
What are your hobbies?
When did someone last ask you what your hobbies are? Until fairly recently I don’t think I’d faced that question since filling out application forms for part time jobs in my student days. But last summer, during my first physiotherapy consultation, I was asked what my hobbies are. I struggled to come up with an answer and I have to admit that I felt a bit of a flawed person for having to admit to having no hobbies.
Part of me had wanted to counter the physio’s question with, “Do parents have hobbies?” I thought the deal was that we have hobbies as kids and once we have kids of our own our job is to chauffeur them and facilitate their hobbies.
Since then, I’ve found myself thinking a lot about the topic of hobbies: how should we define them and how do they benefit us? And in a world where we all seem to be so stressed and busy, is it alright to not have hobbies?

Childhood Hobbies
As a child, I would have easily listed my various hobbies. From playing the piano to horse riding, ballet to Brownies, tennis to amateur dramatics… I was a busy kid with busy parents facilitating both my brother’s and my hobbies. (Thanks mum and dad!) Some of these hobbies stuck, some didn’t. Which takes me to the ones I didn’t enjoy so much. The less said about the cello the better (sorry mum). And as for the swimming classes - that was very much an activity that I unwillingly attended rather than a hobby I wanted to pursue. Which leads me to my first question, “What is a hobby?”
What is a Hobby?
What do you think of when you hear the word “hobby”? For me it conjures up mental images of children taking part in sports or playing a musical instrument. When I sought definition of the word hobby, offerings were along the lines of:
A hobby is an activity people regularly enjoy doing in their spare time.
From that I picked up on the word enjoyment; a hobby is something we are supposed to enjoy. The other word I picked out is people; nothing here to suggest that hobbies are exclusively for children.
In the UK, reading, walking and baking are reported to be the most popular hobbies. It’s worth noting that these are most often solitary activities and I wonder if they would have been the most popular before the Covid pandemic saw most of us confined to our houses.
Giving Up Hobbies

Like a lot of kids, by the time I started high school my list of hobbies had significantly reduced. I think all that was left were the weekly cello lessons and if we’re using the definition of a hobby being something we enjoy, that was most definitely not a hobby! Research by The British Heart Foundation tells me that I’m not alone in giving up childhood hobbies - 9 out of 10 us have given up our childhood hobbies. That said, I’m grateful for the opportunities I had to try so many different hobbies. Without trying them out, how would we find our passions?
Twenty’s Plenty
By the time I was in my twenties, hobbies just weren’t a feature of my life. Listening to The Psychology of Your 20s Podcast, I learned that my lack of hobbies in my twenties was actually very common. This does tend to be the decade where the majority of our time is devoted to relationships, family and work as was the case for me.
Added to that is the all too easy lure of more passive hobbies such as scrolling social media, watching TV or gaming. I should add that not everyone would count these pursuits as hobbies as they require no action. Yet they are activities enjoyed habitually by many of us during our leisure time. Times change, maybe the sort of hobbies we look for are just changing too?
The Comeback
As work and family commitments reduce, it’s common for people to find that they have more space in their lives for hobbies when they get older. I’ve also observed a number of midlifers adopting or resurrecting hobbies as they work on improving wellbeing and I wonder if all those of us embracing the midlife reinvention/awakening/crisis will boost the numbers of hobbyists. Recent studies by both AXA Insurance and Adobe Express reported around 95% of participants engage in hobbies.
The Benefits of Having a Hobby
To answer my earlier question, “is it alright to not have hobbies?” it seems that in modern day stressful lives, having no hobbies could be to our detriment. As I try to design and live my Rich Life, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that hobbies should definitely feature as they are highly likely to contribute to wellbeing and fulfilment.
Numerous studies have linked having hobbies to better mental health, reduced stress, social connections, improved physical health and fitness, cognitive stimulation and personal fulfilment. Aren’t these the things we’re all striving for?
I’ve certainly experienced some of these benefits. When my mental health was at a low point, with a lot of encouragement/pushing from my family, I joined a local choir which for me was a return to a childhood hobby. Turning up at that first session on my own was quite a leap out of my comfort zone but I settled in and can testify to the benefits of not only a hobby but of singing for improving mental health. For two hours each week, all I had to think about was the songs we were singing. I always left feeling uplifted.

Don’t Force It
While the benefits of having a hobby are clear, for some people holding down a hobby can become a chore. Hobbies often require financial outlay and time commitment. And sometimes more energy than we have left after meeting the demands of the non-negotiables in life.
I strongly believe that when a hobby has to be forced is when it stops being a hobby. Remember a hobby is supposed to be something we choose to do; something that brings us joy. While my choir served a valuable purpose during some very tough months, after around 18 months I realised I was regularly finding excuses to not go. I had reached the stage where I valued my freedom and lack of commitment more than the hobby. So I knew it was time to let it go. As many hobbies do, the choir had a financial cost and, in line with my frugal living, I found myself often thinking about how many trips to London I could do instead of paying my monthly choir fees.
Just for Me

I do, however, still have hobbies. I only have to look at my vision board to see that. It just took me a long time to realise that having a hobby doesn’t necessarily mean signing up to clubs and participating alongside others. A hobby should be something that we do for ourselves, to bring us joy and fulfillment. It should be something that we are happy to spend precious time on. For me, that’s my blog and my travels. Neither involve set times or regular schedules and they don’t always involve being part of a group but they both give me purpose, expand my knowledge and make me happy, some of the components of the Five Hobbies Rule.
I walk pretty much every day and love my walks but I’ve always just considered it part of my life, never considering it a hobby even though it very much meets the criteria.
Five Hobbies Rule
While some people claim that between 2 and 5 is the optimum number of hobbies, others suggest that following the Five Hobbies rule will help us to achieve a balanced and fulfilling life by pursuing hobbies which help us to:
Make money
Keep in shape
Be creative
Build our knowledge
Evolve our mindset
Conclusion
Reflecting on my own experiences and the insights I’ve gathered, it’s clear that many of us do have hobbies as adults—we just might not label them that way. The word "hobby" often feels tied to childhood pursuits, but in reality, hobbies are crucial for adults too. They offer a way to nurture our well-being, discover joy, and balance our busy lives.
Whether it’s a structured activity like joining a choir, a quiet passion like blogging or walking, or even something unconventional, hobbies can enrich our lives in countless ways. They’re not just about filling spare time—they’re about carving out moments of joy, connection, and purpose. I want my kids to see me doing this so that they will do the same for themselves.
If the word “hobby” feels limiting, think of it as self-care, personal growth, or simply something you love doing. Whether it’s one passion or five, what matters most is finding what resonates with you.
So, do mums have hobbies? Yes, we do—and so do dads, students, retirees, and everyone in between. Hobbies aren’t reserved for kids; they’re a lifelong gift to ourselves, a way to cultivate happiness and fulfilment, one joyful moment at a time.
I’d love to hear about your hobbies, old or new, in the comments below.
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