We all aim to do what we love most every day and therefore some of us turn their passion into a job. But what actually happens when your hobby becomes your work? Well, I’m one of those people who did that and I can tell you, it’s not exactly what I expected to happen.
It’s Wonderful
Of course, when your hobby becomes your work, it’s a dream come true. You’re making your passion more than just a hobby. Because of that, every day you can do what you enjoy most. You’re full of inner drive and passion, determined to do everything you’ll need to make things work well.
When I turned my hobby into a full-time job, I was incredibly happy. I still am. Mondays are the days I look for because it will be a new chance to make everything even better. But, honestly speaking, it’s not so perfect all the time.
The Other Side
So however wonderful it is to do what you love most every day, work is still a work. Of course, it’s a little bit different than the work you don’t enjoy. In this case, you work without counting hours. Because of the passion and enthusiasm, you simply don’t want and don’t need to do that. At least that’s how you think at the beginning. There’s no difference between weekend and workdays anymore. It doesn’t matter if it’s late night or early morning. You work all the time. Until you burnout.
It took me around half-year until I break down. I was tired all the time and overwhelmed because of all the things going on. I was imbalanced because there simply wasn’t any balance in my lifestyle anymore.
How To Deal With It?
Gladly, I managed to keep myself together and not to quit. But I needed to change my lifestyle completely. First of all, you need to understand, that your hobby is not just a hobby anymore. It’s a job and every job has working hours. So decide when it starts and finishes or at least how many hours per day you will work. Also, you need to find a new hobby. You need to chill out after work and have fun. Don’t be overconcentrated on your old hobby, explore new activities and find something that entertains you. Well, and of course, you need to always keep the work-life balance. May your weekends be fun, evenings – relaxing and vacations – real vacations.
Life changes indeed when your hobby becomes your work. But to make it last, you must treat it like work, not a hobby. Only then you’ll continue to enjoy it and live a dream.