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Hobbies are Good For Your Career

If the demands of work and family leave little time for personal pursuits, should you squeeze in time for a hobby anyway? "Yes" writes a career columnist in the New York Times. Even if you only have a few minutes a day, there are strong arguments in favor of taking a break in order to pursue an interest.

When you?re really engaged in a hobby you love, you lose your sense of time and enter what?s called a flow state, and that restores your mind and energy.

Given the on the job stress that most lawyers face, having an outside interest would seem particularly valuable. We are not wired to be in a heightened state of alert 24/7. The human body needs down time to recharge once in a while.

But stress management and productivity are not the only reasons to participate in yoga classes, collect old books, play guitar or go bird watching. A life with outside interests is more fulfilling. It is also a good way to help you market yourself.

If you like wine tasting, you will have a natural way to connect with other wine lovers. If baseball is your diversion, then you will find no shortage of fans who share your passion (particularly if you live in a city like Boston where the Red Sox have now won the World Series twice in a decade after an 80 plus year drought.)

So get out of the office once in a while. No one wants the number of ours they billed during their legal career captured in their obituary. But being a lawyer who was known for his love of sailing and his contributions to important charities...now that is an obituary to live for!

Full post as published by Counsel to Counsel on December 04, 2007 (boomark / email).