Getting creative can have a positive impact on your life.

When you’ve got a schedule jam-packed with work, family responsibilities, and dealing with everyday life, using any free time to pursue a hobby seems like a waste. Getting creative for your own personal benefit isn’t as important as being able to pay your bills or spend time with people you love, right? While it’s true that finding balance in your life may include sacrificing some non-essential things, a hobby doesn’t have to be one of them. In fact, getting creative and learning new hobbies can have a positive impact on different aspects of your life. Whether you’re thinking about starting a side hustle to bring in extra money, or you just want to learn a new skill, it may be time to invest in creative interests. Here’s how artistic skills can help you build career confidence.

Your after-hours hobby can improve your at-work performance.

You’re building a career you’re happy with and you may be worried that indulging in hobbies outside of work could be a distraction. A San Francisco State University study, however, found that 15-30% of people who have a creative hobby outside of work performed better at their job than those who didn’t. Learning a creative hobby is a fun method to potentially boost your current job performance and make an impact at work.

Hobbies can help you relieve stress and improve mental health.

No matter how much you love your job and your family and friends, there are days when everything feels like it’s piling up. The stress can be overwhelming. A hobby you enjoy can help you take a step back from what’s stressing you, letting you clear your head while doing something you find enjoyable. Additionally, creative hobbies like jewelry design or writing can be an outlet when you’re dealing with anxiety or depression. You can take time to reflect on what’s bothering you, and create something you’re proud of at the same time.

A creative hobby can help you meet new people and network digitally - and locally.

If you’re passionate about your new hobby, whether it’s knitting or dressmaking, you’ll start reaching out to groups and following social media pages of companies and people who share the same interest. Besides looking for advice, you can also find new friends and networking opportunities. There could even be others at your company who enjoy the same hobby and that can build a relationship that can make a positive impact on your career in the future.

You get into the habit of learning.

No one ever stops learning, whether that’s a new skill that can boost your resume in your industry or a fun activity that keeps your brain working. Your creative hobby can help you learn to stay focused, calm, and the better you become at it, the more confidence you have in yourself!

You can make some extra money.

You love your current career but extra income never hurts, right? If you become an expert in your hobby or art, you could use what you love to do for fun to add to your savings account. You can even use the extra money to buy something you’ve wanted for awhile. Your side hustle can relieve the stress of monthly bills. Selling your goods online with websites like Etsy or Amazon Homemade, or even at local fairs and festivals, can also be a fun way of getting out in your community!

Learn a new creative skill with ICS Canada.

Not sure how to get started picking up a new creative hobby? ICS Canada’s flexible, online courses like Dressmaking and Design, Jewelry Design and Repair, and Floral Design can help you learn a new hobby whenever and wherever works for you. You could even discover that becoming a dressmaker or masterting another one of our creative programs has been your dream job all along!