Five reasons a hobby can aid your UX Designer career
As a UX designer, it’s important to have a balance between work and leisure. Engaging in hobbies can be beneficial for both your personal life and your career.
I attended a conference recently whereby the speakers talked about the importance of switching off , as it can feel like running in a hamster mill, whereby we are continually running with our career without a break and a chance to learn from other areas.
I have gone through a similar process recently whereby I focused too much time building my UX career over the past, and ignored developing myself and interests outside of work. This caused burnout and made me depressed.
But first, there may be the question of how to discover a hobby when you don’t have one? This is a discovery I’ve been on recently and have realised there are several ways to develop one:
-Explore interests from your childhood and see if there are any you would like to try again. One of my hobbies from when I was younger was cooking and have since reignited my passion for it.
-Look at areas of work you want to explore more and combine several interests together. For example, ideas might be food photography and writing, attending workshops and design and photography.
From the points above, here are five reasons why hobbies can aid your UX designer career:
1) Improves Creativity and Problem-Solving Skills
One of the most important skills for a UX designer is being creative. Hobbies can provide an outlet for your creative energy and can help you think outside of the box. For example, one of my hobbies is cooking and it provides myself an option to be creative and helps to be innovative with new ideas. From this, when you participate in a hobby that you enjoy, you are more likely to come up with unique solutions to problems. This, in turn, can lead to better decision-making and problem-solving skills in your UX design work.
2) Increases Focus and Concentration
Hobbies can also help improve your focus and concentration. When you engage in an activity that you enjoy, you are more likely to be fully present and focused when working. In one study from takelessons.com, they have highlighted that sport based hobbies in particular can help improve efficiency by 15% and be 23% more productive, based on regular participation. This is because you are more likely to be motivated to complete the task and enjoy the process. In turn, this can help you be more productive and focused at work.
3) Provides a Break from Work
UX design can be demanding, and it’s important to have a break from work. Hobbies can provide you with a mental escape from the day-to-day demands of your job. When you engage in a hobby, you can recharge and refresh your mind, making you more effective in your work.
4) Enhances Communication Skills
Hobbies can also help improve your communication skills and provide an opportunity to socialise. When you participate in a hobby, you are likely to interact with others who have similar interests and grow as a community. An example for myself recently has been joining a running club, which has helped to develop additional skills outside of work. This interaction can help you build communication skills and improve your ability to articulate your ideas. In turn, this can make you a better communicator and a more effective UX designer.
5) Develops New Skills
Finally, hobbies can help you develop new skills. Whether it’s learning a new language, playing an instrument, or painting, hobbies can help you pick up new skills that you can apply to your UX design work.
From my own personal hobbies with cooking, history and personal development, its helped me to develop the following skillsets:
-Creativity
-Time Management
-Discipline
-Story telling
-Research
-Interpersonal skills
To sum up the main points from this blog post, engaging in hobbies can provide numerous benefits for your UX designer career. From improving your creativity and problem-solving skills to enhancing your communication skills, hobbies can help you be a better UX designer. So, don’t hesitate to pick up a new hobby or pursue an old one. Your career and personal life will thank you for it!
If you’re interested in receiving mentorship from me, whether it’s for a one-off call or for short-term or long-term membership in UX Design, feel free to book a 30-minute consultation with me through my Calendly link. I look forward to helping you grow in your UX Design career!
