Knowing when to dump a hobby is almost as important as choosing one. And there are lots of valid reasons to stop a hobby. All activities have their drudgery; bike maintenance, wedging clay, commuting to the yoga studio. The pleasure of the activity should outweigh the drudgery though. When a hobby begins to consistently feel like a chore, it is time to reconsider if it is worth continuing.
If the cost of the activity is unsustainable, it is time to reconsider. Financial situations change and that can have an impact on your hobbies. If your hobby becomes unaffordable, set it aside. You can always return to it later when your situation improves.
If your hobby negatively impacts your mental of physical health then it is definitely time to reconsider. I have friends who run. They have had to pause running because of various knee and ankle injuries. That’s okay.
I love video games but I was playing one game, Fallout 3, which takes place in a post-apocalyptic America. It made me so depressed I had to stop playing as it was affecting my mental health. What is funny is I have played subsequent Fallout titles without issue, but that one affected me more than was healthy. I’m not sure if it was because of where I was in my life, or the game itself. But I have never tried playing it again.
Another time to take a pause from a hobby is if you hit a wall. If a hobby is beginning to make you feel more frustration than enjoyment, then it is probably time to set it aside for awhile. There are countless video games I have played that stopped being fun. Numerous books I started but stopped reading. Movies I have turned off because I was not enjoying them. Life is too short to waste time on things you don’t enjoy doing.
If a hobby is interfering with your relationship or personal life, then you may want to give it up. Sometimes hobbies can become addictive. They may provide an escape or become a substitute for something missing in your life. From my own life, I played World of Warcraft online. It is a MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game). You play a character that you create with other people from around the world online. As players complete quests, explore dungeons and the like, they progress to get better weapons and armor. You can also join guilds, which are like teams of players.
I would come home on Friday after work, start playing and not stop until Sunday evening. Partly because it felt like I would be letting my guild-mates down if I didn’t play with them. Partly because with headsets we were able to talk to each other while we played so there was a social component to the activity. But it was replacing a more face to face social life. I was no longer going out with coworkers or friends in favor of my online activities.
It also had a very negative effect on my health both mentally and physically. And the research shows I wasn’t alone. I wasn’t getting enough sleep and my weight increased to over 250 lbs, the most I have ever weighed. When I went for my annual physical my doctor asked me what I was doing? I had become pre-diabetic and my heart wasn’t sounding as good as it should. It became clear that the negative impacts were greater than the enjoyment. I went home that afternoon and uninstalled the game.
I know couples that have arguments because one of the partners had a collection that was taking over their home. What’s more important, a hobby or a life partner?
Ceasing an activity or stopping a hobby is nothing to be ashamed of. It is a sign you have outgrown it and it is no longer useful. As Marie Kondo says, “Does it spark joy?” If it doesn’t, get rid of it. Audit your own current activities – do they still spark joy?