When hobbies serve to disconnect and (at the same time) grow

When hobbies serve to disconnect and (at the same time) grow | People ACCIONA
When hobbies serve to disconnect and (at the same time) grow
Not everything that prepares us to perform better happens during working hours. In small, intentional breaks essential skills for working – and living – flourish in a more balanced way.
In the 1920s, President Calvin Coolidge had an unconventional way of relieving stress: he rode a mechanical horse installed in the White House. This peculiar hobby, which might seem anecdotal, reveals something essential about the relationship between leisure and well-being: sometimes, disconnecting from work means finding unexpected ways to reconnect with oneself . Bill Clinton, for his part, was (and still is) an enthusiast of crossword puzzles, a mental exercise that trains memory, vocabulary and concentration.
Far from being mere distractions, these presidential hobbies remind us that time away from work can be much more than rest: they can be a source of personal and professional development. For some of the most valuable skills in the workplace are, paradoxically, cultivated outside it.
What will I about read in this article?
Activities that prepare us to perform better
Hobbies as vital rehearsal spaces
Activities that restore us (and prepare us to perform better)
When we discuss mental attention without requiring cognitive effort. A walk in nature, caring for plants or even tasks that involve quiet concentration can help us regain focus, reduce stress and improve our readiness to face work challenges.
From active rest to enhancement
Many hobbies that help us relax also help us develop skills. Mindfulness , for example, teaches us to be present, to reduce mental noise and to make calm decisions. It only takes a few minutes a day to notice its effects on attention, mental clarity and emotional responsiveness to stress.
Journaling – a practice that consists of writing down our ideas, emotions or plans – helps us to order our thoughts, detect patterns and gain perspective. This metacognition skill is key to leading, planning and managing conflict in the workplace.
Doing things with your hands in order to think better
Manual activities also play an important role in our balance. Pottery, embroidery, carpentry or even DIY connect us with a tangible, slow and attentive way of producing. They train us in patience, precision and the value of process. By engaging in something that requires sustained concentration without pressure for immediate results, we improve our tolerance for frustration and our ability to concentrate for long periods of time, two valuable qualities in complex work environments.
Play to make better decisions
Strategy games, such as chess, Go or even simulation video games , are mental gymnasiums. They teach us to think through possible scenarios, anticipate consequences, adapt and make decisions under pressure . These skills have a direct application in project management, planning or team problem solving.
The art of freeing your mind
Playing an instrument, dancing, painting or cooking without a recipe are not just means of expression: they’re also exercises in creativity and mental flexibility . In these spaces, mistakes aren’t penalised: they become part of the process. This fosters an open, exploratory and courageous attitude that’s especially valuable in environments of innovation or constant change.
Hobbies as rehearsal spaces
What all these activities have in common is not the what, but the how: they’re spaces where we allow ourselves to learn without urgency, to make mistakes without fear and to enjoy ourselves without expectations. And, in that context, skills that we then take to work without being consciously trained are developed.
Because, as Calvin Coolidge’s mechanical horse or Bill Clinton’s crossword puzzles reminded us, there’s no single way to bring out the best in oneself. Hobbies are not a luxury or an escape route: they’re a space of our own, where we continue to cultivate who we are beyond work… and also within it. Because what we enjoy outside, often results in strengthened skills, attitudes and approaches that enrich our professional life. A place where, without realising it, we learn to be better. So that we work better, and live better.
Source:
https://historyfacts.com/famous-figures/article/surprising-hobbies-of-u-s-presidents/
https://books.google.es/books?id=7l80AAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&hl=es#v=onepage&q&f=false
Journalist and content manager specialising in sustainability . Trained at the Carlos III University of Madrid, she works at the intersection between the environmental, the human and the organisational from a conscious and committed point of view.
Her texts seek to provide clarity and perspective, integrating a critical, conscious and documented look at the challenges of the present.
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