Of late, I’ve been having difficulty finding inspiration for articles that last long enough for me to get something written that will help me remember what to write about. I do have something in mind that I can remember, but it needs extra time and additional research, so I asked Jeffrey Walter for some ideas. He suggested writing about hobbies, their importance and how you really shouldn’t turn them into a job. Well, it started that way, but temporarily veered off in a different direction because of my latest hobby-obsession.
This hobby-obsession started more than a year ago. Jeffrey Walter and I started talking about remodeling our house - initially our kitchen, den, dining room and living room. So, I bought this software to help do the layout and find the best solution. It’s amazing how many hours you can spend working on a single design. That single design ends up with so many iterations that you start numbering them to keep track of everything.
Well, remodel part one is almost complete (an article for another day) and the design for remodel part two is essentially done, so guess what I’ve been doing? I’ve been working on a house design that’s been rumbling around my brain for years. If I open the computer file and start working on it, I lose all track of time. It has become an obsession and I don’t even think about food. (That is a miracle in and of itself.)
So, if I enjoy this so much, wouldn't it make sense to make it into a career? NOOOOOOOO!!!!!
You see - hobbies are supposed to be something you do to relax and take your mind off day-to-day life which is why you need them. Yes, remodeling and designing houses is a thing, but it's not a thing I want to do all the time. I enjoy it like I do gardening (part-time) but I'm not trying to make a living wage off that. The home design is a way for me to use my creative mind and the gardening gets me in touch with nature - sure ways to bring me pleasure and relaxation.
There's another thing about hobbies: You know how you hear people say that you should do what you love so you always love what you're doing? Unfortunately, this too often leads to you turning something you love (aka a hobby) into a career where you end up no longer having time for the hobby and you lose your stress-reliever.
Sure, hobbies can cause stress too, but it's typically temporary and something we tolerate because we know it will be short-lived. It's not like we can spend 24 hours a day, seven days a week on our hobbies because we do have to make a living to put food on the table and a roof over our heads. Hobbies can also turn into an obsession - kinda like my latest house design. Thankfully, the obsession will pass, and I'll move onto something else.
So, what are your hobbies? Has one ever turned into an obsession? Did you ever consider turning one into a career? If you did, did it work out? Do you still love it?
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(This is a great way to figure out what will actually work in your space!)