Do writers need hobbies?
In 2009, researchers reported that engaging in enjoyable hobbies was associated with mental and physical health and well-being.
Specifically, the more participants reported being involved in their hobbies, the lower their blood pressure, total cortisol (stress) levels, waist circumference, and body mass index, and the lower their risk for depression.
For writers, hobbies are even more important. Here are five reasons why.
Writers Need Hobbies 1. Hobbies help keep writers healthy.
As noted, hobbies are good for our mental and physical health. Writers who choose active hobbies like nature walking, biking, hiking, playing sports, gardening, and the like will be doing themselves a big favor.
We all know that writing is unhealthy when it comes to our bodies, but all that sitting (or standing) is also bad for our brains. Scientists have found that what’s good for the heart is good for the brain, and vice versa.
A sedentary lifestyle has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease—and dementia. An active life, on the other hand, reduces the risk of both.
If your hobbies are active, you can enjoy both the physical and mental benefits they offer—but only if you do them regularly.
“When you increase your heart rate and get your blood moving with physical activity,” writes writer Shanna Mallon, “you tell your body to pump more oxygen to the brain, as well as release a bunch of brain-stimulating hormones. Make it a habit to get moving! Your writing will thank you.”
2. Hobbies inspire creativity.
You’ve heard of “cross-training.” It’s the idea of doing various exercises rather than just one to work all your muscles and prevent imbalances. The result is a more well-rounded fitness plan that creates a healthier body.
Hobbies provide the same sort of counterpoint to writing. They help you engage different parts of your brain, making you a sharper writer.
“When you stimulate your brain through recreation,” writes Mallon, “you also stimulate it for writing work.”
Studies on scientists found that the most successful ones were more likely to engage in hobbies involving imagination, hands-on activities, art, and music.
A study out of San Francisco state university found that people who engaged in creative activities often scored 15-30 percent higher on performance rankings, and were more likely to come up with creative solutions to on-the-job problems.
“I know a good many fiction writers who paint,” wrote author Flannery O’Conner, “not because they’re any good at painting, but because it helps their writing. It forces them to look at things.”
Writers Need Hobbies 3. Hobbies help writers keep things in perspective.
Writing can be an all-encompassing activity. It requires so much of our time, energy, focus, and heart that if we’re not careful, it can take over just about everything.
If you get a rejection and feel like your life is going to end, or go through a rather disappointing book launch and feel like your life is worthless, it’s time to get back into your hobbies.
All writers have gone through periods like this, and the answer is to regain some balance in your life. Hobbies help you do that.
Whenever I lose myself in another hobby, I emerge feeling refreshed and renewed. Suddenly the difficulties of the writing life don’t seem quite so extreme. Getting involved in something else we enjoy helps us remember that writing is an important part of us, yes, but it’s not everything.
“If your only hobby is writing,” writes ghostwriter Ronda Manzo, “then you risk becoming one-dimensional. You may have the best imagination in the world, but if you only sit at your desk with a pen and paper, then you will miss out on all the valuable experiences that could be incorporated into your writing….If you’re more interesting, then your writing will be too.”
4. Hobbies help remind writers of how people act.
If your hobbies involve interacting with other people, they provide you with extra benefits. Not only do they get you out and away from your writing and help refresh and recharge your brain and body, but they also give you the perfect opportunity to people-watch—which can remind you how people act in the real world.
If we remain wrapped up in our imaginary worlds too long, we can forget the truth about human nature, and our characters may begin to act unrealistically. Frequent reminders help us do the character research that’s necessary to bring our stories to life.
“The more you observe and understand people,” writes author Ellis Michaels, “the better your writing will be. Watching people interact in different settings is a great way to make your characters more realistic.”
Writers Need Hobbies 5. Hobbies help you overcome writing problems.
There’s nothing better than a hobby to jerk loose a solution to a writing problem.
I’ve had many an “aha” moment concerning my novel plots after seeing a movie, for example, or taking a walk, as the activity puts me into a different sort of reflective mood that can offer me unique insights into what I was struggling with.
“Playing the piano is for me a way of getting unstuck,” wrote American writer Madelaine L’Engle. “If I’m stuck in life or in what I’m writing, if I can I sit down and play the piano. What it does is break the barrier that comes between the conscious and the subconscious mind. The conscious mind wants to take over and refuses to let the subconscious mind work, the intuition. So if I can play the piano, that will break the block, and my intuition will be free to give things up to my mind, my intellect.”
L’Engle explains it so well. Hobbies can help break the barrier, or get the editing brain to hush long enough for an intuitive solution to come through.
Often we feel we must do the opposite—work harder, push more, and lock ourselves to the chair to overcome a writing problem.
Instead, the solution is often to walk away and get involved in something else.
How do your hobbies help you as a writer?
References
Eschleman, Kevin J., Jamie Madsen, Gene Alarcon, and Alex Barelka. “Benefiting from creative activity: The positive relationships between creative activity, recovery experiences, and performance-related outcomes.” Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology 87, no. 3 (2014), 579-598. doi:10.1111/joop.12064.
Pressman, Sarah D., Karen A. Matthews, Sheldon Cohen, Lynn M. Martire, Michael Scheier, Andrew Baum, and Richard Schulz. “Association of Enjoyable Leisure Activities With Psychological and Physical Well-Being.” Psychosomatic Medicine 71, no. 7 (2009), 725-732. doi:10.1097/psy.0b013e3181ad7978.
Like Sherry, I define hobbies pretty widely. I especially love how they get me away from my desk, and typically encourage me to move more (or at least sit differently!). I’ve noticed too that playing the piano (I’m really not good) helps me with concentration and mindfulness: if I lose focus, I lose my place.
So true, Pauline. You can’t play an instrument with your mind wandering! Thanks for reading. :O)
Thank you so much for posting this in such an important time. I heard about getting stuck in the middle of writing and others have asked for advice. This is the best advice of all!
Glad you liked it, Becky! I’m wondering what your hobby of choice is? :O)
This post brings up the question of what counts as a hobby? I tend to think I don’t have many, but that may be due only to my vague definition of hobby. If I think of all the non-work things I do that I don’t have to do, then I have a long list. For instance, I thought someone who gardens as a hobby plans out the garden, gains some expertise, loves working at it. I plant haphazardly, thin reluctantly, dislike the work of weeding; but I’ve been doing this for 30+ years without fail. It’s not always an “enjoyable leisure activity,” but I couldn’t not do it.
Good question, Sherry. The official definition is, “an activity done regularly in one’s leisure time for pleasure.” Doesn’t sound like you particularly like gardening? But I’m sure you do gain some benefits from the activity. Your experience does make you step back and say, “Why am I doing this?” Perhaps a chance to evaluate if you’d rather be doing something else–if this is a force of habit–or if you are, indeed, experiencing some sort of payoff for it.