What we lose when turning hobbies into side hustles

Hobbies can be a great way to unwind, escape the world’s troubles, and give you a meaningful activity to do outside of work hours.

However, in this economy and society of optimisation, productivity, and multiple streams of income, turning a hobby into a side hustle is not only tempting, but it’s also encouraged.

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It’s appealing to turn what you do in your spare time into passive income, but what do you lose in the process?

The point of hobbies

By definition, hobbies are activities people do regularly in their leisure time for pleasure. The most important part of having a hobby is enjoying the activity.

Hobbies can be any activity one regularly engages in that sparks pleasure, such as reading, writing, baking, running, walking, or colouring. They can be creative, physical, mentally challenging, or sometimes even academic.

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The downside of monetising hobbies

When hobbies are turned into a side hustle, you risk turning a space of enjoyment into a responsibility. Many people online, including self-proclaimed motivational speakers, influencers, and the like, encourage people to monetise their hobbies.

According to burnout coach Anna Schaffner, there is a constant desire to maximise efficiency, and rarely encouragement to do something simply for the joy of it. Ultimately, the simplicity and pleasure of the activity fade away behind consumerism, optimisation, maximisation, and the push for perfection.

For example, to start running as a hobby, you are influenced to buy a smartwatch to monitor your heart rate, get a thousand steps in, buy an expensive water bottle, running shoes and weighted vests. Then you’re encouraged to join running clubs selling memberships when you could just map out a safe route, wear comfortable shoes, and start running.

Benefits of hobbies

Having hobbies has many benefits, from physical to psychological. It’s important as an adult to have at least one hobby you can participate in as regularly as once a week. According to Healthline, hobbies can help manage stress, regulate psychological function, and improve negative emotions.

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