How to stick to your hobby
How many times have you picked up a new hobby?
In my case the list is a little too long. It includes Carnatic music, canvas painting, sketching, coloring, learning a guitar to my latest being origami. One thing common among most of these activities is my exceptional ability for not sticking with them.
I gave up Carnatic music after a year, painting after two. I sketch on and off (I have approx 20 sketches in 8 years) but, the longest I have held on to a hobby is for 12 years. Yes, that’s right, I have been playing the guitar for 12 years. 12 years of “Happy Birthday To You” and nothing more.
Have you ever had a hobby where you started with enthusiasm but never continued? If the answer is No, please stop reading this article. You, Sir/Ma’am, are set for life.
But if your answer is yes, then you are my kind of person. A discontinued hobby could be anything. Maybe your zentangle is incomplete, maybe your violin sits and collects dust, maybe you lost your ballerina tutu, or your origami papers were crushed etcetera.
I understand it can be difficult to stick to a hobby when there are so many things to do. I may not be a guitarist; but I am an avid reader and, I regularly practice yoga. I realized, I was able to continue reading as a hobby only because subconsciously I followed certain pointers.
Here are those pointers that helped me sustain my hobbies and could be of value to you as well.
What’s in it for me? (WIIFM)
For me, most of my hobbies are a way of stress relief. They help me take my mind off the tension and calm down. For example, take adult coloring books, they can be an excellent way to unwind after a long day at the office.
Maybe reading books is your thing. I read books because I love getting to know new stories and ideas. It gives me the happiness of discovery, which I may not have been able to do on my own without the book. It makes me forget why/what my boss screamed at me. By the time I finish reading a chapter, I feel peaceful.
Focus on how you feel once you complete the activity for the day. Do you feel lighter? Do you feel happier? maybe a sense of achievement? or just an overall good feeling. When you understand the emotion behind your hobby, it is easier to keep at it.
Plan a Schedule
The best way is to earmark certain days on your calendar. You can take dance lessons every Thursday or maybe keep aside some 20 minutes before bedtime to read.
While planning, try to weigh in your daily life. Think of your office hours or your social commitments. You may love the violin but taking lessons on a Saturday night, when your friends are hanging out with the latest gossip, may not be the best plan. The important thing is to enjoy your hobby.
Find a companion
If you love dancing then, maybe a dance crew is a good idea. This way, you have a community that shares your interests and encourages you. Also, having a friend join you could help you stick to your hobby for longer. Each being accountable for the other. Warning: It may not be easy to find someone with similar interests as you.
Visual cues
I have a habit of buying more books than I can read. As a result, I always have a stack of unread books. I keep them on a shelf right next to my bed at my eye level. Maybe I remember it better, or maybe it was just guilt, but over time, my reading has become more regular, and my stack has grown smaller.
Out of sight, out of mind could happen to your hobby as well (My guitar, is hidden behind my closet door and as a result, might remain hidden). You might try to ignore something right in front of you, but eventually, you will pick it up.
Avoid excuses, start small
The mind can come up with some of the best excuses ever.
“I’m too tired.”
“It’s too late in the night.”
“It’s too early in the morning.”
The trick here is to know yourself and your excuses. Start small. If you don’t feel like playing an instrument for an hour, then do it for 5 minutes. You will not realize when the 5 minutes become 10. Before you know it, you will have at least a solid 30-minute session. While it might be okay to take a break from time to time, don’t lose touch completely.
Patience
I lacked patience when it came to my guitar. It takes years of practice, to be able to play a musical instrument. You require precision and perfection for the melody to sound like a melody, without being harsh on the ears. In the case of a physical skill like dancing or singing, you need patience; in the process of learning and you need to practice regularly.
Even in creative hobbies, your first sketch may not be Instagram worthy. There are techniques to be learnt and, bettering an art form is a step by step process.
Give your hobby a good shot but, if you don’t enjoy it then let it go. It is not a hobby if you have to force yourself to do it.
In the fast-paced life that we have today, it is necessary to pick and stick to a hobby, to make time for yourself to relax and feel good. So, keep at it.
