As we get older and busier and gain more responsibilities, it’s easy for things we enjoy doing to slip by the wayside and get forgotten while we focus on things we have to and must do.

It’s easy to work all day, come home and plant yourself in front of the TV – but nurturing your interests and even making goals for the things you like to do in your spare time can be really rewarding.

Here are ten reasons pursuing new or long forgotten hobbies is important:

• It’s important to have something just for you
• Being absorbed in something and learning something new improves our brains
• You can meet people
• Hobbies build self-esteem
• They’re a way to relieve stress
• Hobbies make you interesting
• Hobbies are a point of connection with other people
• You can avoid boredom
• They keep you youthful
• Hobbies enrich your perspective

So today give some thought to perhaps a long forgotten hobby and set about making time to pursuing it again, or maybe investigate something new you would like to learn how to do.

Let me know below how you love to spend your spare time!