As a career-driven, business-minded person you might find a majority of your time is spent at your office, sometimes even working from home.
You might be consumed with working longer hours than you should and spending every spare second working on your business.
This level of dedication and motivation can drive you to great success, but having a work-life balance can improve your quality of life as well as your productivity.
As a self-proclaimed workaholic, Samuel Nathan Kahn is all too familiar with overworking in order to get the best result. However as time has gone on, he’s learned to put time aside for hobbies and family as well.
Having a hobby is a great way to take a break from work, and it can even benefit you in a lot of amazing ways.
Here are just a few of the ways an enriching hobby can help improve your business skills.
Reduce Burnout
No matter how hardworking and driven you are, if you don’t set aside time to rest, eventually you may end up burning out.
Having a creative and enriching hobby can help avoid this burnout, and can also help relieve stress.
Reducing stress is key in keeping yourself energised for work. If you have a hobby that lets you have time away from work and the office, then you can feel more fulfilled and productive when you return to work.
Samuel Nathan Kahn owns and operates a claims management firm in Manchester, UK. He manages burnout by making sure to set time aside for his own personal hobbies.
Develop Brain
Learning new skills in your free time is a great way to develop your brain. Certain creative hobbies require divergent thinking, helping you form new connections and pathways in your brain. This neuroplasticity keeps your brain sharp and helps you in a whole range of ways.
Things such as learning a new language, or playing a musical instrument are great ways to develop neuroplasticity. This can help with your problem-solving skills, as well as other mental tasks that will benefit you in your business.
Sam Kahn spends a lot of his free time playing the piano and learning new songs. This keeps his brain strong, strengthening connections between the motor and auditory brain regions.
Creative Skills For Work
By having a creative and enriching hobby, you can learn new creative skills for work. While your hobbies don’t need to relate to your work, some of the skills that you learn can translate into certain areas of your work life.
You learn to look at things from a different, more creative point of view. It can also potentially be a great boost to your resume.
If your hobby is a team activity, this collaboration can also translate well into your workplace.
Self Discipline & Time Management
Sam Kahn believes that self-discipline and time management are integral skills if you want to be a successful business owner.
Hobbies will require you to learn how to discipline yourself and allocate time effectively. As you develop these skills, you can manage your time at work better.
This can lead to increased productivity, as you manage your projects in a more efficient manner.
Samuel Kahn believes that taking the time to nurture your hobbies can be a great asset to your business development. You can feel more fulfilled and rested when you go to work, as well as develop important skills for your career.
If you want to read more of Sam Kahn’s thoughts, you can explore his website here.