Taking up a hobby isn’t just good for your personal life, it could make you more creative, engaged and fulfilled at work too. That’s the finding of a new study by researchers from the University of East Anglia and Erasmus University Rotterdam, published in the journal Human Relations.
The key is something the researchers call “leisure crafting”, which means approaching your free time with intention, by setting goals, learning new things, and connecting with others through your hobby, rather than simply switching off in front of the television.
“It’s already known that hobbies are good for your well-being,” said lead author Dr Paraskevas Petrou. “But our study shows that hobbies don’t just make you happier, they can also help you feel more fulfilled and creative at work. This goes beyond just relaxing or having fun – like binge-watching Netflix – and turns the hobby into something that helps people grow.”
To test the idea, the team asked nearly 200 working adults with an average age of 46 to watch a short video guiding them to engage with their hobby in a more purposeful way. This meant setting personal goals, trying to learn something new through the hobby, and where possible doing it alongside or with feedback from others. Researchers then checked in with participants weekly for five weeks, tracking how the plan was going and how it affected their mood and behaviour both at home and at work.
The results were clear. People who followed the leisure crafting approach reported feeling their work was more meaningful and that they were behaving more creatively on the job. Those over 61 also reported a broader boost in positive emotions.
One finding caught the researchers off guard. “We were surprised to see that leisure crafting had a stronger effect at work than in people’s personal lives. We had expected equal benefits in both areas,” said co-author Professor George Michaelides. One likely explanation, he suggests, is that participants were already fairly content outside work, but had more room to grow professionally. “If what people do outside work can also have this positive impact on them in the workplace, organizations should support staff not just in their jobs, but in all areas of their lives.”
Co-author Professor Laura Den Dulk agreed. “This is a reminder that people aren’t just employees – they’re whole individuals, and supporting their personal growth outside of work can have a positive impact inside the workplace too.”
The practical implications are straightforward. Employers could allow staff to use personal development funds for hobbies, formally recognise leisure commitments alongside family responsibilities, or offer workshops helping employees approach their free time more meaningfully.
As Dr Petrou concluded: “The results show that our hobbies and personal growth outside of work aren’t separate from who we are at work. What we learn and experience in our free time can make us better, more fulfilled employees.”
Paraskevas Petrou, Laura Den Dulk, and George Michaelides. The leisure crafting intervention: Effects on work and non-work outcomes and the moderating role of age. Human Relations, https://doi.org/10.1177/00187267251407641