The Hustle Killed the Hobby
But You Get to Be Creative Anyway
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Hello Friends,
Happy Friday
Last week, while having my eyes tested I started thinking about hobbies.
Thats a lie actually; what I first started thinking about was: How can it be that I’m old enough to need reading glasses? Then my brain moved onto: Why does needing reading glasses apparently require three different pairs of extortionately expensive glasses? And why does Specsavers have 50 million options for lens types, fixtures, and finishes?
(Side note here - owing to complete overwhelm at said number of glasses decisions, I have yet to choose any and may just continue handing packets with small writing to my children for them to decipher for me, for the foreseeable future.)
Eventually, after churning through all of that, I did get to thinking about hobbies. On the pre-examination questionnaire, popped up that age old question: Do you have any hobbies?
I mean, do people still have hobbies?
Hobbies were historically something you did to avoid boredom or make you look good on your UCAS Personal Statement. And here, now in 2025? You don’t get bored — you scroll your phone. And as for UCAS forms? Well, I’m glad that I no longer feel inclined to lie about what I enjoy doing in my spare time just to ingratiate myself to the powers that be in ivory towers. I can’t be the only one who, at 17 created an impressive imaginary 19th century literature reading hobby — Sure, I liked to read, but not the classics, and my actual favourite past-time was hanging out with my friends — a perfectly human hobby for a teenager.
There is also the issue that circa 2011ish with the boom of places like Etsy, pretty much any hobby became a side hustle — aka another job, leaving no time for actual hobbies.
We’re all creative types here and I’m certain that you like me have had multiple hobbies. You know how it goes, see a cool craft on the internet and immediately think:
That is so cool, I could totally do that.
Cue spending an obscene about money on supplies, being totally obsessed for six months, before being inspired by something else and relegating all those expensive supplies to a box/drawer/cupboard of doom. Sometimes, in the circular nature of life you come back to these things. More often, they are destined to languish in the cupboard of doom for eternity.
So in answer to the questionnaire:
I’m a 45 year old neurodiverse creative, and hobbies? It’s not straightforward. I do lots of creative things. I’m into wellness, I exercise lots, I have a complicated relationship with my phone, I scroll too much. I have family, a house, an elderly cat — all of which require time and attention.
I really wanted to leave the ‘Hobbies’ section on the questionnaire blank. To opt out in protest. Say that the concept of hobbies no longer exists.
Of course I didn’t. A good girl through.
I obviously wrote: Reading and Running.
Until next week.
Wishing you all a wonderful weekend.
Becca x
News & Updates
A Home for All Seasons: One Year in the Wild
Kay and I will be popping up at Vintage Style Living on Wednesday 9th July to celebrate one year of A Home for All Seasons! Tickets are £10 and that includes a glass of fizz or a summer mocktail along with nibbles. We would love to have you there! x
P.S If you love Interiors and Seasonal Living then please consider purchasing our book, A Home for all Seasons.
If you have already purchased the book, firstly thank-you SO much for your support and secondly, we would love it if you would consider leaving a review?
Thank-you, Becca & Kay x
