5 Career Building Hobbies You Can Learn Now
By: Better Thinking Solutions
Tags: Hobbies And Activities, Career Advice, Career Growth, Career Development, Careers

We all love to pursue our interests and some form of activity in our free time. Whether on your morning commute to work or your evening drive back home, there are numerous ways to spend your leisure time.

Most of us choose to spend countless hours on digital devices scrolling endlessly through our social feeds. What if you could use some of that time to learn a new career skill or useful hobby to impress your present (or future employer!)

Instead of spending your leisure time staying busy doing nothing, why not pick a professional hobby?

If you want to improve your professional game, increase your confidence and develop new skills, it’s time to put learning into action.

It has been found out that having an impressive hobby on your resume can actually help sway the opinion of an employer or HR manager in your favor.

Here are 5 hobbies list that will help you enhance your career like a pro -

#1 Reading

Bill Gates is a profound reader. So is Elon Musk, Richard Branson and Barack Obama. See a pattern here?

The genius and drive of successful people can be attributed to a common hobby of reading.

Reading as a hobby has multiple benefits, including expanding your professional outlook and learning new skills and giving you a broader insight.

Whether you are working at sales, business, management or anywhere else — a book can be an easy way to start a new hobby of reading.

Start small and pick any book that grabs your interest. Be it fiction, non-fiction, self-help or a biography, the hobby of reading will help you pick up a new mindset.

Professionals who are well-read, informative and exposed to knowledge are more confident and articulate in dealing with work pressure and stress.

Ultimately, reading as a hobby will help you stay sharp and develop an inquisitive mindset, both of which are essential skills for career development.

#2 Programming

Technology is at the heart of the modern civilization and a rising number of jobs are being replaced by machines. No matter how advance artificial intelligence gets, there will be humans to control and operate the technology. Programming is a fun and engaging way to spend your time after work.

Be it learning to code a game or an app, you can easily start with online programming courses.

Learn at your own pace and decide a schedule before starting. You can pick weekends to sharpen your programming skills (even if you are a complete beginner) or join coding classes near you to learn from a teacher.

A perfect indoor hobby for tech enthusiasts — learning programming as a hobby will take your professional game to newer places.

Life is all about learning new stuff and building better skills and now you too can step up your professional game by learning coding as a useful skill or fun hobby.

Also Read: 5 Incredibly Useful Creative Skills you can Learn

#3 Running

When it comes to career building hobbies, running might not be a thought that crosses your mind.

But did you know that having a physically active hobby will help you manage your work better?

Staying fit is essential to a balanced work-life schedule and running as a hobby is a super easy and inexpensive way to start! Plus, the extra benefits of burning calories and staying fit won’t hurt your overall energy levels at work either.

There are numerous benefits of running beyond a better posture, improved stamina and sleep quality. All these aspects are directly related to a healthy professional performance and a positive outlook at work.

All in all, if you currently lack any physical activity in your daily schedule, you can start with running as a healthy hobby (for your body and career).

If you’re into workouts or advanced fitness, you can even join a fitness center near you to get your mind and body in top shape.

#4 Volunteering

The act of physically connecting and networking with people can be a huge factor in improving your overall social skills and sense of empathy and community.

By volunteering during the weekends or joining a hobby club near you, you can achieve a sense of purpose and direction, which often is, associated with professionals who have leadership traits.

It might be challenging to get you out and take up volunteering as a hobby, but it will definitely look great on your resume.

You can help non-profit organizations do community work, raise charity and spread the cause.

Employers love to hire people who are good with people and can think creatively with a problem-solving attitude in life. One of the most rewarding weekend hobbies, the satisfaction you get while taking an enjoyable break for a cause is immense.

Volunteering is one of the most interesting and fun group hobbies that you can try with your squad! Plus, it’s on the list of hobbies that show leadership and drive.

#5 Learning A Language

Thought it may seem a bit unnecessary to learn a new language in your career, learning a language will definitely add to your market value. Job opportunities for bi-lingual and mult-ingual professionals are on the rise, thanks to the ever-connected global village we live in.

If you don’t have enough time to join a foreign language class near you, there are e-learning websites and language learning apps to get you going.

The benefits of learning a new language are immense. By learning a new language, you can not only speak in another tongue, but can also gain an insight about new cultures, people and their work culture.

They say ‘One language sets you in a corridor for life, Two languages open every door along the way’.

By learning a foreign language, you gain a new vision and self-confidence which in turn, makes you a better prospect for jobs and career growth.

Over To You

While there are hobbies that make you smarter, wiser and healthier, these 5 hobbies will help you sharpen your professional axe and stay ahead in a competitive world.

Finding the right hobby and then learning it from scratch can be quite a task. The key is to break it down into manageable chunks and accomplish something everyday.

If you don’t know how to cultivate a hobby from start, here is our useful guide for help.

Another secret to find time for a career building hobby is to learn the art of time management. You can start with basic time management techniques first and then proceed towards practicing a new hobby daily.

Sure you might think that hobbies are for leisure and there’s no point in mixing work with play. But it’s time to think beyond the recreational benefits of hobbies and consider their professional benefits as well!

So, start working towards a better professional life with a career building hobby that you like. And while you’re at it, don’t forget to have fun!