The difference lies in what therapists like to describe as “permission to fail”. To allow oneself to perform below a certain standard may not be a great idea at the workplace, but there are no performance appraisals for hobbies.
Nobody really enjoys having to get out of bed at daybreak and schlep to the gym, even if it’s in pursuit of a trimmer waistline and better cardiovascular health. And almost certainly no one enjoys counting calories and weighing out the right amount of “macros” for every single meal. But nearly everybody enjoys painting or knitting or pottery or any of the dozens of activities that fall under the broad category of “arts and crafts”. As recent research from Anglia Ruskin University says, engaging in these creative endeavours can deliver greater well-being than a job.
While the benefits of having a hobby, especially one that engages the creative faculties, have long been known, at a time of global economic slowdown, with many countries yet to recover from the unemployment and cost-of-living crisis of the pandemic years, how much mental well-being can come from a homemade ash-tray or scarf? It may be true that over-identifying with one’s job is a recipe for anxiety and depression. But not having one, even when knitting tea cosies, contributes as much, if not more, to these maladies.
The difference lies in what therapists like to describe as “permission to fail”. To allow oneself to perform below a certain standard may not be a great idea at the workplace, but there are no performance appraisals for hobbies. No one needs to be a Pablo Picasso or Dayanita Singh in their weekend pursuits, because even the sloppiest hand-painted ceramic mug or blurry photograph of a sunset can bring one a moment of joy and make for a #humblebrag post on Instagram — that is the luxury of being a hobbyist.
