It’s a double-edged sword, if we’re being perfectly honest. We live in an age where you can take any number of hobbies and “monetize” them into side hustles. If you’re lucky, you might even be able to transform it into a viable career. I’ve always enjoyed writing, for instance, so I count myself very fortunate that I’ve been able to do this for a living for as long as I have.

That may sound glorious, but the hobby-as-a-side-hustle game has a dark side. When you take on the perspective of a “business,” you run the risk that your hobby will stop being fun anymore. Instead of doing it out of pure enjoyment, you focus more on the bottom line and turning a buck. In short, it starts feeling like work.

Turning Hobbies Into Side Hustles

No matter what your interest, there is the potential shot at turning it into something that makes money. Yes, even camping in the woods (as depicted above) can turn into “branded content.” opportunities abound, right?

  • If you like watching movies, you can start a movie analysis channel on YouTube.
  • Trying to read more books? Launch a blog series where you highlight quotes and excerpts.
  • Enjoy making little handicrafts? Open an Etsy store!
  • Are you a real people person who loves deep conversation? That sounds like podcast material to me.
  • Always keeping up with the latest fashion trends? It sounds like the life of a fashion influencer on Instagram could be for you.

Hobbies are supposed to be fun and rewarding, in and of themselves. They have intrinsic value, irrespective of any external reward. And yet, every time I think about taking up something new, I can’t help but to think how it could be fodder for a future blog post, YouTube video, or Instagram post.

Folding Paper, Seeking Likes

Like, remember when I tried my hand (pun intended) at origami? I felt compelled to tell the world about it, partly fueled by the possibility of reaching new audiences on social media. Or maybe it was about the external validation. Hey world! What I’m doing here, does it matter? Do you care?

Forget About Life-Work Balance?

Several years ago, I wrote about how life-work balance might be a bit of a pipe dream. That it makes more sense to seek life-work integration instead, where work and play are one and the same. I like technology, so I wrote about technology. I play video games, so I wrote about video games. Everything blurs together… but I’m not sure that’s necessarily the healthiest approach either.

I want to feel like I can enjoy some real “me time” without added responsibility of maximizing my ROI. It really made me think whether I even have hobbies anymore, or if everything is an extension of my bigger business as a blogger, influencer and freelance writer. (And yes, I know that “influencer” can be a bit of a dirty word.)

Reinventing Hobbies All Over Again

A big part of this comes from the pressure I put on myself. If I’m not being productive, I feel like I’m wasting my time. I feel guilty for doing something just because I want to do it. How is this thing moving the needle for me? Maybe I should borrow a page from Nathaniel Drew (video below) and “reinvent” myself in 2020.

Can hobbies just be hobbies in this age of social media and side hustles? It’s so easy to start an online business these days. The barriers to entry are so low, and the potential upside is so high. But most online businesses and side hustles barely make anything anyhow, so isn’t it more important to enjoy your hobbies instead? To invest in your own mental well-being and happiness?

Maybe I should go back to origami. And make the intentional choice not to share it on social media. Or, there is that 2020 goal to play more video games too.