Whether you're grinding out a late night essay or busy practicing for an upcoming competition, it's important to take care of yourself so that you can feel good while performing your best. I always make sure to include ample time for restful moments and hobbies about which I can be passionate. Not only does this help me to de-stress when times are hectic, but it also can help provide a sense of productivity and accomplishment when times are feeling more stagnant!
One of my biggest hobbies has to be art, including music. Since I was young, I always had a deep appreciation for visual and musical art, and so you'll often find a guitar and a drawing tablet near my work desk! While these hobbies can be completely relaxing for me, I also sometimes endeavor to try bigger projects that require planning and practice to achieve. Even if I can't complete the project in one sitting, the presence of an overarching goal helps to add structure to my time making art. Personally, having structure in my hobbies feels a bit more rewarding since I can benchmark how far I've come in bettering a skill or craft.
Speaking of benchmarks, there is nothing that better fulfills my desire to see progression than rock climbing. Rock climbing is super gratifying because you are climbing toward a goal!
