In today’s economy, it’s more important than ever to have skills upon skills. While getting a college degree (or a few) is important, it’s also crucial to take the time to continue learning and improving yourself. One great way to do so is by taking up hobbies that help hone skills in many areas. Not sure where to start? Here are a few great hobbies to help you become more marketable.
Yoga
When you think of yoga, you may think of a few things: yoga pants, unusual body positions, and deep breathing. While these are all components of your typical yoga session, there is also one major skill that you can learn each time you practice — meditation. Many entrepreneurs boast the power of meditation and its ability to recenter the mind and allow for better focus on the task at hand. Whether you’re taking a yoga class or practicing at home, you have the ability to make each session a time to practice your meditation skills.
Art and Music
Anyone who tries to paint like Picasso the first time around will quickly realize they bit off more than they can chew. The same goes for a guitarist who tries to sound like their favorite rockstar. Although art and music are both great pastimes that relieve stress and encourage creativity, they also bring along the hidden skill of perseverance. Think about how many hundreds of hours it takes to become a master in either of these hobbies and then keep in mind that any business skill (giving a presentation, leading a team, and more) requires just as much practice to get right.
Volunteering
Empathy and compassion are extremely important skills to have if you ever hope to work with other people. This is doubly true if you’re aiming for a position of power. Unsurprisingly, one of the best ways to practice these skills is by volunteering, and particularly with other people. You could help teach English at your local church, serve the homeless at a soup kitchen, or provide tech literacy classes to the elderly. Regardless of what you choose to do, it’s important to keep in mind where the people you are helping are coming from. By seeing their struggles and kindly helping them, you will soon see that everyone has a backstory, and that shapes their interactions. This is a crucial skill to have, not just for your career, but for your life in general.
Gaming
Most people disregard gaming as a meaningless hobby, but there are many great skills that come with it. In cooperative games, you have to learn how to be a team player, share ideas, and look at how all options affect the group. In an RPG, you may need to learn how to manage resources and overcome adversity in a strategic manner. Sure, you may not actively think about these skills while immersed in your next adventure, but over time, you’ll find that gaming has made a real impact.
Most people decide to pick up a hobby at one time or another, but few really think of the advantages they bring to the business world. If you’re looking for a way to add more skills to your resume, research some options and pick the hobby that will provide the skills you need to move forward in your career.