You shouldn't sleep on your hobbies 🏀

Yesterday, on a flight back home, I didn’t watch a movie, read a book or even nap.

Instead, I spent the entire 2 hours solving Sudoku puzzles… ( 🚨🚨🚨 nerd alert)

By the time we landed, I felt mentally drained but in the most rewarding way.

I had slept on Sudoku for years.

Why? Life happens. Hobbies disappear.

Disappearing Hobbies

As kids, hobbies are everywhere. Sports, music, crafts, games.

If we’re blessed to have them, they shape our upbringing and identity.

But as adults, they slowly vanish.

Work fills our days, screens fill our evenings, and hobbies get squeezed out.

When I go through a hobby-less phase, I notice something in myself: I become restless.

What Are Hobbies?

Hobbies aren’t just “activities to pass time.”

They’re intentional investments of mental and/or physical energy where effort and enjoyment meet.

• They sharpen focus.

• Reduce stress.

• Build skills.

I also like to think of them as the modern day antidote to passive scrolling.

The 2×2 Hobby Matrix

I’ve been playing with a way to think about hobbies in a simple 2x2 matrix.

Hobbies can be solo or social - mental, physical, sensory, or a mix of them all.

Here’s a highly subjective illustration:

The idea isn’t to collect hobbies but for me to notice which quadrant I am ignoring the most. Because each one has its perks:

• Physical + Solo → discipline, flow, endurance.

• Physical + Group → teamwork, connection.

• Mental + Solo → focus, problem-solving.

• Mental + Group → creativity, communication.

To have a balanced hobby diet, I try to tap all four quadrants.

Final Thoughts

Screens provide instant gratification.

Hobbies provide lasting satisfaction - and that’s a key ingredient to true happiness.

When you fill your life with hobbies, whether it’s Sudoku on your balcony, padel on a Saturday morning, or improv on a Tuesday night, you don’t need social media to fill the gaps.

This year I revived a couple of long-lost hobbies. Nothing feels more invigorating!

My advice: Pick one hobby to bring back this fall and consider where it sits on the matrix.

What’s an ole hobby you’d love to pick up? Hit reply and let me know.

See you next week,
George

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