Can Learning Really Be A Hobby?

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I was talking to a couple of friends about hobbies and one friend mentioned that her hobby is learning. I never thought of learning as a hobby so I asked her if learning can really be a hobby and here’s what I learned.

Learning can be a hobby if you’re doing it for your own enjoyment during your leisure time for pleasure. Learning as a hobby can be anything from reading books, listening to podcasts, watching documentaries, or reading articles.

Ahead, we’ll discuss what qualifies as a hobby and why learning is a great hobby to have. In addition, I will give you 5 things you turn into a hobby in order to learn more.

What Qualifies As A Hobby?

In case you’re wondering whether learning qualifies as a hobby, the answer is yes! But what does it mean for something to qualify as a hobby?

According to the Oxford Dictionary, “an activity that is done regularly in one’s leisure time for pleasure.”

This means that hobbies can be anything from playing video games or painting to joining online courses or reading.

The key for something to be considered a hobby is that you do it regularly in your free time for the enjoyment and pleasure of doing it, rather than because you have to or because you’re getting paid to do it.

Can Learning Be Considered A Hobby?

When you think of hobbies, you probably think about things like playing a sport, painting, or gardening. You may not consider learning to be a hobby because most people associate hobbies with fun physical activities rather than mental ones.

But if you look at the definition of what a hobby is, it can pretty much be anything that you do for your own enjoyment that isn’t related to work or school. So based on that, learning can definitely be considered a hobby.

Why Learning Is A Great Hobby To Have

There are so many benefits to having learning as a hobby. For starters, it’s a great way to keep your mind active and sharp.

As we get older, it’s important to keep learning new things so that our minds don’t become stagnant.

Studies show that people who keep on learning into their late adulthood are less likely to develop cognitive impairments.

Learning can also help you gain new skills, expand your knowledge on an area of interest, and improve your overall well-being.

In some cases, you can use what you learned to advance yourself financially. The world’s richest men including Elon Musk, Bill Gates, and Warren Buffet have all admitted that they learn a lot through reading.

And the great thing is that you can do it all from home without even leaving the house if you want to!

So if you’re looking for a new hobby, learning is definitely a great option to consider.

5 Hobbies That Can Help You Learn

Not sure what hobbies you can do to learn? Here are 5 things you can turn into a hobby to learn more.

1. Read books

Reading is one of the most popular and easiest ways to learn, and you can do it from home by picking up a book or reading an article online.

Whether you pick up fiction or nonfiction, there’s always something you can learn from reading a book.

In general, reading nonfiction expands my knowledge while reading fiction boosts my creativity and empathy so I always try to read both genres.

One trick I do to read more books over a short period of time is to use Blinkist.

Blinkist gives you the key insights of over 5,000 nonfiction books and podcasts in 15-mins easy-to-digest reads (or audio).

I usually spend 30 mins a day reading or listening to Blinkist key insights which are equivalent to 2 nonfiction books. Then, I try to read a fiction book for 30 mins.

2. Watch documentaries

If you prefer learning through visual content, documentaries are a great option. You can watch them on your own time at home or even on the go using your phone or tablet.

What I like most about documentaries is that most of them are also very entertaining. You hardly even notice you’re learning something new.

I recommend watching documentaries about history, events, or people once or twice a week. You can also watch shows that are related to something you’re interested in.

3. Start a blog or make videos

If you want to share your knowledge with others, you can start a blog or make videos on YouTube. This is a great way to connect with like-minded people and learn from each other.

In addition, having a blog will require you to do further research on your topic which will also expand your knowledge.

3. Join an online course

There are so many online courses available on pretty much any topic you can think of. And the great thing is that you can do it at your own pace and in your own time.

Platforms like Udemy, Coursera, and Masterclass offer great courses on just about anything. Try searching for what you’re interested in and you’ll see dozens of courses appear.

4. Attend a workshop

If you want to learn hands-on, attending a workshop is a great option. You can find workshops on everything from gardening to cooking to woodworking.

Who knows, what you learn in a workshop could be your next business.

5. Listen to audiobooks and podcasts

Audiobooks and podcasts are my go-to whenever I want to learn but I’m busy with something.

They’re a great way to pick up the knowledge from books and people without having to sit on a couch and read for hours.

I usually listen to audiobooks or podcasts while working out, driving, cooking, or doing chores around the house.

If you’re wondering where you can get access to audiobooks, Audible is the place to go.

They have the largest selection of professionally narrated audiobooks. If you haven’t used Audible before, you can start listening to audiobooks for free by signing up for Audible’s 30-day free trial.

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Final Thoughts

Learning can be a fun and rewarding hobby to have, whether you’re looking to improve your knowledge or pick up some new skills. So if you’re looking for a new hobby, why not consider learning?

There are tons of ways to do it, so you can find something that suits your interests and fits into your schedule. With the many benefits of learning, there