How does having a life outside of work make you better at your job? Experts answer

It has been said that pursuing hobbies and spending time with people outside of work matters in leading a good life.

But do these interests make any difference at all in our professional lives? 

GMA News Online spoke to a psychologist, a life coach, and a human resources professional, to gain insights on how pursuing hobbies and interests can actually help make us better at our jobs and why we should start thinking of work-life balance as a necessity rather than a luxury. 

The importance of having a life outside of work

Johanna Marie O. Sison, MA, RPsy, RPm, RGC, of the Psychology section of the Department of Neurosciences or Makati Medical Center Institute of Neurological Neurosurgical and Behavioral Sciences (M.I.N.D.S.), told GMA News Online that having a life outside of work “is crucial to our overall well-being to manage mental and physical health while creating a balanced and meaningful life.”

According to Sison, a life outside of work can be a way to manage symptoms of stress, even anxiety and depression. Furthermore, she said having a life outside of work helps in preventing burnout.

“Being engaged in hobbies or areas of interest (e.g. singing, cooking, baking), it functions as a natural stress reliever—giving a person a break from work pressures,” she said.

Sison underscored that it is important to have an identity outside a job.

“At the end of the day at work, you connect yourself back to other areas of your life that you have identified and connected with, such as family, friends, community groups (e.g. church, support groups),” she said.

Having these connections also prevents a person from feeling lost when moving to another job or going into retirement.

Moreover, having a life outside of work encourages health and helps a person remain curious and willing to learn.

“This promotes a growth mindset (a belief that one can improve one’s abilities with effort and persistence). This helps to counter the inclination of being passive and disengaged,” Sison explained. 

“It gives you a reset and taps in areas of the brain for creativity and problem-solving. Thus, you come back to work with a different perspective." 

Benjamin ”Benjie” R. Garcia, the Executive Coach and President of POWERinU Training and Coaching Philippines, Inc., had shared that important activities outside of work include spending time with family, friends, and loved ones; taking care of one’s health; resting and relaxing; and having spiritual practices.

“Well-being stems from taking care of all these other aspects of life, not just work,” he said.

Per Garcia, these interests can enable a person to find expression and fulfillment outside of their professional career.

“These interests also serve as support (either psychological or emotional or both) to the individual, particularly during challenging times,” he said.

He noted that it is important to nurture personal relationships, as “having people we can trust and can talk honestly about our dreams, our successes and failures, our doubts and fears is truly priceless.”

“Investing time and attention on other endeavors outside of work also provides rest or recharge," said Garcia. 

Rowena F. Subido, First Senior Vice President and Group Head of Human Resources at the Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC), likewise agreed that these interests help a person maintain physical, emotional, and mental well-being.

“Engaging in hobbies and activities outside of work can help reduce stress from work.  It fosters a healthier work-life balance, preventing burnout and eventually improving productivity,” she said.

Our hobbies can help our work performance

With these in mind, we can glean that having a life outside of work can make us better at our jobs, even raising performance and improving problem-solving skills. 

As Garcia said, “New ideas and solutions to work problems can come from inspiration from a hobby.”

The three experts agreed that taking a step back to focus on hobbies also serves as a reset after getting absorbed in a job.

“Taking a step back by shifting our attention on other things creates an opportunity to view the situation from a different or broader perspective. This can result in a different way of approaching the work or task,” Garcia said.

Subido added, “You can have a clearer mind, thereby enabling you to come up with a more positive mindset.  This would also allow acquiring new skills and personal development.”

According to Subido, although having hobbies does not directly solve work issues, “engaging in diverse activities can inspire creativity and bring new perspectives in work.”

Sison cited a research article by a group of researchers led by organizational psychologist Kevin Eschleman, which shows that non-work creative activity can help in performance-related outcomes and recovery experience such as mastery, control, detachment, and relaxation. 

Per Sison, hobbies also enhance social intelligence, which can be brought to the workforce.

“Participating in group leisure or sports enhances one’s sociability and well-being. This makes collaborating a positive experience,” she said, adding that these social experiences will make people more open to collaborating, working with a team, and navigating work cultures.

Another benefit is emotional regulation. Participating in an activity, like the creative arts for example, provides an outlet for emotional expression, gives a sense of achievement, and helps with regulating negative emotions.

“By improving one’s emotional regulation, the person can be calm during times of decision-making,” Sison said. “It can help reduce stress and allow an emotional reset. This puts you in a better position to make mindful decisions that can impact others.”

These can also provide new ways of thinking, which help in finding solutions to work problems.

“It improves the chances the person can exercise cognitive flexibility and creativity when strategizing how to plan, organize, and complete a task,” she said.

Moreover, pursuing hobbies and interests builds confidence and a growth mindset, and having them supports a work-life balance.

“Learning new skills takes time, focus, and patience. This builds on grit and resilience when persisting on a long-term project,” Sison said.

“Managing stress and burnout enables you to be committed and have more energy and motivation to do work."

Tips on building a life outside of work

The three experts gave words of wisdom when it comes to building a life outside of work and living a balanced life.

Garcia said that the starting point is to determine one’s life purpose “as well as the kind of person we want to be. This will serve as our guide in building our life.”

He used the concept of the Wheel of Life, wherein the purpose is at the center of the wheel, and is surrounded by interests.

“Work is just one of the ‘interests’ or domains, albeit an important one. Broadly, the idea here is to reflect on how satisfied you are in the various interests as it relates to making progress towards your purpose,” he said, adding that it is important to identify actions to take based on what one wants to improve on.

Meanwhile, Subido shared that “activities outside of work that you are passionate about can give you a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction.”

To live a more balanced life, she emphasized building social connections not just through social media but through meeting people personally.

“Start with those with the same interests as yours so there’s rapport immediately,” she said.

Subido added that one should intentionally schedule Me Time, and treat these “personal activities as important as work meetings.”Setting aside time for traveling locally and abroad and to practice self-care are also important. 

“For those working from home (WFH), have a distinct workspace to separate work from personal life,” the HR expert said.

Sison likewise gave tips for building a more balanced life.

First? Setting boundaries.

“Establish specific work hours and [enforce] them. Essential to create a daily routine that grounds you. This helps to structure your day,” she said, noting that it is also important to take the time to not use gadgets.

“Redefine your identity – create a vision of yourself outside of work, define your passions and interests.”

Moreover, she advised discovering or rediscovering an interest by trying something new or anything that sparks curiosity, as well as prioritizing social connections and setting regular meetings with people whose company you enjoy.

Finally, the registered psychologist emphasized investing in one's physical and mental health.

“Have a movement activity you can do regularly (e.g.walking, yoga, dance); protect your sleep as this improves your mood and energy; [and] if one is in a crisis or feels stuck—reach out for support when in need of help.”

—CDC, GMA Integrated News