Hobbies: Fun Is Fundamental for Work-Life Balance

Fun Is Fundamental To Being At Our Best

author: Blake Himsl-Hunter

Written by: Blake Himsl-Hunter

Senior Production Artist + Illustrator

10.19.2022

  • Culture

How EPICers enrich their lives through hobbies

For those newer to our EPIC Creative team, for many years we had a rallying cry of “Work Hard, Have Fun.” It’s a catchy saying, but it has merit to it, since studies have shown that people who have fun at their jobs have better creativity and feel more fulfilled. In addition to the exciting work that we do at EPIC for our clients, the EPIC team also encourages each other to pursue our own personal creative ideas. Many of us spend time on hobbies that bring enrichment and happiness to our lives.

Spending time on something you enjoy has many benefits … from stress relief, to developing a skill, to just avoiding being bored. I’m always excited to hear people describe what they find pleasure in doing. From reading Erin’s cooking posts, seeing Nick’s biking photos, or hearing Dan’s camping stories, I love it when people share their experiences. I rounded up some creative minds from our team—and we have a lot of them—to see what they’re doing to stay fresh and energized through their hobbies.

Music becomes a passion

“My grandma was a music teacher and my parents are both big music fans, so there was always music playing when I was growing up,” said Zak Becker, explaining his love for music. “I’d say I always had more interest in and appreciation for music than the average kid, but I really dove in head first after getting into the Grateful Dead when I was about 10 or 11 years old.”

Making hobbies a couples’ thing

Social Media Coordinator Ashley Statz developed her interest in athletics at an early age, and her sportiness became a way to bond with her boyfriend. “I have been playing softball ever since I was young, starting with t-ball and playing all the way through high school. When my boyfriend Ben and I first started dating, we joined a coed league together. And he is how I got my start in bowling! Ben has been bowling ever since he was 19. He picked it up from his father, and we joined a couples league with his parents. I quickly got better and even purchased my own shoes, ball, and bag!”

If you’re happy and fulfilled, it’ll spill over into all areas of your life … including work!

Working out for fun + results

Project Manager Jessica Birschbach enjoys working out and boxing. “I feel that everyone should find time for something that brings them joy and time that allows them to focus on themselves. Working out is also such a great stress reliever and I always leave a workout with a clear mind and super energized!”

From Animal Crossing to interior design

Danae Schultz started playing Animal Crossing during quarantine, and that led to her developing another interest: “You can decorate your island, you can fish or catch bugs all day, or you can talk with your villagers. The game has some simple objectives, but basically it’s whatever you make of it. I like to decorate my island the most, and I’m always redesigning the layout. Playing Animal Crossing actually piqued my interest in interior design! I’ve been inspired by some of the items I’ve collected and decorated with and have replicated them in my home.”

Willing to invest in wargames

Sometimes hobbies can start to take over, in a good way! “This particular hobby [tabletop wargaming] occupies a lot of space for working on projects and storing the miniatures and related game accessories,” Bill Schmidt said of his hobby. “Like most hobbies, disposable income is a must, as all of the things described are niche product lines. Time is the other big challenge; finding time to actually enjoy the hobby is difficult to find.”

I challenge you to take a moment and think about an activity, skill, or passion that would help you grow as a person and be more fulfilled along the way. If something comes to mind, take the first step today in making it a regular hobby. As many EPIC employees can attest, it can make a huge impact on your life.

Making time for non-work pursuits is important

Time is a common thread in pursuing a hobby. “The biggest challenge is putting enough time into practice playing the banjo, to keep getting a little better (or at least not worse) without feeling too guilty if something else comes up and I am not able to,” Zak Becker explained.

The challenge to take the next step

In the end, the activity is much less important than the fulfillment and positive energy it brings into your life. And oftentimes, if you’re happy and fulfilled, it’ll spill over into all areas of your life … including work! I think that’s why EPIC is so supportive of our hobbies and passions, because they know that pursuing them makes us all better people and better creative professionals.

Before you bounce away to your next task or piece of content, I challenge you to take a moment and think about an activity, skill, or passion that would help you grow as a person and be more fulfilled along the way. If something comes to mind, take the first step today in making it a regular hobby. As many EPIC employees can attest, it can make a huge impact on your life.

Blake Himsl-Hunter has been on the EPIC Creative team for 5 years, and his hobbies include sketching, model-making, and kitbashing. Check out some of his work on Instagram!

Work Hard and Be Nice to People

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