Did you know that having many hobbies is actually good for your health?

A study published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine found that spending regular time on a hobby or leisure activity has a positive impact on your overall health, can improve your daily function, and lead to a longer life. The benefits grew for study participants who were involved in several leisure activities compared to those with only a few.

While this study wasn’t a revelation to me, it did scientifically confirm what I have observed through the years. Case in point, my own father. My dad has more hobbies than most people I know. Happily retired now and living in Perth, Scotland, he will tell you that he has no idea how he ever had time to work! His hobbies keep him quite busy in a healthy, supportive way.

Here’s a quick rundown of Dad’s favorite pastimes:

He’s a member of many clubs (including the unusual 🌥️ Cloud Appreciation Society)
Each day he solves the daily code word puzzle (he even⌛ times himself.)
He measures rainfall 🪣 (that’s a daily occurrence in Scotland)!
He’s famed for making things out of corks. Crafting characters in activity mode, like: golfing, curling, gardening, snooker, and yes, as you probably guessed, these are also his hobbies.

Recently he made a chair (maybe inspired by the pandemic, all that sitting around?) and true to his attentive nature, he kept count of the number of corks used in the construction of this chair.

In care you are wondering ‘where does he get all those corks?’ Local restaurants and his many friends collect them and share with him!