Three reasons to take up a hobby

I recently saw an article in one of my Mother-in-Laws magazines and thought it was worth posting here.

Three Reasons To Have A Hobby;

1 - IT MAKES YOU FEEL HAPPY
When you are completely absorbed in a hobby you love, you enter a 'flow state' where you lose the sense of time passing. Studies have shown that being in this high state of concentration releases 'happy' chemicals - endorphins and dopamine.

This is certainly the case with me when I am working down my shed - the time just flies by.

2 - IT IS GOOD FOR THE HEART
A US study found that people with a hobby were 34% less stressed and their heart rates were not only lower but stayed that way for longer.

3 - YOU'LL BE BETTER AT YOUR JOB
A recent study in the Journal of occupational and Organizational Psychology found that those with hobbies had improved problem solving skills and were more likely to help a workmate tackle problems. Plus the more time they spent on their hobby the better their job performance - scoring between 15 - 30% higher than colleagues without a hobby.

I find that if I am away from my hobby - the shed in particular for any length of time, I get withdraw symptoms and find myself needing to model or paint something.

Tony