Why The Hobby Is The New Side Hustle

What’s your favourite hobby? I pose the question as someone who had to think long and hard about this one myself. From the ages of 8-13 years old I used to spend hours upon hours writing short stories - with zero intention (I believe) of becoming a published author. This was creativity for its own sake. It was fun. It was ‘my thing.’ I don’t think I’m alone in thinking that hobbies – described an activity that someone does for pleasure when they are not working - has been taken over somewhat by the side hustle (that potentially multi-million-pound idea bubbling away; squeezed in alongside maintaining a regular 9-5). And, after seeking council, the conclusion was Netflix bingeing doesn’t count as a hobby (sob).

No wonder millennials are so often referred to as Generation Burnout: switching off from the buzz of daily life and doing something that isn’t side-lined with enterprising endeavours seems like a hard task. Labelled under the category of “children’s pastime.”

One twitter post that went viral recently, from Kashia Dunner, sums up the need to reclaim the long sought-after ‘me time’ perfectly. “Everything doesn’t have to be a hustle, side hustle, or money-making enterprise,” she wrote. “Sometimes it’s just fun to do something because it brings you joy, peace, relaxation, or allows you to be creative. Let’s rediscover hobbies in 2020.” In need of a little more ‘at your leisure’ inspo? From taking up ballet as an adult to those with more macabre sensibilities, there’s something for everyone to try this year.