Self Care

Hobbies Make You Better at Business

Anything that develops brain function (memory, logic, coordination), improves transferable skills (communication, problem-solving, innovation), or helps with your mental and physical health is going to be hugely beneficial.

Some people will tell you that you have to dedicate every waking minute to your business to be successful. I'd tell you that's bullshit. You don't.

Yes, you have to work hard, but working hard isn't the same as never having time off. And I'd actually argue that having non-work-related hobbies makes you better at business.

I have loads of hobbies. And every single one of them helps me in my professional life in some way.

Some of them reduce stress or anxiety. Some use parts of my brain I don't use in my general day-to-day. And some help me build and develop a specific skill in a slightly different way.

Physical activities

I'm a huge advocate of exercise. I think it's one of the best things you can do for yourself and your business as a freelancer. I've had some of my best ideas when I've been out running, and it's so effective for reducing stress.

And exercising doesn't have to be strenuous. A short walk or a light yoga session can really boost your mood.

If you're not sure how to start, I'd highly recommend parkrun, which is a completely free 5k event held in locations all around the UK every Saturday. You can walk, jog, or run, and you can put your music on and do it solo, or you can chat to other people before, after and during. It's totally inclusive, friendly and fun.

Doing activities with other people is a great way of developing communication skills and just having those all-important human interactions.

We enjoy hosting board game nights with friends. It can get pretty competitive, but it's great fun. And as well as being enjoyable, strategy games can help develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

Or you could do some volunteering in your local community. I sometimes volunteer at my local parkrun if I'm not running it. It's a great way of meeting people in your local area.

Or look for local clubs and events - book clubs, amateur dramatics, cooking, dance or language classes, arts and crafts events and so on. It might feel daunting at first, but you'll quickly get to know people. You might even make some new business connections.

Mental activities

If you only do the same things every day, you only use the same parts of your brain. Doing puzzle games, learning a new skill or doing something creative can tap into the lesser-used parts of your brain so you keep them sharp.

At the start of 2026, I started learning to play the keyboard using a piano app. I'm not great at it, but it's helping me with hand-eye coordination, memory and multitasking.

I also like doing Sudoku puzzles and word games as they help with logical thinking and problem-solving.

And I always include anagrams in my weekly email to help my readers get their brain going on a Monday morning.

Creative writing is also great for skills development. It can help you communicate more effectively, improve your creativity and problem-solving skills, and calm your mind.

Solo activities

Cooking, gardening, reading, drawing, sewing, video games, jigsaws, crochet - there are so many solo activities you can do to give yourself a break from work.

I taught myself to knit in 2025, and I've found it really therapeutic. I find it hard to do nothing, so meditation has never really worked for me. But when I sit and knit, I can let my mind wander, process my thoughts, mull over ideas, think about problems, and so on. It's also really nice seeing the progression as a few balls of wool turn into something usable.

I recently finished my first blanket. I took around 50-60 hours (spread over four months), but seeing the finished result felt like a huge achievement.

So don't feel guilty spending a couple of hours here and there doing fun activities. Your hobbies could be helping your business in ways you haven't considered.