What Is a Hobby?

A hobby is an activity that you do in your free time for entertainment, relaxation or even to make money. It is a pursuit that you are not committed to or do for the purpose of making a living, and typically it is not practiced to the same level as your job or other responsibilities.

Hobbies are a great way to maintain a work-life balance and to have something to focus on other than your day-to-day career duties. They can also help to improve your physical and mental health and well-being. Choosing a hobby that enables you to learn new skills is an excellent way to develop and challenge yourself. Hobbies are often a source of pride and achievement for their participants, especially when they reach a certain level of skill or success in the activity.

Some hobbies result in an end product that is of use or appeal to other people, for example: woodworking, sculpting, photography, jewellery-making, home music and video production, software projects (e.g. coding), papercraft (designing and creating models out of paper or card stock) and cooking. These are often considered creative hobbies and can be very satisfying.

Some hobbies, like volunteering or community involvement, are very useful for your resume and can be a good way to demonstrate your social skills and empathy. Others, such as writing, are a very effective way to show your communication skills and can be a really beneficial part of your career development.