While some students complain about the lack of time and energy for their favorite activities, others manage to go in for sports and realize their creative ideas. In fact, making a hobby a part of your life isn’t that difficult – you just need to develop new habits and rethink your approach to your life. And below, we will tell you how to do it!
Realize Why You Need A Hobby
Harvard Medical School research shows that hobbies make people truly happy. Activities that you love increase your self-confidence, reduce stress, and stimulate out-of-the-box thinking.
It is best to take a pen and a piece of paper and then write: “I want to try … because …”. An honest answer will help you move on to the next step. Note the obvious benefits of the activity, using simple words, for example, “Yoga is happiness”, “Writing is exciting”, or “I adore lighting candles so I want to make them”.
Of course, it will be easier to devote yourself to all this when all your school papers are in order. If you struggle to hand in your homework on time, just find an essay writer at EssayPro and stop worrying over upcoming deadlines. No doubt, peace of mind is the first thing you need to succeed in what you are passionate about.
Get Rid Of Time-Eaters
Sometimes one strong-willed decision to do something for an hour a day is not enough. To make a hobby part of your routine, you need to review your schedule and get rid of everything that takes too much of your precious time.
The easiest way is to analyze your typical day in minutes. Try keeping a diary from the moment you wake up until you go to bed. You need to record everything that happens during the day, for example, “I checked social networks for half an hour in the morning”, “I was in traffic for an hour”, or “I talked on the phone with a friend for 20 minutes”.
Looking at the timing of your typical day, it’s easy to see hours going to waste: due to social media, video games, or procrastination over textbooks. According to statistics, if you give up the habit of constantly updating the feed and responding to messages, you can find from 1 to 4 hours of free time per day.
Change Your Values
To pay attention to your hobby, you need to make a choice in favor of it, and choosing one is giving up something else. Therefore, you can refuse to watch TV shows or gossip with your friends. Or, you can give up stressing over boring assignments and outsource them to the best assignment writing services that are absolutely trustworthy. Plus, a lot of time is wasted due to perfectionism. People who tend to perfect everything spend more time on routine, be it cleaning the room, completing school assignments, etc.
For example, a physics teacher may not be impressed by the exquisite fonts you picked up for a presentation. Or your Instagram followers may not be surprised by the photo you’ve been selecting for two hours.
Always ask yourself: “How to get a decent result with minimal time and effort?” Then, optimize your schedule. For example, you can devote time to yoga or meditation right after waking up and draw before going to bed.
Protect Your Boundaries
Today, a lot of time is spent on live and online conversations with peers. But unfortunately, many of them don’t make any sense. Therefore, why not limit time for this? Tell friends that you are free for 30 minutes after dinner and that you won’t be answering the phone at any other time.
The same goes for the family. If grandma wants you to come to distract her from boredom, explain that you want to devote energy to a hobby, and you can come to visit her on another day.
Review Your Commitments
It is useful to review the list of responsibilities that you take on at the university. Some time ago, it was a way to show your expertise and upgrade your skills. But is it worth organizing both a New Year’s party and a graduates’ reunion? What if the quest for freshmen is organized by someone else? Delegating is an art, and you can certainly become better at it!
Combine Things
If you spend more than an hour commuting every day, you can use that time for something useful: listen to audiobooks, watch videos, or write poetry. While walking the dog, invite a friend to come with you and hang out outdoors with a cup of coffee.
Although multitasking reduces efficiency, some routine tasks can be combined: chatting with friends on the phone while tidying up the bedroom or preparing meals while listening to podcasts.
Set Your Priorities
It is unlikely that you will be able to start several hobbies at once. It’s best to begin with one or two. Thus, you need to include your favorite activity in your weekly schedule.
Of course, a creative hobby will require more time and a special space. If drawing, sewing, or singing every day seems unrealistic, then 2-3 hours a week is enough.
Find Support
Since a hobby doesn’t bring in noticeable results, such as grades or money, it can be difficult to appreciate its value.
Here are two ways to support your intention no matter what:
- Inspirational publications and video tutorials. Follow special profiles on social networks, participate in online marathons, challenges, and contests;
- Your own publications. To get started, why not post the results of your work on social media? Likes, questions, and comments from others will help you get the necessary support and strengthen the desire to go on in the chosen direction.
To Wrap It Up
It is always easier for our subconscious to find time for what is really important. Therefore, in order to realize the value of your hobby, you need to formulate it and put it on paper. Think about how many positive changes it can bring to you!
Of course, free time will appear if you stop being a perfectionist (or, on the contrary, procrastinator), limit empty conversations, and delegate some tasks.
Since the hobby is necessary for your mental health, it deserves a certain place in the weekly schedule. Thus, the more detailed your to-do list will be, the better. Remember: nothing is impossible with proper organization!