Get A Life!: How Hobbies Affect Mental Health, Work-Life-Balance and Aging

by Hon. Emil Giordano

The term “hobby” has a few quintessential meanings depending on the kind of person you talk to. Sometimes, hobbies are expressed through hands-on, creative means such as painting or playing music. They may also lean toward physical, sports-oriented fields such as recreational softball teams or hockey beer leagues. A hobby could even be the stereotypical coin collector looking to fill their U.S. map with all 50 states’ 25¢ companions. Whether your hobby is a solo adventure or a group activity, they are paramount to your mental, emotional, and physical health.

Pennsylvania’s Shippensburg News Chronicle cited a survey by ModestFish.com that found beekeeping, “aquascaping” (decorating fish tanks), and falconry as the top 3 pastimes in PA, despite Parx Casino being right down the road. However, do note that audiences of the Modest Fish website are more likely to be animal-oriented people, which may be a reason why these eclectic hobbies rank so high.

In determining whatmy fellow Pennsylvanians are up to these days, I surveyed my colleagues at Norris McLaughlin, P.A. in Allentown. What are the 9-5ers are doing to stay occupied?

As expected, the results of my survey proved one thing across the board: no one at the office is beekeeping, “aquascaping,” or doing any of the other 8 “top” hobbies in PA. Fortunately, they are participating in some type of hobby. I sent out a survey for anonymous responses and received a list of diverse interests. My colleagues were all reliant on the ability to improve mental and physical health. Regardless of whether someone was writing a screenplay, gardening, in a book club, or “putzing around the yard,” they all wanted to do them to be happy and healthy.

I posed this question very carefully in my survey without giving away the intent: “If you have a hobby, what is your favorite thing about it?” Simple enough? The results were positive, noting mental release, comradery, happiness, stress relief, disconnecting from stresses, being with friends, etc. And though this was not an official survey and simply a gauge of interest in our firm, it does prove that some people lead different, creative, and eventful lives outside of the offices.

Work-life imbalance is one of the main concerns for full-time workers. It becomes especially detrimental in the winter days when the daylight seems to exist only when you’re working. A survey that studied employees in Shanghai showed a significant difference in overall well-being and mental health when comparing people who work 60+ hours and have hobbies versus those who do not. Despite being occupied by work or sleep for nearly 2/3rds of their week, the “hobbyists” were able to mentally cope with their lives more. Granted, those working 40 or less felt better overall, but let’s not dwell too much on labor law.

As we get older, we learn to cherish the things that make us happy and continue to do them as much as we can. For me? Those hobbies are music and bodybuilding, arguably two of the greatest hobbies to have. I was a judge; I cannot be biased.

My love for music might be like that of the other 73 million people who witnessed The Beatles sing their early hits on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964. I remember that whole performance as if it were “Yesterday.” I got a guitar at 10 years old and wanted to be George Harrison, and later, when Cream was the rage, Eric Clapton.

I may have chosen to be a lawyer, but after all, even our own national anthem composer, Francis Scott Key, was a lawyer. Rather than take away my time, I attribute my ties to music to my success. I still perform with a band called The Verdict and stay active in Allentown and Lehigh Valley’s art community, most recently playing at MusikFest.

According to a BBC article from early 2024, playing an instrument and being able to sight-read is a positive factor for brain health later in life. Of course, listening to music has been linked with overall positive mental health, but being able to play an instrument has lasting effects on cognitive health.

My secondary hobby, bodybuilding, started as a freshman at Moravian, working out at the Body Factory. The weightlifting bug evolved into a 47-year commitment to the gym or doing some kind of workout unless I was sick or injured. I don’t need to go into detail on the benefits of physical exercise; there are countless GQ articles on kinesiology to read.

I’ve made my closest friends from the gym and through playing music. These hobbies have left an indelible, albeit positive, mark on my life. I’m at no lack of hobbies that can improve my mental and physical health. Finding that sweet spot between the two is how you can maintain a fulfilling and positive lifestyle even as you may be nearing retirement, moving to new areas, or just looking for something to do.

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