Hey! – Rob here 
Your Daily Health Fix today is about …
How having hobbies intersects with health outcomes . . .
3 Reasons to prioritise a hobby:
1. Using your brain in a field outside of your work and home life helps to build and maintain neural connections and cognitive sharpness
2. Doing something you enjoy, not only distracts you from lifes other stresses, but the combination of endorphins and neuro transmitters produced contribute to an overall feeling of calm and happiness, at the same time helping to lower cortisol (the stress hormone) which is a strong contributor towards chronic disease (depression, dementia, diabetes, heart disease etc etc)
3. In many cases, hobbies often lead to meeting like minded people and the environment for making new friends. The statistics show that lonely people are more likely to die prematurely, so pursuing a hobby can help you avoid being one of those statistics.
Why ‘me time’ isn’t selfish but necessary:
It’s not uncommon that young and middle aged adults will say that work, relationship or family commitments don’t allow for time to enjoy an extra curricular interest of their own. It’s normal to feel a sense of responsibility or guilt for spending time or money on yourself. The problem is that this eventually leads to burnout, depression, increased stress and metabolic disease.
If by allowing yourself the time and money every week (or multiple times per week) to invest in yourself, you are able to show up in a better mood, stronger, fitter, calmer and more ready for all your work and home responsibilities – and in the long run everyone benefits.
What to do if you don’t have a pastime, or the time for one:
The vast majority of people waste lots of time each day, so you probably have the time. Try deleting social media apps or limiting their use to specific pre-determined windows in the day. Turn off notifications and check in with your emails and messages when you have time to process them. Doing these things alone will probably free up a couple of hours per day (yes, no joke, globaly the data shows that).
Controversially, – If the problem is your boss or a demanding partner, you need to be stern and reset the boundaries. Explain that you’ll be leaving work early every Tuesday to look after your health, and that you don’t answer emails outside office hours. Let your partner know that by you having time to better yourself and releive stress you’ll be a better spouse, parent, life companion etc.
Turn your guilt into the motivation to look after yourself, rather than the factor trapping you in an unhealthy cycle without the time to even gasp for air.
As for not having a hobby to pursue – try everything once! It’s as simple as that. It may be the most quirky or unusual activity that brings you the most pleasure. Don’t let societal stigma prevent you getting interested in new pastimes.
. . . That’s it for this dose,
Until the next time – Stay Motivated!💪🏼
Rob
P.S. If you’re enjoying these updates and they are helping you, please support me and The Health Fix by buying me a coffee ☕️
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