10 Hobbies Entrepreneurs Pursue Outside the Office

You may be surprised at what skills translate well in business.

Question: What's your side hobby/what crazy, fun activity do entrepreneurs do in addition to running their business?

Competing in Endurance Events

"Is exercising fun? You bet. I love to compete in endurance events -- cycling, jogging, swimming, mud running, you name it. My favorite events have been BattleFrog and the Spartan Run, but I also enjoy just cycling in the morning, too. I set a goal and offset the hours I sit at the desk during the day."


Playing Video Games

"I manage to find time for video games regularly and probably play more than I should. I like to think that in addition to the downtime, there are many life lessons from video games. For example, if you're encountering enemies, then you're going the right direction."


Adventure Scuba Diving

"I am an adventure scuba diver, having dived in every continent including Antarctica. I scuba-dived in the most shark-infested waters in the world (Cocos Island) and found peace and beauty in the most turbulent and dangerous underwater ecosystems. It's a startup metaphor. If you can find perfect calmness face-to-face with a 12-foot hammerhead or 1,000-pound leopard seal, you've got startup-level grit."


Running

"I think all of our brains work a million miles a minute all day long, and there is something very stress-relieving about letting your body also move quickly. Running provides such a great outlet to let your mind wonder. Some of my biggest business problems have been solved while running."


Practicing Acro Yoga

"I recently got into Acro Yoga, since it's a great workout and requires so much focus that keeps me from stressing over my business. More so, it's fun and teaches you a lot about communication and trust. I definitely recommend it! "


Traveling

"While I can't do it as much as I'd like, I love to travel and see new things. Every year I try to cross at least one epic site off the list. This year, I really want to get away to Hawaii and explore all of the amazing waterfalls. It won't be a successful year unless I have GoPro footage of me triple backflipping off Hawaiian waterfalls. I also love to surf and paddle board."


Doing Creative Home Projects and Painting

"I've been on a home-decorating kick lately, even going as far as to build custom frames with a blank canvas to sharpen my painting skills. It's an amazing creative outlet that lets me explore art in different mediums (and colors!) and it helps me come back to my work feeling refreshed. I never thought I'd be a DIYer, but it's fun to try my hand at different crafty projects!"


Playing Guitar and Songwriting

"I took guitar and songwriting lessons every week in 2015. In addition to it being an awesome creative outlet (and giving me an excuse to leave the office at 6 p.m. twice a week!), it helped expand my network with lots of amazing non-entrepreneurs whom I may never have crossed paths with otherwise. I think every entrepreneur should take up a hobby that inspires him/her to be more creative and social!"


Go-Karting

"I make it a habit of going go-karting weekly to burn some steam after a stressful day. Sitting behind the wheel of an open kart racing 60mph, inches away from the ground, can be both exhilarating and calming. The unexpected race to the finish with total strangers and familiar faces is something that I'm sure we all as entrepreneurs face daily. It keeps me competitive and on my toes."


Gardening

"Gardening is one fun activity that runs parallel to owning a business. You plant seeds and cultivate growth until your crop bears food. You tend the garden of weeds to clear it from distractions. Sometimes you have to grab a pair of shears and make the tough decision of cutting a branch off for the greater good of the tree. It's a great, inspiring outlet."


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10 Hobbies Entrepreneurs Pursue Outside the Office

You may be surprised at what skills translate well in business.

Question: What's your side hobby/what crazy, fun activity do entrepreneurs do in addition to running their business?

Competing in Endurance Events

"Is exercising fun? You bet. I love to compete in endurance events -- cycling, jogging, swimming, mud running, you name it. My favorite events have been BattleFrog and the Spartan Run, but I also enjoy just cycling in the morning, too. I set a goal and offset the hours I sit at the desk during the day."


Playing Video Games

"I manage to find time for video games regularly and probably play more than I should. I like to think that in addition to the downtime, there are many life lessons from video games. For example, if you're encountering enemies, then you're going the right direction."


Adventure Scuba Diving

"I am an adventure scuba diver, having dived in every continent including Antarctica. I scuba-dived in the most shark-infested waters in the world (Cocos Island) and found peace and beauty in the most turbulent and dangerous underwater ecosystems. It's a startup metaphor. If you can find perfect calmness face-to-face with a 12-foot hammerhead or 1,000-pound leopard seal, you've got startup-level grit."


Running

"I think all of our brains work a million miles a minute all day long, and there is something very stress-relieving about letting your body also move quickly. Running provides such a great outlet to let your mind wonder. Some of my biggest business problems have been solved while running."


Practicing Acro Yoga

"I recently got into Acro Yoga, since it's a great workout and requires so much focus that keeps me from stressing over my business. More so, it's fun and teaches you a lot about communication and trust. I definitely recommend it! "


Traveling

"While I can't do it as much as I'd like, I love to travel and see new things. Every year I try to cross at least one epic site off the list. This year, I really want to get away to Hawaii and explore all of the amazing waterfalls. It won't be a successful year unless I have GoPro footage of me triple backflipping off Hawaiian waterfalls. I also love to surf and paddle board."


Doing Creative Home Projects and Painting

"I've been on a home-decorating kick lately, even going as far as to build custom frames with a blank canvas to sharpen my painting skills. It's an amazing creative outlet that lets me explore art in different mediums (and colors!) and it helps me come back to my work feeling refreshed. I never thought I'd be a DIYer, but it's fun to try my hand at different crafty projects!"


Playing Guitar and Songwriting

"I took guitar and songwriting lessons every week in 2015. In addition to it being an awesome creative outlet (and giving me an excuse to leave the office at 6 p.m. twice a week!), it helped expand my network with lots of amazing non-entrepreneurs whom I may never have crossed paths with otherwise. I think every entrepreneur should take up a hobby that inspires him/her to be more creative and social!"


Go-Karting

"I make it a habit of going go-karting weekly to burn some steam after a stressful day. Sitting behind the wheel of an open kart racing 60mph, inches away from the ground, can be both exhilarating and calming. The unexpected race to the finish with total strangers and familiar faces is something that I'm sure we all as entrepreneurs face daily. It keeps me competitive and on my toes."


Gardening

"Gardening is one fun activity that runs parallel to owning a business. You plant seeds and cultivate growth until your crop bears food. You tend the garden of weeds to clear it from distractions. Sometimes you have to grab a pair of shears and make the tough decision of cutting a branch off for the greater good of the tree. It's a great, inspiring outlet."


See Also: 6 Tips for Entrepreneurs Who Are New to Public Speaking

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