Hobbies: Your Bubble of Joy in a Busy Life

Written by: Maryam Adhyan Shafeeq

Take a moment for yourself. Let yourself be whisked away to the years of your childhood. When you used to look forward to coming home from school and playing with your toys, making something with clay, drawing or painting, or grabbing your ball to play your favourite sport until it was time for dinner. When was the last time you felt the carefree joy of looking forward to something so small, yet so exciting in your day-to-day life? Most of us work full-time, and some of us look after the house full-time. Both can be equally taxing, tiring, and time-consuming. It can be difficult to incorporate these little joys into your daily life, especially when it’s already fully packed with numerous things that require you to continuously attend to, while completely neglecting to attend to yourself. With this thought in mind, perhaps it’s time to schedule some time in your day for a hobby for yourself. 

A hobby is an activity one does simply because they enjoy it. It is usually described as a regular activity someone does in their own time, rather than because they’re obliged to do it. Hobbies also include building a skill, which, when enhanced over time, becomes rewarding as it gives people a sense of personal fulfilment (Cleary et al., 2025). There are various benefits to having a hobby beyond simply having something to look forward to in the day. Engaging in hobbies can be beneficial for one’s mental health, as they can reduce stress and increase life satisfaction. Some hobbies, like participating in sports, can provide people with a chance to socialise outside of the usual group of people they are normally around in their daily life. This can build a sense of community and provide them with the opportunity to have stronger relationships over time. Whereas creative hobbies such as drawing or painting, creating music, and even writing can reduce signs of anxiety, depression, and overall stress (Cleary et al., 2025). Studies have also suggested that hobbies that encourage extra physical movement, such as walking or jogging, can improve physical health and reduce the risk of health conditions (Cleary et al., 2025). Although there are numerous benefits of different kinds of hobbies, the most challenging aspect is finding the time to partake in these hobbies. 

Whether it’s constantly being focused on work or dealing with stress related to one’s personal life, finding a balance in one’s life is always a challenge. Studies that explore this have found that individuals who are unable to make time for their hobbies suffer from a work-life imbalance (Campbell-Nowlin, 2024). They also stated that most of the stressors these people mentioned vary from difficulties in managing their time between work responsibilities and making time for family to other aspects, such as financial or health issues (Campbell-Nowlin, 2024). However, to continue giving our time and mental capacity to these things we have prioritised in our daily life, we need to have that capability in ourselves first. That capability relies on having pockets of time throughout your day that make you happy.

“Find little moments to make your heart smile.”  

- Winnie The Pooh.

In addition to providing people relief both mentally and emotionally, engaging in hobbies offers a distraction from the daily demands of one’s day-to-day life, as this distraction results in people returning to their responsibilities and work life with more productivity and creativity (Cleary et al., 2025). It doesn’t have to be something difficult to arrange that requires you to spend even more time planning and preparing for it. It can be small things, such as carrying a sketch book to practice your drawing during your lunch break, going for a walk after your daily chores, or keeping a plant near your window and caring for it every day. 

It is easy for us to get caught up in the struggles of our everyday life, where various things pull our attention. Thus, despite our day being filled with work and other responsibilities, everyone needs to prioritise themselves and find a way to incorporate bubbles of joy into their busy day. When you have something to look forward to that brings you immense joy, you’re creating a reason to keep getting up and doing your best every day. 

References

Campbell-Nowlin, Maigon, "Exploring Hobbies as a Critical Component of Work-Life Balance: Perceptions of Their Influence on Job Satisfaction and Job Performance" (2024). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 5913. https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/5913  

Cleary, M., Le Lagadec, D., Thapa, D. K., & Kornhaber, R. (2025). Exploring the Impact of Hobbies on Mental Health and Well-Being: A Scoping Review. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 46(8), 804–814. https://doi.org/10.1080/01612840.2025.2512006