Source: Barbara Kinney, Public Domain
There are many ways to incorporate your hobby into your worklife. For example:
- I incorporate my piano playing into my work as a career counselor. After a client or I have come up with an idea for their career or personal life, I often will say something like,
Let's slow down and give you a minute to reflect on what we just came up with, and not just from an intellectual perspective but a feeling one. So I'm going to play soft music on the keyboard for a minute. Just let the idea wash over you. Get in touch with how you're feeling about the plan."
Clients appreciate that and that minute of reflection often triggers a valuable reaction.
- When I was a teacher, my hobby was hybridizing and growing roses. Every week, I'd bring in a fresh bouquet and became sort of known as the school romantic.
- Another of my hobbies is basketball. If I were in a workplace, not self-employed, I'd invite co-workers to shoot hoops after work or even organize us into a team that would play in a community league.
Here are ways other people have incorporated their hobby into their work.
- My wife is a great cook. So she brings in brownies or primo leftovers to the break room.
- As I walk down College Avenue in Berkeley, I pass the Edelweiss jewelry store. Often, the salesperson, when there's no customer there, is playing the violin, with the front door open. Not only does it pass the time, it probably attracts customers.
- A dog lover mounted a campaign in his workplace to bring well-mannered pets to work. Purina offers a step-by-step procedure for making that happen.
- An interior designer whose hobby is photography posts before-and-after photos on her website and in her office.
- A motorcyclist, instead of just inviting coworkers or customers out to lunch, invites them to take a motorcycle ride.
- An environmentalist raises funds from coworkers for a nonprofit or organizes lunchtime and after-work hikes. They bond healthily instead of stuffing their faces with lots of unhealthy calories at Happy Hour.
- A guy decorates his cubicle with his model airplanes, ships, and cars.
- A woman sells her handmade soaps in the break room.
- Many people like to write but can't make a career out of it but could, for example, keep a workplace blog, Days of Our Worklives.
- An amateur portrait painter might ask coworkers if they'd like a painted portrait to replace their photo on the organization's website or wall.
- Someone who speaks a foreign language might offer lessons before or after work.
- If you're into yoga, Zumba, or pilates, offer a class before or after work.
So, would you like to try incorporating one of your hobbies into your worklife?
Marty Nemko's bio is in Wikipedia. His new book, his 8th, is The Best of Marty Nemko.
