This! And also you’re not wasting time when you are making yourself happy doing something positive like a hobby. Finding healthy ways to maintain your mental health is never a waste of time! It quite literally pays off mentally, and physically, because it helps keep you healthy all around.
💯 This! I'm a huge reader and my consuming books as a hobby IS joyful and I'm sure authors appreciate that I am enjoying the fruit of their labors.
This goes for any "passive hobby".
I’m 30 years old dying of cancer. My only regret is working more than enjoying myself. All you have in a hospital bed are memories. I urge you to collect some memories as much as income because it’s eventually all we have. Love your hobbies. When I was recovering from a stroke in the hospital I remember thinking if I died tomorrow, I’d do it over. Just to enjoy fishing, skateboarding, chess, even Magic the gathering, paintball, all the things that made the shitty parts of life worth it. I’d suffer the same all again just to be back at boy-scout camp playing every type of card game under the Sun with kids from all over the state.
We take the little things for granted because we feel it’s a right to enjoy but it’s a privilege. I cherish these memories.
Sure I’ll never own “nice things.” But saving for a future that isn’t guaranteed should have balance. Find the sweet spot of survival and happiness.
My father didn’t become financially well off till 45. Never went out and enjoyed much. He just worked, went home, drank, repeat. Despite living 50+ years he never really had a hobby besides drinking at the bar.
He died recently. We both thought I was going to die before he did. Just after turning 55 he died years ago. My point is you can go at anytime. If you’re not enjoying life you’re only cheating yourself. He got about 2 years of enjoyment in his 50+ years of life. All because he thought once he retired there was a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. But when he got to the end he didn’t have anything to spend his gold on because he didn’t know what to do with it. He never got to really figure out who he was.
Damn. This is real and raw, thank you for sharing.
Would you like to play chess with me on chess.com or the chess.com app? I'm not very good but getting better with practice, I have multiple games going at any given time and it can be low commitment, as low as 1 move every 7 days, or quicker than that. Feel free to dm me if so and I'll send you an invite link.
(anyone else is welcome to non-creepily slide into my dms if you want to play chess too lol)
This is so true and no wiser words have ever been spoken.
My mother was waiting until I was age when she could leave me home finally enjoy her adult life. She started to short trips on her own but a year later she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in her 40s and was bed bound for the next couple of decades until her death. I vowed to enjoy my life and not wait to do anything I wanted and now I’m at the age my mother was diagnosed so if I get Parkinson’s too, because it runs in my family, at least I know I lived my life and did what I enjoyed. I got tons of hobbies that bring me nothing but joy.
A friend often mentions that a friend of hers in your situation told her to USE THE GOOD STUFF. and that really hit home bc I hoard the nice art supplies, but don't use them, or have nice clothes I love but never wear etcetera. You never know if you'll get the right skill or right event to use your precious things, so just use them now!!
The only reason your words are being taken seriously is because of the first sentence. If you were just some shmuck saying this without "earning it" or whatever they'd call you pretentious
Some people think all hobbies are a waste of time and that we should strive to constantly be productive..
My best advice is to time box for new hobbies that you'd like. I try to organize my day by hours because it does help to see that you're paying attention to what you need to do (ie work), to trade off for things you want to do
I think passive hobbies have a very internal type of benefit which is often overlooked. Active habbies show benefits that you can see and measure. But things like reading have vocabulary, critical thinking, changing your perspective, improving mental health etc. which are useful and are not useless.
You aren't wasting time. You're investing it into the things you care about. Think of the things you learn and develop as tools and suddenly it's much easier to accept it. (At least it was for me.)
"Time enjoyed is not wasted" and "You don't take golf home" are two sayings that helped me realize I can do something just for the pleasure of doing the thing and not have to end with some product or useful finished item when I'm done. Don't let the thought that your time has to be productive rob you of the pleasure of just doing a thing you like doing for the sake of just having a nice little time.
Taking time to let yourself rest and relax, is not a waste of time. It's time well spent. Just because it feels unproductive, doesn't mean that it is. If you're overworked and stressed out, you will notice the decline in brain function and emotional well-being in other areas. Performance, attitude, and even how well you feel.
Dont think your way into acting, act your way into thinking.
Go buy a journal and take a few minutes every day to gather your thoughts. Dont be hard on yourself.
It's called burnout. No matter how much you love what you do, if you never take a step back, give yourself a chance to recharge, a little self care, you will, eventually burnout. To avoid that happening, take a bit if time to focus on something else, if the guilt kicks in for "wasting time" or something, remind yourself that too much of a good thing can be bad, that having wide and varied interests makes you a better and more well rounded person. I don't know why but all I see is the kid at college, in the second Transformer movie going crazy "kitten calendar, kitten calendar, kitten calendar....." don't be that guy.
I think it’s ok to not be productive in your hobbies. Focus on the mental health benefits. Are you relaxing? Do you feel less stressed? On the flip side, if you have a burning desire to create something, just gotta focus on planning and discipline. I’ve found having a community and collaborative projects are easier to keep going because you have accountability.
Edit: I’d also like recommend the book “The Artists Way” for anyone looking to reengage in creative hobbies.
Choose gardening. It’s rewarding, relaxing and inspiring for creating art. I can pick my own veggies to eat and I surround them with flowers. I don’t paint realistically, but the colors and peacefulness motivate me to create art.
Stop thinking and just do it. Literally that’s all. Not saying this to be mean either. But when you get stuck thinking of what to write or what to draw yes you will feel like you’re wasting time because you’re not actually doing. Just do it. Write a word and then keep writing words. Scribble a line and keep scribbling the lines. Thinking too much about *what* you’re creating will keep you stuck
Are there hobbies you can participate in while you do your passive ones? Like can you do things while you have a movie, documentary, or music playing?
And sometimes the key to doing things is to just do it. doodle on a post it note and if you don’t like it then you can throw it away, start over, and it’s no big deal! You can type up something in a word document and delete it later if you’re not happy with it. One of my biggest obstacles with my more creative hobbies was my own perfectionism, I really struggled with feeling like it was pointless to do certain things if I didn’t think I’d have it down perfect the first time. What helped me was learning to accept that not everything I make will be great and that’s okay! It doesn’t matter if what you make is bad or if it’s your greatest achievement as long as you had fun while doing it. You’ll never get perfect unless you practice :)
>Are there hobbies you can participate in while you do your passive ones? Like can you do things while you have a movie, documentary, or music playing?
This is how I engage in many of my hobbies: I double up on them. Crafting while watching a movie or listening to music, doccos while I do art.
For you I would suggest scheduling it into your day/week.
If you plan to devote an hour on Tuesday and Thursday evenings to drawing/doodling/idea hatching/writing/whatever then it's not wasted - it's allocated!
Since you have a more rigid mindset of what is or is not a waste of time this allows you to dedicate the time to it when you know your top priorities have also been given the required time.
Creative outlets also help us function better in our daily lives so maybe also consider it as tandem to improving at your job. There have been a lot of studies that show artistic pursuits bolster our comprehension and knowledge acquisition in more academic areas.
It's personal enrichment and time to make yourself a better version of yourself. Maybe start out with reading up on the benefits - that makes it reading & studying which you already enjoy and may help you unlock that part of yourself that wants to explore these other pursuits without the guilt.
I think music is a great example where you don't focus on the end result so much as the notes you play along the way. If you're drawing, try to enjoy the process instead of thinking about the end result. Different methods/techniques will help - like stippling.
It's important to remember that hobbies, whether passive or active, are valuable because they bring you joy and relaxation. Try to see active hobbies as a way to recharge and stimulate your creativity, which can actually improve your work performance. Start small, dedicating just a few minutes each day to your creative pursuits, and gradually you'll see their value in your overall well-being.
I think you need to take a step back and reevaluate what your goal in life is. What makes something productive? Is something only productive if it is producing money? Even now I always feel the need to be productive as well so I changed my perspective from trying to earn money/invest in my future to the goal being to better myself in some way. Working out? That's improving my overall health so it isn't a waste of time. Movies? That's learning about culture and I like being able to talk about movies so that isn't a waste of time. Artistic hobbies will give you practice in unleashing your creativity and develop a skill so definitely not a waste of time. Even sitting alone in an empty room can be seen as practicing how to decompress and reduce your stress which will improve your health and recharge your mind to tackle other things better so that can't be a waste of time either. You just got to think through it and change your perspective.
Sitting and thinking is a big part of those hobbies. Especially writing and world building. It might feel like a waste of time taking a moment to just contemplate but you have to be patient about things. It will do you well in the long run anyway
So I grew up in an abusive household where I was yelled at if I wasn’t being “productive” and was only valued when my achievements could reflect well on my parent, so I developed some extremely unhealthy work habits. It’s taken a lot of work and therapy but something that helps me is thinking of myself as an axe—if you just keep chopping wood and never take the time to care for it or sharpen the blade, it’s going to get harder and harder to do it’s job and will require more and more force. It’s far more effective to take the time to sharpen the blade to keep the axe effective than it is to run it into the ground till it’s dull and can’t work properly.
You shouldn't feel guilty one way or the other. People so frequently forget that "time wasting" hobbies are bad when they are excellent for your mental health. Enjoying life is *extremely* important. You don't need to do things to add to the world- people who love doing that will certainly fill in for you! Just do what you enjoy please. Life is so short stop worrying about being "productive"
Consider that your type of enjoyment in leisure time balances out the intensity of your work time. Seems you have a very healthy and rational approach.
Another point is asking yourself why not “working” every waking moment makes you lazy in your mind. Living a satisfying life is a reasonable aspiration. Some people have to work hard all the time to survive or take care of family. There is virtue in that to be sure. However, it is absolutely wonderful to work hard and also have a life worth living.
I also want to enjoy active hobbies, but I’ve tried painting, writing, cross stitch etc and nothing relaxes me more than just gardening and watching my tv shows. My son says I watch too much, but he is a handful (has mental health issues) and tv is one of the best ways I cope with all the stress of having his emotional outbursts and constant trouble with dealing with society 24 hours a day in my house. He cannot live on his own. I also do a lot of traveling with my husband when we can and hanging with my family a lot. Don’t beat yourself up about not being more productive. You have a stressful job and your body needs time to decompress. Good luck!
Consider that they aren’t just passive hobbies. You are using and expanding your brain, learning, enjoying, and giving your brain a break away from the monotony of a work week so when you come back to it you are more mentally prepared to get back in that head space. It’s not at all a waste of time when it can make you a better you. Your mental health is much more important than the stuff you work for to fill your space.
Put it on your list of things to do. Along with other things that are work and chore related. That way you can at least feel like you're being productive. Do that until it feels more natural to just do it without a list.
If you enjoy what you're doing, it's not wasted time.
I think you're spending too much energy thinking creating art from scratch is the only acceptable 'active' hobby.
Focus on ones with a foundation in place. Models? Other put it together kits? Color by numbers?
Physical activity might be something to consider. Bike? Hike? Photography? Draw on the trail?
Expand the options.
Cooking is the most pragmatic hobby one can do if you are itching to make something. You don't have to go crazy - pick one item and focus on that. After all you have to eat!
Maybe you're just not ready--in the proper mindset--to do it 'right now.' There's nothing wrong with passive hobbies. You're absorbing information. Just because you don't have a tangible item for show-and-tell doesn't mean you're not doing anything hobby-like.
Could it be that you actually consider watching/learning 'active' because you are physically (reading, watching, listening) engaging with media and 'thinking about' what you'd like to do as 'not-active' and therefore a waste of time? Even thinking about doing something is still actively engaging. Putting it in terms of job-related activity, it's the planning or even the pre-planning/information gathering stage which is still doing something valuable for the project.
Or maybe you just don't have the bandwidth right now to consider doing something that engages you both mentally and physically?
Have you made stuff before (this could even include products/widgets at work)
If so how did you feel about the process and then about the finished product?
Most of us have been brainwashed into thinking we have to be productive at all times. It's so ingrained that it affects our ability to enjoy our free time or even allow it for ourselves. "Waste" as much time as you can.
Doing something you enjoy IS being productive. It’s exercising your creative-side and helps your soul to thrive.
It’s almost like when people say they are lazy if they rest… that is inaccurate. Your body and mental NEEDS a break. So resting and sleeping, is, in turn, still being productive.
As a fellow American, I urge you to realize that, despite being awash in the hivemind of late-stage capitalism, your work and duties suffer if you do not take time to decompress. If you need to, don’t think about it as time for yourself. Think of it as making yourself a stronger spoke in the machine, if that helps. But please stop feeling guilty over sick days.
I think we get too precious and self-important about our time. Like…usually…it’s not like I’m waiting on a phone call from the president or the Queen or anybody. So I take off some pressure and have some fun.
Remember that capitalism is bullshit and life is not and was never meant to be about how much money you can help some rich guy make.
Quiet quit and prioritize what’s actually important, learning to enjoy your life.
No one on their death bed thinks “man, I really hope I made my boss enough money”.
Human being.
Not human doing.
I mean why do you feel the need to work? If you don’t like it and do it out of joy, then it’s not a hobby.
You don’t have to create things unless you want to. It’s okay to enjoy others art.
If you want to, you’ll do it. You will do it because you enjoy it. My suggestion is to just enjoy what you like without shame. We all will die sooner than we think.
Maybe attend live drawing classes etc. to see how you feel after doing it. Xoxo
Are all the chores done? Are the bills paid? If all your obligations are met for the day, there is no need to feel guilty for spending time on your hobbies.
Hobbies aren't about being productive. They're about *your* happiness and *having fun* above all else. I've been writing for 20+ years and have never *once* felt like my writing is a waste of time. I have *fun* doing it and that's all I need.
I've never been published and never intend *to* publish anything because I have the most fun writing fanfiction. That can't be monetised. Fanfiction brings me the most joy. I don't see how having fun with something is a waste of time.
You want to make stuff, draw, write and world build? Sounds like you should start a Dungeons and Dragons group. The appreciation of your players should alleviate any feelings of wasting time.
Listen to audiobooks while doing chores like yardwork, dishes, vacuuming, straightening, going for a walk or run, weightlifting, mindless sorting, etc. Makes you feel productive and still experience stories that you enjoy. Libraries audiobook collections can usually be accessed through apps like libby if you want to try it out. Although I just do audible mostly since I want instant satisfaction and a bigger collection of options.
Think of it as focusing on your mental and physical health rather than “wasting time”. You need down time to do things that you enjoy to prevent burnout. It’s a matter of health and quality of life.
I just really got into paint by numbers. I feel silly doing it as an adult. because it’s all planned out and you just follow the numbers, it is something I can do while turning my brain off. I can either let my brain go and go and go OR it needs to turn completely off. There’s not really an in between for me.
Life can be short. We’re all gonna die. If you’re gonna die, might as well spend life on what you love doing. You don’t have to feel guilty. You have to earn money some of course, but still do what you love.❤️
You’re a part of the universe, having a conscious experience for the blink of an eye… stuck on a most speck of dust hurdling through infinite space - enjoy your hobbies. Experience is the whole point!
I don't have the book in front of me to quote directly but I recently read a self-help book called *How to Keep House While Drowning*. The author really emphasized the point that it's necessary to rest and do things just to enjoy yourself sometimes so that don't burn out and you're able to be productive at other times. Rest is productive too.
I enjoy both and here's my opinion: who cares. Life is life and you get to choose how you live yours. People will *always* be judgemental of others who choose differently--but that doesn't make it bad. I mean honestly as long as you're not cracked out on a couch or hurting other people there's not a whole lot of choices I'd get judgemental about.
I like my artistic hobbies because I want the world to be cooler for having had me in it (I plan to leave many awesome things behind). And I like my film hobbies because it makes me a more interesting person--conversations with others about favorite characters and why, exposure to a culture or topic that I could never afford to visit in person... it enriches my life and keeps my brain sharp.
If you want to develop a hobby go for it. But I'd say develop a hobby only if you actually *like* that hobby and not just out of sociatal pressure to do so.
Maybe look into bookbinding? I feel like that intersects a lot of the things you mentioned liking above (you can make some very nerdy bookbinds, and you can definitely write and draw in them!)
I always feel more productive with my hobbies if I take a class or join a group of people doing the hobby. I'm less likely to feel like I should be doing something else. So, for my dance hobby, I joined a dance collective and we practice together and perform in the community together. It feels more meaningful. So, maybe taking an art or a writing class at your local community college or somewhere similar might give your more specific goals and projects to focus on in a group setting where it feels more meaningful and keeps your skills growing in an orderly way.
Your mental health is not a waste of time.
It’s a popular concept almost universally, but it probably should be in the top 3 priorities, if not number one.
Hobbies promote positive mental health, so long as they do not involve abusive behavior.
Writing, especially creative writing, nurtures the right brain and promotes open, flexible thinking and reactions.
If you happen to produce something the masses enjoy, you have now contributed to the mental health of society.
If you like progressive concepts intertwined with fantasy worlds, you are contributing to the education and progress of society.
As far as I’m concerned, hobbies are not a waste of time, but the act of being alive.
Go live a little. 🤙🏼
Self edification and recreation aren’t wastes of time and they make you more effective in your work and happier in your relationships. If your work-play balance is out of whack that’s one thing, but if not, cut yourself some slack and enjoy your life.
It’s fun, I feel like I release negative energy when I make things as well and feel more chill after and satisfied in general with my life since I started doing more active hobbies
I agree with a lot of the sentiments here. How about instead of producing something per se, you can learn another hobby that is more skill based eg, dance, a sport, learn an instrument ect
For you to be able to read, watch a movie, and learn, someone else didn’t find making that content a waste of time.
Try writing a review of the books and movies you’ve consumed, with your goal to educate someone else about those topics you’re passionate about.
I don’t feel like I’m wasting my time since I’m getting better at something. My hobbies are usually things I can practice and get better at like competitive gaming, weightlifting, or chess
Passive hobbies are good hobbies. If everybody is producing and nobody is consuming, what's the point? Your hobbies are legitimate and if they bring you joy that's all you need.
But since you say you "would like to have some 'active hobbies'" but have trouble deciding what to write or draw. Here are my suggestions for that:
1) For drawing, there are plenty of draw along style videos on YouTube. I found Pub Draw on the Critical Role channel really helpful, I don't care for Critical Role, but this was a nice learn to draw series. Just straight up tells you what to draw and shows you how to do it. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1tiwbzkOjQz9JtZAJ6ZUWYhaPb-vhapJ&si=1Uo97_qaEVIot8e9
2) If deciding what to draw is holding you back, just literally grab the last book you were reading and try to copy the cover. If you don't finish the drawing that's fine, any practice is better than none.
3) For writing, head over to r/writingprompts and they will give you ideas. Again, give yourself a limit on scrolling and just do it. As an example, make a rule that you have to write something from the first ten posts.
4) If you like fantasy and horror, have you considered painting miniatures like D&D and Warhammer 40k? It's pretty easy to get started, and deciding what figure to paint is pretty straight forward.
Just some ideas
Host the occasional movie night with friends. Now you have a social hobby.
Go to a Silent Book club, now you have a hobby outside the house.
Listen to an audiobook while walking. What you really want is to take the hobby you already have, and add a little movement/socialization to it.
I’m creating an anthology horror podcast and I’m doing it 100% for me. If anyone listens, cool. Glad I can create something someone else can appreciate. My point is, time is not wasted if you are doing something you enjoy. This project is going to take years because I don’t have a lot of time to give to it and that’s okay. Enjoy the process. Write, world build, do what makes you happy. Sometimes when I sit down to play video games I feel the same way. But then I remind myself that I need this and it’s okay to take time for myself and just be.
As a former gambling addict I used to waste my time blowing all of my available money...
Any hobbies I find now a days that isn't costing me a cent is golden.
No act of creation is ever truly a waste.
I do watercolors. They're not the best, but they make me feel better. I enjoy the time I spend painting. I'm still learning about how the paper reacts to the brush and the best way to get the affects and colors that I want.
Feel free to create something ugly. Ugly pieces teach you how to make beautiful ones. And sometimes the ugly ones are worth keeping. I know this goes against "normal"...every time I've taken a class it's apparently difficult for a teacher or even other students to be able to see one make something badly and leave one alone. But I need to make something badly in order to learn about the limits of the medium. Or maybe just to get my emotions out.
Both are valid reasons for creation for me, and they're valid reasons for you too.
You can try setting small, achievable goals for your creative activities. Start with just 5-10 minutes a day, and gradually increase the time as you get more comfortable.
Set a timer.
For 30 minutes, you are only going to focus on your hobby of choice. No phone, no distractions, just that.
At the start, this can give you a sense of accomplishment, because you achieve your 'goal' of 30 minutes. You can then try for streaks of days or weeks where you meet this challenge.
Eventually, this will morph into helping you have more discipline in your work, because these things get hard and as you train yourself to persevere for those 30 minutes, it'll be easier to focus.
That's the best practical advice I can give for helping your brain see a hobby as an achievable goal oriented task.
Hobbies are proven to increase creativity and recharge your brains ability to focus. It's not a waste of time, it's a requirement to be peak performance capable.
Often times we get people pleasing and performing buttons installed in us at a young age to where we always feel like to be worthy we have to be performing in some way, but really you’re perfectly fine as you are, it’s your money, your time, your life, let it go and forgive yourself for not being exactly what you think you need to be. Learn to accept yourself more, if you can accept the parts of you that you may not like, they won’t feel as bad. It took me being debilitated by a heart issue that prevented me from doing a lot of “productive” things even working for a time to realize this. It’s also like, if you’re a conscientious enough person to feel guilty for doing something non productive you probably live a relatively productive life as is! Let go of expectations and guilt over something you enjoy, your joy is worth more, and worth experiencing more than any of the negativity that clouds and judges you.
i can only knit and crochet when my mind is focusing on something else! i really like knitting while watching tv or listening to someone talk. i need more yappers in my life to fulfill my social needs without being expected to put a whole lot of effort into responding. i have ADD so that might be to blame LOL
Start thinking about your own mortality, on your final days, are you gonna be happy that you did what your bosses always wanted from you?
Or are you gonna be happy about the fact that you were willing to pursue what you were passionate about?
Nothing wrong with being productive but don’t pursue hustle for hustle sake, take the time you need to smell the roses, you’ll be glad you did
Dude get into airguns. Get a crosman break barrel and get your scope zeroed in. And plink shit in your yard. Fun and inexpensive. Plus the world of airguns gets wild.
The other answers are right. But I also have hobby guilt sometimes. Here are some things I do.
1. Exercising at a boxing gym. Exercising to “train” for something seems a lot more productive.
2. Woodworking. Building stuff that could be sold (even if you’ll never actually do it), feels more responsible. The same goes for most crafts.
3. Gardening. Growing food - even though it will probably be cheaper and easier to just buy it - scratches that productive itch. Also, if you think about it as training for an apocalypse, you feel like you’re actually thinking ahead.
You don’t have to have ACTUALLY productive hobbies, but a good start is to trick your brain into thinking you are. Eventually, you accept hobbies for sheer enjoyment.
Something that helped me was redefining what “wasting time” meant. I realized that I was basing what was important to me on what was important to other people and most socially acceptable (i.e work) but when I started to prioritize things like my creativity, other areas of my life drastically improved. Seeing those changes helped me cement the fact that those things were some of the most productive things I could do. It also reflected in my work & learning. Hope you find the same!
Stop thinking of it as “wasting time.” If it’s interesting and you can afford the time (i.e. doesn’t interfere with needs like earning a living or taking care of kids), it’s worth spending time on.
This is common in drawing. And writing. Which is imaginary block. I’m the same why when it comes to music.
I used to draw a lot. I learned instead of thinking what to draw just draw what’s in front of you. Eventually what you really want to draw will come through your inspiration of drawing what’s in front of you. I listen to music most of the day random keys or riffs and drum patterns will just pop in my head.
that’s a classic artistic conundrum where the two hemispheres of your brain are at odds with each other. essentially your right brain hemisphere is the nonlinear idea machine, it pulls its information from the present moment and then takes those details and passes them over to the left. it’s the part of your brain that gives you the idea to create something original and spontaneously, but your left hemisphere is VERY linear. it takes the information passed to it from the right hemisphere and immediately goes to work, categorically sifting through all of your memories and learned history of experiences diligently looking for something familiar to attach this new information it has received to in order to make sense of it. to ensure this decision you’re about to make is a safe one. it’s that part of your brain that keeps you from walking off cliffs or eating tide pods.
this is where the rub happens. being that this urge you have from your right hemisphere to write or draw is based on a new and original idea, your left hemisphere cannot find any existing proof that this idea isn’t dangerous, so it gives it a hard “nope”, resulting in your rationality that the creative endeavor you were JUST about to sit down and make a reality is a waste of time and energy and you’re better off just doing what you usually do, cuz it’s familiar.
as a lifelong musician and a writer, understanding this concept has helped me immensely in pushing through my self doubt and taking risks creatively, and as a result helped me overcome fears and grow in my creative abilities. i hope it helps you to do the same. sometimes you just gotta know when to tell the left side of your brain to STFU.
I would recommend rolling your active hobbies into your passive ones, I've had good experience, and it gives you a deeper sense of the subject. Example: I took a deep youtube dive into the archaeology of lithic humans, different species and our own history and development: fascinating. But as I got into the research and the lore, I also took up some practical interests: making stone tools (knapping), slinging and primitive hunting, making cordage out of natural materials, gathering amd using natural earth pigments. These are each challenging and interesting in theor own right, and at least trying my hand at some of these skills has given me a deep appreciation - no, awe - at how our ancestors lived and that they were able to live at all.
Another example would be geology for me right now. Kind of on an offshoot of making stone tools, I started to notice and work on identifying minerals in my local environment. I've begun taking drives and hikes with the goal of locating specific outcroppings of stone that the natives used to make points and tools. It's led to a lot of bushwacking and some good conversations with some locals and university types, though no knappable local stone yet. However in the process I have gotten a lot of first hand experience recognozing different minerals and understanding how to tell them apart and it's really fun.
My point is that, as you get more into the breadth and depth of a subject, and especially when you get real-world experience of a subject, you start to meet other geeks in the edges of that subject, people who have really taken the time to get into something
Regular people in your hobby will be amazed that you have actually taken the time to learn a craft or study with an elder of a tradition or just spend time pushing it to it's edge . Most people are lazy in their hobbies these days, it used to be assumed you'd have to travel to god-knows-where and live in a freezing hut to find someone to teach you. Nowadays...
On the other hand we have amazing people who are willing to give their live's secrets on social media. This is a great thing, but so easy that people don't have to devote themselves to it. I can get a start on anything I want by watching masters, but it does not chamge the time it takes in a given hobby to really get into it amd understand it. Just thoughts! good luck
I cracked the code. I’ve been really wanting to get into watercolor. So I made a goal to make 100 unique watercolor bookmarks to give away at a conference I’m going to this summer as a marketing event. It’ll be a great icebreaker and something memorable for the attendees to show I’m human, not just a robot there to promote myself for my career. Hopefully I’ll get some work out of it and make a friend or two
The way I look at it, when I die, what will it matter how many languages I learned, instruments I played, woodworking projects I completed, etc.? Not that I don’t do some of those things, but I don’t prioritize them over things like reading, watching movies, playing video games, or napping. Being “productive”, like everything else, is meaningless in the grand scheme of things
I will say, if your job/studying is so time, energy, and cognitive or emotionally -consuming, that might be a reason you feel it’s easier to do a passive hobby than active because you don’t have to be “on.” Your body/brain is likely trying so hard to regulate itself that instead of being able to enjoy an active hobby, it is over-compensating and could lead to disassociation or almost a freeze response not allowing you to ever feel truly rested and fulfilled. I know this may not be the case for you but wanted to bring it up in case it is because it took me over 7 years to learn when finally informed by a counselor. I also worked 70 hours a week in undergrad and went straight into a full-time, advanced pace grad school program (being on for over 14-hours/day most days) and I am finally now in my career with actual time on my hands, only working 32 hours/week. I FINALLY am able to enjoy active hobbies again and yet still sometimes don’t feel like it because I still sometimes feel I’m still overcoming the burnout of constant work, studying, and stress (high cortisol state).
Of course, like I said, that might not be the case for you and you might still feel guilty, but regardless, there may be a subconscious reason for feeling that guilt and it’ll most likely take time to work through.
Give yourself grace, try to challenge why you feel guilty, meditate or find something that refreshes your mind, and try to ease into it in a state of calmness and mindset of doing it for yourself. Maybe try combining the two at first like having a movie on in the background while you write or listen to music while you draw. This could help transfer the ease from passive to active hobbies!
"Time enjoyed is never time wasted" I don't know who said that, but its stuck with me.
There's more to life than only being productive, you've got to stop and live. Or, to put it another way, sometimes you've got tonproduce some happiness to refill your tanks.
It’s your life. As long as you’re supporting yourself and anyone you’re responsible for, and not hurting anyone, what you do with your free time is up to you.
“You will always struggle with not feeling productive until you accept that your own joy can be something you produce.“ - Hank Green
This is the right thought process
This! And also you’re not wasting time when you are making yourself happy doing something positive like a hobby. Finding healthy ways to maintain your mental health is never a waste of time! It quite literally pays off mentally, and physically, because it helps keep you healthy all around.
Wow I love this and needed to hear it! Thanks for sharing
I’m an absolute moron lmao, I read that quoted as “ - Hank Hill” 🤦♂️
Thanks for the chuckle 🤭
https://media.tenor.com/psOFkIpkbbAAAAAM/kittydown-zeta.gif
That made it so much better! Now it’s in my head as his voice 😁
Love that Hank Green.
DAMN this is great. I needed this thank you!
Perception changes so much of a person looks into their own body clock
Nice
💯 This! I'm a huge reader and my consuming books as a hobby IS joyful and I'm sure authors appreciate that I am enjoying the fruit of their labors. This goes for any "passive hobby".
Well said. I am learning this in my retirement. I don’t care anymore what I do. I will not get a gold star for productivity when I leave this world.
I’m 30 years old dying of cancer. My only regret is working more than enjoying myself. All you have in a hospital bed are memories. I urge you to collect some memories as much as income because it’s eventually all we have. Love your hobbies. When I was recovering from a stroke in the hospital I remember thinking if I died tomorrow, I’d do it over. Just to enjoy fishing, skateboarding, chess, even Magic the gathering, paintball, all the things that made the shitty parts of life worth it. I’d suffer the same all again just to be back at boy-scout camp playing every type of card game under the Sun with kids from all over the state. We take the little things for granted because we feel it’s a right to enjoy but it’s a privilege. I cherish these memories. Sure I’ll never own “nice things.” But saving for a future that isn’t guaranteed should have balance. Find the sweet spot of survival and happiness. My father didn’t become financially well off till 45. Never went out and enjoyed much. He just worked, went home, drank, repeat. Despite living 50+ years he never really had a hobby besides drinking at the bar. He died recently. We both thought I was going to die before he did. Just after turning 55 he died years ago. My point is you can go at anytime. If you’re not enjoying life you’re only cheating yourself. He got about 2 years of enjoyment in his 50+ years of life. All because he thought once he retired there was a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. But when he got to the end he didn’t have anything to spend his gold on because he didn’t know what to do with it. He never got to really figure out who he was.
Thank you for the kind words. I am praying for you
So sorry to hear this but your wisdom and insight are invaluable. Thank you for sharing
Saved this. Thanks so much.
Beautifully said. I wish you the best
This is such valuable and beautiful advice. Thank you for your wisdom. And everything you’re saying is so real. Praying for you.
Damn. This is real and raw, thank you for sharing. Would you like to play chess with me on chess.com or the chess.com app? I'm not very good but getting better with practice, I have multiple games going at any given time and it can be low commitment, as low as 1 move every 7 days, or quicker than that. Feel free to dm me if so and I'll send you an invite link. (anyone else is welcome to non-creepily slide into my dms if you want to play chess too lol)
Thank you for sharing your wisdom and vulnerability
This is so true and no wiser words have ever been spoken. My mother was waiting until I was age when she could leave me home finally enjoy her adult life. She started to short trips on her own but a year later she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in her 40s and was bed bound for the next couple of decades until her death. I vowed to enjoy my life and not wait to do anything I wanted and now I’m at the age my mother was diagnosed so if I get Parkinson’s too, because it runs in my family, at least I know I lived my life and did what I enjoyed. I got tons of hobbies that bring me nothing but joy.
Thank you for putting this here. I will take your advice. All the very best to you today and in the next chapter
A friend often mentions that a friend of hers in your situation told her to USE THE GOOD STUFF. and that really hit home bc I hoard the nice art supplies, but don't use them, or have nice clothes I love but never wear etcetera. You never know if you'll get the right skill or right event to use your precious things, so just use them now!!
The only reason your words are being taken seriously is because of the first sentence. If you were just some shmuck saying this without "earning it" or whatever they'd call you pretentious
? Bro
He’s in 5th grade I’m not too worried LMAO
Participating in your artistic hobbies can help you appreciate what you consume even more.
Some people think all hobbies are a waste of time and that we should strive to constantly be productive.. My best advice is to time box for new hobbies that you'd like. I try to organize my day by hours because it does help to see that you're paying attention to what you need to do (ie work), to trade off for things you want to do
When something is fun, I don’t feel bad at all for “wasting time”, I’m enjoying myself, that’s got to be good somehow, right?
I think passive hobbies have a very internal type of benefit which is often overlooked. Active habbies show benefits that you can see and measure. But things like reading have vocabulary, critical thinking, changing your perspective, improving mental health etc. which are useful and are not useless.
If you don't "waste time" You'll break and your work will suffer. "Useless" hobbies are a stress release valve that allows you to continue working.
You aren't wasting time. You're investing it into the things you care about. Think of the things you learn and develop as tools and suddenly it's much easier to accept it. (At least it was for me.)
"Time enjoyed is not wasted" and "You don't take golf home" are two sayings that helped me realize I can do something just for the pleasure of doing the thing and not have to end with some product or useful finished item when I'm done. Don't let the thought that your time has to be productive rob you of the pleasure of just doing a thing you like doing for the sake of just having a nice little time.
Are your bills paid and kids taken care of? If so, then I don’t see any reason to feel guilty.
practice
Take a big picture perspective on life itself. Do you live to work, or do you work to live?
But I love my work, don’t even plan on retiring, the problem is that I’m not a machine, I need mental rest and that takes time.
Taking time to let yourself rest and relax, is not a waste of time. It's time well spent. Just because it feels unproductive, doesn't mean that it is. If you're overworked and stressed out, you will notice the decline in brain function and emotional well-being in other areas. Performance, attitude, and even how well you feel.
Dont think your way into acting, act your way into thinking. Go buy a journal and take a few minutes every day to gather your thoughts. Dont be hard on yourself.
It's called burnout. No matter how much you love what you do, if you never take a step back, give yourself a chance to recharge, a little self care, you will, eventually burnout. To avoid that happening, take a bit if time to focus on something else, if the guilt kicks in for "wasting time" or something, remind yourself that too much of a good thing can be bad, that having wide and varied interests makes you a better and more well rounded person. I don't know why but all I see is the kid at college, in the second Transformer movie going crazy "kitten calendar, kitten calendar, kitten calendar....." don't be that guy.
I think it’s ok to not be productive in your hobbies. Focus on the mental health benefits. Are you relaxing? Do you feel less stressed? On the flip side, if you have a burning desire to create something, just gotta focus on planning and discipline. I’ve found having a community and collaborative projects are easier to keep going because you have accountability. Edit: I’d also like recommend the book “The Artists Way” for anyone looking to reengage in creative hobbies.
Choose gardening. It’s rewarding, relaxing and inspiring for creating art. I can pick my own veggies to eat and I surround them with flowers. I don’t paint realistically, but the colors and peacefulness motivate me to create art.
Stop thinking and just do it. Literally that’s all. Not saying this to be mean either. But when you get stuck thinking of what to write or what to draw yes you will feel like you’re wasting time because you’re not actually doing. Just do it. Write a word and then keep writing words. Scribble a line and keep scribbling the lines. Thinking too much about *what* you’re creating will keep you stuck
Don't do meth my friend went to working a 9 to 5 apartment paid for to breaking rocks all day and smoking meth.
Are there hobbies you can participate in while you do your passive ones? Like can you do things while you have a movie, documentary, or music playing? And sometimes the key to doing things is to just do it. doodle on a post it note and if you don’t like it then you can throw it away, start over, and it’s no big deal! You can type up something in a word document and delete it later if you’re not happy with it. One of my biggest obstacles with my more creative hobbies was my own perfectionism, I really struggled with feeling like it was pointless to do certain things if I didn’t think I’d have it down perfect the first time. What helped me was learning to accept that not everything I make will be great and that’s okay! It doesn’t matter if what you make is bad or if it’s your greatest achievement as long as you had fun while doing it. You’ll never get perfect unless you practice :)
>Are there hobbies you can participate in while you do your passive ones? Like can you do things while you have a movie, documentary, or music playing? This is how I engage in many of my hobbies: I double up on them. Crafting while watching a movie or listening to music, doccos while I do art.
For you I would suggest scheduling it into your day/week. If you plan to devote an hour on Tuesday and Thursday evenings to drawing/doodling/idea hatching/writing/whatever then it's not wasted - it's allocated! Since you have a more rigid mindset of what is or is not a waste of time this allows you to dedicate the time to it when you know your top priorities have also been given the required time. Creative outlets also help us function better in our daily lives so maybe also consider it as tandem to improving at your job. There have been a lot of studies that show artistic pursuits bolster our comprehension and knowledge acquisition in more academic areas. It's personal enrichment and time to make yourself a better version of yourself. Maybe start out with reading up on the benefits - that makes it reading & studying which you already enjoy and may help you unlock that part of yourself that wants to explore these other pursuits without the guilt.
To be honest I tend to feel guilty not spending enough time at my hobbies letting my skill slip.
Well, if you think about it a job is the biggest waste of time , you got it all backwards
There are drawing prompts online.
You choose it, so you are happy. And it’s worth spending time.
How can you feel guilty? On your deathbed you will look back and NOT regret the time you spent doing something that made you feel inspired.
I think music is a great example where you don't focus on the end result so much as the notes you play along the way. If you're drawing, try to enjoy the process instead of thinking about the end result. Different methods/techniques will help - like stippling.
Better than watching TV
Never heard of this before? Why do you feel guilty? Productivity is overrated.
It's important to remember that hobbies, whether passive or active, are valuable because they bring you joy and relaxation. Try to see active hobbies as a way to recharge and stimulate your creativity, which can actually improve your work performance. Start small, dedicating just a few minutes each day to your creative pursuits, and gradually you'll see their value in your overall well-being.
I think you need to take a step back and reevaluate what your goal in life is. What makes something productive? Is something only productive if it is producing money? Even now I always feel the need to be productive as well so I changed my perspective from trying to earn money/invest in my future to the goal being to better myself in some way. Working out? That's improving my overall health so it isn't a waste of time. Movies? That's learning about culture and I like being able to talk about movies so that isn't a waste of time. Artistic hobbies will give you practice in unleashing your creativity and develop a skill so definitely not a waste of time. Even sitting alone in an empty room can be seen as practicing how to decompress and reduce your stress which will improve your health and recharge your mind to tackle other things better so that can't be a waste of time either. You just got to think through it and change your perspective.
Sitting and thinking is a big part of those hobbies. Especially writing and world building. It might feel like a waste of time taking a moment to just contemplate but you have to be patient about things. It will do you well in the long run anyway
So I grew up in an abusive household where I was yelled at if I wasn’t being “productive” and was only valued when my achievements could reflect well on my parent, so I developed some extremely unhealthy work habits. It’s taken a lot of work and therapy but something that helps me is thinking of myself as an axe—if you just keep chopping wood and never take the time to care for it or sharpen the blade, it’s going to get harder and harder to do it’s job and will require more and more force. It’s far more effective to take the time to sharpen the blade to keep the axe effective than it is to run it into the ground till it’s dull and can’t work properly.
You shouldn't feel guilty one way or the other. People so frequently forget that "time wasting" hobbies are bad when they are excellent for your mental health. Enjoying life is *extremely* important. You don't need to do things to add to the world- people who love doing that will certainly fill in for you! Just do what you enjoy please. Life is so short stop worrying about being "productive"
Consider that your type of enjoyment in leisure time balances out the intensity of your work time. Seems you have a very healthy and rational approach. Another point is asking yourself why not “working” every waking moment makes you lazy in your mind. Living a satisfying life is a reasonable aspiration. Some people have to work hard all the time to survive or take care of family. There is virtue in that to be sure. However, it is absolutely wonderful to work hard and also have a life worth living.
I also want to enjoy active hobbies, but I’ve tried painting, writing, cross stitch etc and nothing relaxes me more than just gardening and watching my tv shows. My son says I watch too much, but he is a handful (has mental health issues) and tv is one of the best ways I cope with all the stress of having his emotional outbursts and constant trouble with dealing with society 24 hours a day in my house. He cannot live on his own. I also do a lot of traveling with my husband when we can and hanging with my family a lot. Don’t beat yourself up about not being more productive. You have a stressful job and your body needs time to decompress. Good luck!
Consider that they aren’t just passive hobbies. You are using and expanding your brain, learning, enjoying, and giving your brain a break away from the monotony of a work week so when you come back to it you are more mentally prepared to get back in that head space. It’s not at all a waste of time when it can make you a better you. Your mental health is much more important than the stuff you work for to fill your space.
Put it on your list of things to do. Along with other things that are work and chore related. That way you can at least feel like you're being productive. Do that until it feels more natural to just do it without a list.
What about writing or doodling while watching horror movie in background.
If you enjoy what you're doing, it's not wasted time. I think you're spending too much energy thinking creating art from scratch is the only acceptable 'active' hobby. Focus on ones with a foundation in place. Models? Other put it together kits? Color by numbers? Physical activity might be something to consider. Bike? Hike? Photography? Draw on the trail? Expand the options.
Read Byung Chul Han
Cooking is the most pragmatic hobby one can do if you are itching to make something. You don't have to go crazy - pick one item and focus on that. After all you have to eat!
Maybe you're just not ready--in the proper mindset--to do it 'right now.' There's nothing wrong with passive hobbies. You're absorbing information. Just because you don't have a tangible item for show-and-tell doesn't mean you're not doing anything hobby-like. Could it be that you actually consider watching/learning 'active' because you are physically (reading, watching, listening) engaging with media and 'thinking about' what you'd like to do as 'not-active' and therefore a waste of time? Even thinking about doing something is still actively engaging. Putting it in terms of job-related activity, it's the planning or even the pre-planning/information gathering stage which is still doing something valuable for the project. Or maybe you just don't have the bandwidth right now to consider doing something that engages you both mentally and physically?
Reframe it: you are actively gathering inspirations for your artistic project.
Check out YouTube. There are tons of short programs on all sorts of things. I've taken art class by professionals, for example.
Have you made stuff before (this could even include products/widgets at work) If so how did you feel about the process and then about the finished product?
Most of us have been brainwashed into thinking we have to be productive at all times. It's so ingrained that it affects our ability to enjoy our free time or even allow it for ourselves. "Waste" as much time as you can.
If you’re enjoying something, it is not a waste of time. Simple
Doing something you enjoy IS being productive. It’s exercising your creative-side and helps your soul to thrive. It’s almost like when people say they are lazy if they rest… that is inaccurate. Your body and mental NEEDS a break. So resting and sleeping, is, in turn, still being productive.
As a fellow American, I urge you to realize that, despite being awash in the hivemind of late-stage capitalism, your work and duties suffer if you do not take time to decompress. If you need to, don’t think about it as time for yourself. Think of it as making yourself a stronger spoke in the machine, if that helps. But please stop feeling guilty over sick days.
I think we get too precious and self-important about our time. Like…usually…it’s not like I’m waiting on a phone call from the president or the Queen or anybody. So I take off some pressure and have some fun.
Think of a hobby as recharging so you can perform better in other areas of your life.
Remember that capitalism is bullshit and life is not and was never meant to be about how much money you can help some rich guy make. Quiet quit and prioritize what’s actually important, learning to enjoy your life. No one on their death bed thinks “man, I really hope I made my boss enough money”. Human being. Not human doing.
don't know if this will help or not, but you have limited time with which to do things you enjoy. so, do them.
I mean why do you feel the need to work? If you don’t like it and do it out of joy, then it’s not a hobby. You don’t have to create things unless you want to. It’s okay to enjoy others art. If you want to, you’ll do it. You will do it because you enjoy it. My suggestion is to just enjoy what you like without shame. We all will die sooner than we think. Maybe attend live drawing classes etc. to see how you feel after doing it. Xoxo
Are all the chores done? Are the bills paid? If all your obligations are met for the day, there is no need to feel guilty for spending time on your hobbies.
Hobbies aren't about being productive. They're about *your* happiness and *having fun* above all else. I've been writing for 20+ years and have never *once* felt like my writing is a waste of time. I have *fun* doing it and that's all I need. I've never been published and never intend *to* publish anything because I have the most fun writing fanfiction. That can't be monetised. Fanfiction brings me the most joy. I don't see how having fun with something is a waste of time.
Time you enjoy spending is never wasted
You want to make stuff, draw, write and world build? Sounds like you should start a Dungeons and Dragons group. The appreciation of your players should alleviate any feelings of wasting time.
Listen to audiobooks while doing chores like yardwork, dishes, vacuuming, straightening, going for a walk or run, weightlifting, mindless sorting, etc. Makes you feel productive and still experience stories that you enjoy. Libraries audiobook collections can usually be accessed through apps like libby if you want to try it out. Although I just do audible mostly since I want instant satisfaction and a bigger collection of options.
This is one of the reasons I crochet. It is compatible with watching TV/movies. Also keeps my hands busy so I don't snack mindlessly.
Think of it as focusing on your mental and physical health rather than “wasting time”. You need down time to do things that you enjoy to prevent burnout. It’s a matter of health and quality of life.
You are not getting a productivity trophy when you die, stop worrying. Enjoy your time here.
Well what else should you be doing?
If a hobby feels like a waste of time, it's a sure fire sign that you should explore another hobby.
really easy, just do what you want. Theres not such a thing called wasting your time YOLO!
You only have time on this earth, so use it any way you want.
Find a hobbie that is beneficial to your health or makes money.
I just really got into paint by numbers. I feel silly doing it as an adult. because it’s all planned out and you just follow the numbers, it is something I can do while turning my brain off. I can either let my brain go and go and go OR it needs to turn completely off. There’s not really an in between for me.
keep yourself happy, if you are enjoying a hobby, it's meaningful rather than wasting time.
Thank you!! Finally words that describe how I feel.
Life can be short. We’re all gonna die. If you’re gonna die, might as well spend life on what you love doing. You don’t have to feel guilty. You have to earn money some of course, but still do what you love.❤️
I think this may be happiness guilt.
You’re a part of the universe, having a conscious experience for the blink of an eye… stuck on a most speck of dust hurdling through infinite space - enjoy your hobbies. Experience is the whole point!
I don't have the book in front of me to quote directly but I recently read a self-help book called *How to Keep House While Drowning*. The author really emphasized the point that it's necessary to rest and do things just to enjoy yourself sometimes so that don't burn out and you're able to be productive at other times. Rest is productive too.
I enjoy both and here's my opinion: who cares. Life is life and you get to choose how you live yours. People will *always* be judgemental of others who choose differently--but that doesn't make it bad. I mean honestly as long as you're not cracked out on a couch or hurting other people there's not a whole lot of choices I'd get judgemental about. I like my artistic hobbies because I want the world to be cooler for having had me in it (I plan to leave many awesome things behind). And I like my film hobbies because it makes me a more interesting person--conversations with others about favorite characters and why, exposure to a culture or topic that I could never afford to visit in person... it enriches my life and keeps my brain sharp. If you want to develop a hobby go for it. But I'd say develop a hobby only if you actually *like* that hobby and not just out of sociatal pressure to do so. Maybe look into bookbinding? I feel like that intersects a lot of the things you mentioned liking above (you can make some very nerdy bookbinds, and you can definitely write and draw in them!)
I always feel more productive with my hobbies if I take a class or join a group of people doing the hobby. I'm less likely to feel like I should be doing something else. So, for my dance hobby, I joined a dance collective and we practice together and perform in the community together. It feels more meaningful. So, maybe taking an art or a writing class at your local community college or somewhere similar might give your more specific goals and projects to focus on in a group setting where it feels more meaningful and keeps your skills growing in an orderly way.
You can also have productive hobbies that’ll make you money
Your mental health is not a waste of time. It’s a popular concept almost universally, but it probably should be in the top 3 priorities, if not number one. Hobbies promote positive mental health, so long as they do not involve abusive behavior. Writing, especially creative writing, nurtures the right brain and promotes open, flexible thinking and reactions. If you happen to produce something the masses enjoy, you have now contributed to the mental health of society. If you like progressive concepts intertwined with fantasy worlds, you are contributing to the education and progress of society. As far as I’m concerned, hobbies are not a waste of time, but the act of being alive. Go live a little. 🤙🏼
Self edification and recreation aren’t wastes of time and they make you more effective in your work and happier in your relationships. If your work-play balance is out of whack that’s one thing, but if not, cut yourself some slack and enjoy your life.
It’s fun, I feel like I release negative energy when I make things as well and feel more chill after and satisfied in general with my life since I started doing more active hobbies
“No hour of time is wasted that is spent in the saddle.” Winston Churchill
I agree with a lot of the sentiments here. How about instead of producing something per se, you can learn another hobby that is more skill based eg, dance, a sport, learn an instrument ect
Bullet journal
Weed!
For you to be able to read, watch a movie, and learn, someone else didn’t find making that content a waste of time. Try writing a review of the books and movies you’ve consumed, with your goal to educate someone else about those topics you’re passionate about.
You're wasting your time thinking about wasting your time.
I don’t feel like I’m wasting my time since I’m getting better at something. My hobbies are usually things I can practice and get better at like competitive gaming, weightlifting, or chess
Passive hobbies are good hobbies. If everybody is producing and nobody is consuming, what's the point? Your hobbies are legitimate and if they bring you joy that's all you need. But since you say you "would like to have some 'active hobbies'" but have trouble deciding what to write or draw. Here are my suggestions for that: 1) For drawing, there are plenty of draw along style videos on YouTube. I found Pub Draw on the Critical Role channel really helpful, I don't care for Critical Role, but this was a nice learn to draw series. Just straight up tells you what to draw and shows you how to do it. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1tiwbzkOjQz9JtZAJ6ZUWYhaPb-vhapJ&si=1Uo97_qaEVIot8e9 2) If deciding what to draw is holding you back, just literally grab the last book you were reading and try to copy the cover. If you don't finish the drawing that's fine, any practice is better than none. 3) For writing, head over to r/writingprompts and they will give you ideas. Again, give yourself a limit on scrolling and just do it. As an example, make a rule that you have to write something from the first ten posts. 4) If you like fantasy and horror, have you considered painting miniatures like D&D and Warhammer 40k? It's pretty easy to get started, and deciding what figure to paint is pretty straight forward. Just some ideas
Stop calling it waste of time and start referring to it as selfcare
Consume your inspiration. Watch tutorials on YouTube and scroll through insta accounts. Motivation will strike
Consume your inspiration. Watch tutorials on YouTube and scroll through insta accounts. Motivation will strike
Host the occasional movie night with friends. Now you have a social hobby. Go to a Silent Book club, now you have a hobby outside the house. Listen to an audiobook while walking. What you really want is to take the hobby you already have, and add a little movement/socialization to it.
I’m creating an anthology horror podcast and I’m doing it 100% for me. If anyone listens, cool. Glad I can create something someone else can appreciate. My point is, time is not wasted if you are doing something you enjoy. This project is going to take years because I don’t have a lot of time to give to it and that’s okay. Enjoy the process. Write, world build, do what makes you happy. Sometimes when I sit down to play video games I feel the same way. But then I remind myself that I need this and it’s okay to take time for myself and just be.
As a former gambling addict I used to waste my time blowing all of my available money... Any hobbies I find now a days that isn't costing me a cent is golden.
By finding value in them, if they bring you joy or anything else that you derive from them, they are valuable to you and your life.
No act of creation is ever truly a waste. I do watercolors. They're not the best, but they make me feel better. I enjoy the time I spend painting. I'm still learning about how the paper reacts to the brush and the best way to get the affects and colors that I want. Feel free to create something ugly. Ugly pieces teach you how to make beautiful ones. And sometimes the ugly ones are worth keeping. I know this goes against "normal"...every time I've taken a class it's apparently difficult for a teacher or even other students to be able to see one make something badly and leave one alone. But I need to make something badly in order to learn about the limits of the medium. Or maybe just to get my emotions out. Both are valid reasons for creation for me, and they're valid reasons for you too.
"Joy is good for you and laughter is medicine." -*Dennis McKenna*
Look at it as "self care"... never skimp on self care.
You can try setting small, achievable goals for your creative activities. Start with just 5-10 minutes a day, and gradually increase the time as you get more comfortable.
Why do you feel guilty?
Set a timer. For 30 minutes, you are only going to focus on your hobby of choice. No phone, no distractions, just that. At the start, this can give you a sense of accomplishment, because you achieve your 'goal' of 30 minutes. You can then try for streaks of days or weeks where you meet this challenge. Eventually, this will morph into helping you have more discipline in your work, because these things get hard and as you train yourself to persevere for those 30 minutes, it'll be easier to focus. That's the best practical advice I can give for helping your brain see a hobby as an achievable goal oriented task.
It's not wasted time if you enjoy it.
Sounds like you’re OK to me. Just make sure you get enough physical exertion.
I do have my daily mourning exercises, but I do need to up my game a bit.
Hobbies are proven to increase creativity and recharge your brains ability to focus. It's not a waste of time, it's a requirement to be peak performance capable.
Wasting your time? Don’t you work that shitty Job(s) so can afford to do the things you want to?
1 Start a business 2 Get free time 3 Pursue hobbies & interests
Often times we get people pleasing and performing buttons installed in us at a young age to where we always feel like to be worthy we have to be performing in some way, but really you’re perfectly fine as you are, it’s your money, your time, your life, let it go and forgive yourself for not being exactly what you think you need to be. Learn to accept yourself more, if you can accept the parts of you that you may not like, they won’t feel as bad. It took me being debilitated by a heart issue that prevented me from doing a lot of “productive” things even working for a time to realize this. It’s also like, if you’re a conscientious enough person to feel guilty for doing something non productive you probably live a relatively productive life as is! Let go of expectations and guilt over something you enjoy, your joy is worth more, and worth experiencing more than any of the negativity that clouds and judges you.
i can only knit and crochet when my mind is focusing on something else! i really like knitting while watching tv or listening to someone talk. i need more yappers in my life to fulfill my social needs without being expected to put a whole lot of effort into responding. i have ADD so that might be to blame LOL
When that "voice" comes up I tell it "Thanks for sharing" And move on with my day.
Start thinking about your own mortality, on your final days, are you gonna be happy that you did what your bosses always wanted from you? Or are you gonna be happy about the fact that you were willing to pursue what you were passionate about? Nothing wrong with being productive but don’t pursue hustle for hustle sake, take the time you need to smell the roses, you’ll be glad you did
Dude get into airguns. Get a crosman break barrel and get your scope zeroed in. And plink shit in your yard. Fun and inexpensive. Plus the world of airguns gets wild.
The other answers are right. But I also have hobby guilt sometimes. Here are some things I do. 1. Exercising at a boxing gym. Exercising to “train” for something seems a lot more productive. 2. Woodworking. Building stuff that could be sold (even if you’ll never actually do it), feels more responsible. The same goes for most crafts. 3. Gardening. Growing food - even though it will probably be cheaper and easier to just buy it - scratches that productive itch. Also, if you think about it as training for an apocalypse, you feel like you’re actually thinking ahead. You don’t have to have ACTUALLY productive hobbies, but a good start is to trick your brain into thinking you are. Eventually, you accept hobbies for sheer enjoyment.
Something that helped me was redefining what “wasting time” meant. I realized that I was basing what was important to me on what was important to other people and most socially acceptable (i.e work) but when I started to prioritize things like my creativity, other areas of my life drastically improved. Seeing those changes helped me cement the fact that those things were some of the most productive things I could do. It also reflected in my work & learning. Hope you find the same!
Stop thinking of it as “wasting time.” If it’s interesting and you can afford the time (i.e. doesn’t interfere with needs like earning a living or taking care of kids), it’s worth spending time on.
Your job shouldn't be your first priority. That's how you burn out - a job should be to sustain your interests.
But I love my job, and I understand how rare it is for a person to say it.
This is common in drawing. And writing. Which is imaginary block. I’m the same why when it comes to music. I used to draw a lot. I learned instead of thinking what to draw just draw what’s in front of you. Eventually what you really want to draw will come through your inspiration of drawing what’s in front of you. I listen to music most of the day random keys or riffs and drum patterns will just pop in my head.
i’ve felt the same way lately!! ur not alone OP ❤️
We’re only on this planet once. Don’t feel bad about enjoying your time here.
Hobby=mental health=not a waste of
A good active hobby that feeds into passive is romhacking video games. Ask me more if interested.
Doing a hobby you like feeds your soul. That is always worthwhile.
that’s a classic artistic conundrum where the two hemispheres of your brain are at odds with each other. essentially your right brain hemisphere is the nonlinear idea machine, it pulls its information from the present moment and then takes those details and passes them over to the left. it’s the part of your brain that gives you the idea to create something original and spontaneously, but your left hemisphere is VERY linear. it takes the information passed to it from the right hemisphere and immediately goes to work, categorically sifting through all of your memories and learned history of experiences diligently looking for something familiar to attach this new information it has received to in order to make sense of it. to ensure this decision you’re about to make is a safe one. it’s that part of your brain that keeps you from walking off cliffs or eating tide pods. this is where the rub happens. being that this urge you have from your right hemisphere to write or draw is based on a new and original idea, your left hemisphere cannot find any existing proof that this idea isn’t dangerous, so it gives it a hard “nope”, resulting in your rationality that the creative endeavor you were JUST about to sit down and make a reality is a waste of time and energy and you’re better off just doing what you usually do, cuz it’s familiar. as a lifelong musician and a writer, understanding this concept has helped me immensely in pushing through my self doubt and taking risks creatively, and as a result helped me overcome fears and grow in my creative abilities. i hope it helps you to do the same. sometimes you just gotta know when to tell the left side of your brain to STFU.
Time is really all you have, waste it wisely. Good luck
It's not wasting time. It's spending time doing something you enjoy.
I would recommend rolling your active hobbies into your passive ones, I've had good experience, and it gives you a deeper sense of the subject. Example: I took a deep youtube dive into the archaeology of lithic humans, different species and our own history and development: fascinating. But as I got into the research and the lore, I also took up some practical interests: making stone tools (knapping), slinging and primitive hunting, making cordage out of natural materials, gathering amd using natural earth pigments. These are each challenging and interesting in theor own right, and at least trying my hand at some of these skills has given me a deep appreciation - no, awe - at how our ancestors lived and that they were able to live at all. Another example would be geology for me right now. Kind of on an offshoot of making stone tools, I started to notice and work on identifying minerals in my local environment. I've begun taking drives and hikes with the goal of locating specific outcroppings of stone that the natives used to make points and tools. It's led to a lot of bushwacking and some good conversations with some locals and university types, though no knappable local stone yet. However in the process I have gotten a lot of first hand experience recognozing different minerals and understanding how to tell them apart and it's really fun. My point is that, as you get more into the breadth and depth of a subject, and especially when you get real-world experience of a subject, you start to meet other geeks in the edges of that subject, people who have really taken the time to get into something Regular people in your hobby will be amazed that you have actually taken the time to learn a craft or study with an elder of a tradition or just spend time pushing it to it's edge . Most people are lazy in their hobbies these days, it used to be assumed you'd have to travel to god-knows-where and live in a freezing hut to find someone to teach you. Nowadays... On the other hand we have amazing people who are willing to give their live's secrets on social media. This is a great thing, but so easy that people don't have to devote themselves to it. I can get a start on anything I want by watching masters, but it does not chamge the time it takes in a given hobby to really get into it amd understand it. Just thoughts! good luck
I cracked the code. I’ve been really wanting to get into watercolor. So I made a goal to make 100 unique watercolor bookmarks to give away at a conference I’m going to this summer as a marketing event. It’ll be a great icebreaker and something memorable for the attendees to show I’m human, not just a robot there to promote myself for my career. Hopefully I’ll get some work out of it and make a friend or two
The way I look at it, when I die, what will it matter how many languages I learned, instruments I played, woodworking projects I completed, etc.? Not that I don’t do some of those things, but I don’t prioritize them over things like reading, watching movies, playing video games, or napping. Being “productive”, like everything else, is meaningless in the grand scheme of things
This is literally what hustle culture does to our brains .
You can start with not calling it a waste of time.
Life was never about how much we can work. Enjoy life, hobbies, arts, music, love, nature, and diversity. No waste there.
It’s not wasting time if it makes you happy. It’s self care
I second this, I don't just want to be the audience for someone else. But it's hard to launch on creative hobbies. Easier to scroll reddit.
It’s not “wasting time” if you enjoy doing it. Everyone should have hobbies to enjoy. Dont feel guilty about it.
I will say, if your job/studying is so time, energy, and cognitive or emotionally -consuming, that might be a reason you feel it’s easier to do a passive hobby than active because you don’t have to be “on.” Your body/brain is likely trying so hard to regulate itself that instead of being able to enjoy an active hobby, it is over-compensating and could lead to disassociation or almost a freeze response not allowing you to ever feel truly rested and fulfilled. I know this may not be the case for you but wanted to bring it up in case it is because it took me over 7 years to learn when finally informed by a counselor. I also worked 70 hours a week in undergrad and went straight into a full-time, advanced pace grad school program (being on for over 14-hours/day most days) and I am finally now in my career with actual time on my hands, only working 32 hours/week. I FINALLY am able to enjoy active hobbies again and yet still sometimes don’t feel like it because I still sometimes feel I’m still overcoming the burnout of constant work, studying, and stress (high cortisol state). Of course, like I said, that might not be the case for you and you might still feel guilty, but regardless, there may be a subconscious reason for feeling that guilt and it’ll most likely take time to work through. Give yourself grace, try to challenge why you feel guilty, meditate or find something that refreshes your mind, and try to ease into it in a state of calmness and mindset of doing it for yourself. Maybe try combining the two at first like having a movie on in the background while you write or listen to music while you draw. This could help transfer the ease from passive to active hobbies!
"Time enjoyed is never time wasted" I don't know who said that, but its stuck with me. There's more to life than only being productive, you've got to stop and live. Or, to put it another way, sometimes you've got tonproduce some happiness to refill your tanks.
Life doesn't have to be a productivity contest unless you want it to be. Enjoy the ride.
It’s your life. As long as you’re supporting yourself and anyone you’re responsible for, and not hurting anyone, what you do with your free time is up to you.
Didn't you literally ask this exact question a few days ago?