Unproductive on Purpose
For most of my adult life, I’ve had a deep belief in hard work. Maybe you can relate. I’ve always been ambitious, disciplined, and, if I’m being honest, wired to associate productivity with worth.
But even with all of that drive, I’ve learned this:
You can’t outwork your nervous system.
And no job, no accomplishment, no color-coded to-do list will ever be enough if you don’t feel like a full person outside of work.
That’s why I started leaning into hobbies.
Not monetized side hustles. Not productivity hacks in disguise. Just real, quiet, joyful things I do for me.
My return to hobbies
It started with crocheting and knitting that I picked up from watching YouTube videos in the pandemic/work-from-home phase of 2020-2021. What I thought would be a quick creative outlet turned into something deeply grounding. There’s something incredibly soothing about using your hands, watching progress build stitch by stitch, and creating something that doesn’t need to be optimized or monetized. I have grown to the point where I do sometimes sell and donate pieces that I make, but the point of this hobby remains tied to my mental well-being. I am gentle with my timelines and honest with those that purchase from me, there is no two day shipping on something made by hand.
I also find that movement helps me reconnect with myself. I was a Division I athlete in another life, so exercise used to feel like performance. Now, it’s become a place of release, walks outdoors, solo gym sessions, afternoon runs or any other movement that clears the mental static and helps me return to my body.
These hobbies don’t exist to make me better at work.
They exist to remind me that I’m a person first.
Why hobbies matter for your mental health
When your identity is tightly wound around your work (especially if you run your own business), it can be hard to untangle where you end and your output begins. But that’s where burnout hides—under all the roles you’re holding without a place to rest.
Hobbies give you:
A sense of progress that isn’t tied to productivity
A low-stakes outlet for joy, frustration, or restlessness
An outlet for finding your passion—that you’re creative, curious, and capable of delight
The most important thing, you don’t have to be good at them.
You just have to show up, and enjoy the process.
Where to begin
Start small. Follow your curiosity. Try something that feels a little weird, a little playful, a little too unproductive to justify on a busy Tuesday, but do it anyway.
Maybe it’s learning to bake bread. Maybe it’s joining a casual soccer league or planting herbs on your windowsill. Maybe it’s sketching, woodworking, puzzles, swing dancing, photography, yoga, or floral design.
Recently my partner and I tried a pottery class. It was definitely not my thing, mainly because I enjoy having long nails, but my partner was unexpectedly brilliant at it. I had a great time creating blobs ultimately meant for the trash while my partner created dishes, bowls, and cups. While I created nothing of value, no real output, I will cherish the memory and the fun we had.
The only rule is: it has to be just for you.
No pressure. No performance. No pretending.
A gentle reminder - You’re allowed to exist outside of what you produce.
You’re allowed to rest. To play. To try something and be terrible at it.
You’re allowed to be more than your job, even if you love your job.
I created CPA by Day not just to help people organize their businesses, but to help them reclaim their lives. And sometimes, that starts with something as small (and revolutionary) as picking up a hobby.
So here’s your nudge.
What could you do this week that has nothing to do with work—and everything to do with you?
