax. Feeling like a deep exhale out. I have bipolar depression and anxiety, and I like to say that treatment is like a puzzle with many pieces. My hobbies, such as writing, reading, and jewelry making are all pieces of that puzzle and integral to my self-care.
Make it happen
Maybe you think you are too busy. Too busy for maybe a half hour every couple days? If you have an iPhone, you know how jaw droppingly surprising it can be to see how much time you spend on your phone per day. How much of that scrolling could be spent doing something else? Or, use your phone to do a hobby like learning a language through Duolingo or doing a crossword app?
Jamie L. Kurtz, Ph.D writes for Psychology Today that you aren’t too busy for a hobby and gives six reasons why to find a hobby.She explains that hobbies can benefit you in ways that aren’t necessarily obvious, such as identity developing and time management. I found the time management component interesting because it isn’t just about productivity, but it promotes mindfulness and being in the moment which can also lead to less stress. It is all kind of interconnected.
In 2021, Dr. Kurtz wrote another piece for Psychology Today stating that you can “fight the COVID winter blues” by finding a new hobby. She concludes the article by saying:
Many people have argued that this is a time to be kind to ourselves, not a time to add more to our schedules or push ourselves even more than we normally do. This is true. But finding a new hobby shouldn't feel like work or pressure. It should be fun and playful. Approach it with an open mind and a sense of curiosity, and your covid winter may just seem a little — or a lot — more positive.
That’s basically my point. 2021 has not been the time to add unnecessary stress. Adding a hobby, not a hustle, is a great way to instead combat stress. And even with the goal of more income which can reduce stress, a side hustle does bring on additional stressors and nothing is guaranteed - it isn’t a decision to be taken lightly.
Although there are many reasons not to start a pandemic-produced side hustle, promotion is still front and center.
Resources
Like I said before, I know money is tight for a lot of people right now. But hobbies don’t necessarily have to be expensive. You don’t necessarily have to go all-in from the get-go. Like knitting, you could easily start with just some yarn and a pair of knitting needles. It can get much more complicated than that, but it doesn’t need to. I knit occasionally and I still keep it very simple because I enjoy the escape, not getting stressed. The craft store chain Michael’s has been hosting free, online classes throughout the pandemic. Some in-store classes have been free as well. I actually attended a knitting class at Michael’s once, I believe the cost was primarily supplies. It turned out I was the only student, but since I had some knitting knowledge, the instructor taught me more than was initially planned. It was very helpful.
Another great resource is edX, a learning management system that offers classes from universities such as Harvard and MIT. Classes are free to explore, but you can pay to receive certification. You can study language, electronics, philosophy, and so much more. YouTube and OverDrive, the ebook library app, also can be very useful when looking to learn a hobby. Reading is a hobby! Walking can be your hobby. I would say the possibilities are near infinite, but don’t forget it is something that is supposed to make you feel good.
Pinterest and Google can lead you down rabbit holes of possible hobbies. Hell, Internet searching is a rabbit hole of a hobby in itself.
Just do it
Don’t be afraid to try new things. You don’t have to be the best at it. There doesn’t need to be some greater purpose or tangible result. It is the action. It is the moment. The moment where you can take yourself out of all the stress and craziness for just a little bit and instead do something for you for your enjoyment. You don’t need hours upon hours every day. It doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg or become a line item in your budget.
Just find something you want to try.
