The Joy of Hobbies: Why Making Time for What You Love Matters

When life gets busy, hobbies are often one of the first things to disappear.

There is work to do, family to care for, appointments to manage, and responsibilities that seem to fill every corner of the day. We tell ourselves we'll get back to the things we enjoy when life settles down.

But what if hobbies aren't simply something extra?

What if making time for the things that bring us joy is actually an important part of mental health and self-care?

Hobbies can give us something that our responsibilities often don't: an opportunity to step outside of our usual roles and simply enjoy being ourselves.

Why hobbies matter for mental health

Hobbies are often described as leisure activities, but they can have an important role in our overall wellbeing.

Engaging in activities we genuinely enjoy can create opportunities for joy, connection, creativity, movement, accomplishment, and rest. They can also give our minds a break from the constant problem-solving and responsibility that can contribute to stress and burnout.

A hobby doesn't need to be productive.

It doesn't need to lead to an accomplishment.

You don't need to be particularly good at it.

Sometimes, “I enjoy this” is enough.

For people experiencing stress, anxiety, burnout, grief, or major life transitions, reconnecting with meaningful activities can be one small way of creating more balance and enjoyment in everyday life.

My own reminder: I just really love hockey

For me, one of the places I experience this is on the ice.

I love playing hockey.

I play women's hockey two to four times a week with women ranging in age from their 30s into their 60s. What I love isn't only the game itself. It's the combination of physical activity, challenge, laughter, friendship, and connection.

And recently, there was a moment that reminded me of exactly why I love it so much.

I was sitting on the bench beside another player between shifts when she turned to me and said,

“I just really love hockey.”

I looked at her and said,

“So do I. So do I.”

And that was it.

No deep conversation. No great revelation. Just two women sitting on a hockey bench, completely understanding each other.

But I found myself thinking about that moment afterward.

There was something so lovely about being able to say, without qualification, I just really love this.

Not because hockey is productive.

Not because I'm trying to accomplish something bigger.

Not because it serves some purpose beyond the fact that I enjoy it.

I just really love hockey.

And sometimes, that is enough.

The joy of being fully present

When I step onto the ice, I'm not thinking about my to-do list.

I'm not thinking about what needs to happen tomorrow.

I'm playing hockey.

There is the physical challenge, the competition, the satisfaction of improving, and the occasional frustration when a play doesn't go the way I hoped. There is also the laughter, the friendships, the dressing-room conversations, and the feeling of being part of something.

For those hours, I get to be fully present.

I get to play.

I get to laugh.

I get to connect with other women (and the occasional male support as well).

And I get to be a part of something that has nothing to do with the other roles I hold in my life.

There is something incredibly grounding about that.

Hobbies can help us reconnect with ourselves

This can be especially important when life has become centred around caring for other people.

Parents, caregivers, partners, and people navigating demanding careers can become so accustomed to putting their own needs last that they lose touch with what they actually enjoy.

Over time, this can contribute to emotional exhaustion and burnout.

You might find yourself thinking:

I don't even know what I like anymore.

I don't have time for myself.

There are too many other things that need to get done.

I'll do something for myself when things calm down.

But sometimes things don't calm down.

Sometimes we need to intentionally create small pockets of time for ourselves while life is still messy.

That might mean joining a recreational sports team, taking a class, getting back to reading, spending time in the garden, making art, playing music, walking in nature, or simply finding something that makes you laugh.

Hobbies don't have to be another form of achievement

For many of us, even our leisure activities can become another opportunity to judge ourselves.

We should be better.

We should improve.

We should accomplish something.

We should be more consistent.

But hobbies can offer an opportunity to practice something different: doing something simply because we enjoy it.

You don't have to become an expert.

You don't have to turn your hobby into a business.

You don't have to measure your progress.

You can simply participate.

This can be particularly meaningful if you've spent a lot of time feeling that your worth comes from what you accomplish or how much you do for other people.

Making space for joy isn't selfish

Many people struggle with the idea of prioritizing themselves. They may worry that taking time for a hobby is selfish or that they should be doing something more productive. But caring for ourselves isn't about withdrawing from the people and responsibilities that matter to us.

It's about recognizing that our own wellbeing matters too. When we continually run on empty, it becomes harder to be present, patient, connected, and engaged with the people around us.

Self-care isn't always about doing something quiet or restful.

Sometimes self-care looks like getting on the ice.

Sometimes it looks like laughing with friends.

Sometimes it looks like doing something that makes you feel energized and alive.

Finding joy during difficult seasons

There are times in life when joy can feel harder to access.

During grief, separation and divorce, chronic illness, caregiver burnout, anxiety, or other significant life transitions, activities that once brought pleasure may feel distant or even impossible.

You don't have to force yourself to feel joyful. Instead, you might gently begin exploring what feels meaningful, interesting, comforting, or engaging right now.

Perhaps the question isn't:

“What makes me happy?”

Maybe it's:

“What would feel good to make a little room for?”

That shift can take some of the pressure off.

You don't have to feel amazing.

You simply have to create an opportunity to experience something different.

What brings you joy?

If you've been feeling disconnected from yourself, consider asking:

• What did I enjoy before life became so busy?

• What activities make me lose track of time?

• Where do I experience laughter or connection?

• What am I curious about?

• What would I try if I didn't have to be good at it?

• What makes me feel more like myself?

And then consider making a little space for it. It doesn't have to be two hours every day.

• It might be one evening a week.

• A Saturday morning.

• A walk with a friend.

• A recreational league.

• Ten minutes with a book.

  
  

Small moments count. Your life is about more than your responsibilities. You are more than the roles you fill and the things you accomplish.

There should be room in your life for things that simply bring you joy.

For me, that's hockey.

And sometimes, sitting on a bench between shifts and hearing someone say, “I just really love hockey,” is a reminder that joy doesn't always need to be complicated.

Sometimes we just really love something.

What's yours?

Looking for support?

If you've been struggling to make space for yourself, feeling burned out, or navigating a difficult life transition, therapy can provide a place to explore what matters to you and how you want to build a life that feels meaningful.

At Transforming Tides Psychotherapy, I provide compassionate, trauma-informed virtual therapy across Ontario, supporting adults and older teens with concerns including anxiety, burnout, grief and loss, separation and divorce, chronic pain and illness, self-esteem, relationships, and life transitions.

Sometimes finding your footing begins with making a little more room for the things that make you feel like yourself.