Three Productive Hobbies for Smart People

The audacity of my title may raise a number of eyebrows, but I'm sure a lot of others may find it relevant. Although some people might agree on what's on my list, others would probably tend to disagree on some. Well, I'm writing this with a writer's prerogative - the freedom of expression. And you as the reader have always the prerogative to agree or disagree with the writer.

Anyway, if you're going to ask what my bases are for this list, and why I consider them fit for smart people, I'd tell you that I really have no specific criteria as to how I came up with this list, except for the following which are purely based on my own personal standards, observations, and experiences of what a good hobby should be, and how smart people should spend their free time.

• The hobby should be productive in any way
• It should make you a little better in any aspect
• It should not cost you more than you could afford
• It should entertain and delight you
• It should not be detrimental to you or to anyone else
• It should not infringe on anybody's right to privacy, freedom, and good health
• It should have a positive impact on your personal relationships and interactions with other people
• It should help bring out your creativity, resourcefulness, zealousness, self-discipline, and confidence
• It should be healthy for both your mind and body

So what are these hobbies then that would qualify for the set of criteria mentioned above? As per my observation and experience, the following hobbies are suitable for smart people. In fact, most smart people I know engage in such hobbies. What's best about these hobbies is that most of them can be done alone or with your family and friends. So, engaging in these hobbies can be a form of bonding session with your loved ones as well.

Crafting

There are a lot of crafting activities which you can engage in depending on your gender, preference, interest, and resources. Crafting activities most commonly engaged in by a number of hobby enthusiasts include:

• Needlecraft - This hobby is very popular among women as it comes in various forms such as cross-stitching, crocheting, embroidery, and sewing. Although more common among women, I have seen a number of men who engage in cross-stitching and sewing too. These crafts are very enjoyable, but they require your complete concentration and creativity. The good thing about these crafts is that you can opt to do these for your own personal satisfaction and need or for commercial purposes, which can help augment your financial needs.
• Beading and fashion jewelry making - Another female-dominated crafting activity, this hobby also demands your creativity, detailing skills, resourcefulness, and patience. You can also engage in this hobby to produce fashionable items for your own use or your family's needs. And like needlecraft, you can turn this into a family home-business as well, especially if you have teenage or adult daughters who can work with you in creating trendy pieces which you can sell to friends and relatives as a start. You might just tap the inner entrepreneur in you by pioneering such products in your area.
• Pottery - This hobby is best for both men and women. However, its intricate process demands great concentration and attention to details. You can mold lots of items made of clay such as pots, vases, jars, and the like. And like other crafts, you can build a business out of it.

Mind exercises

If you love mental exercises that are both fun and challenging, then mind games are for you. Smart people love to use their mental faculties most of the time even when relaxing. That's why even in the pursuit of a leisurely activity, they generally prefer a hobby that makes use of their mental or intellectual prowess. Common games that require wits include:

• Scrabble - Still among the most popular board games ever invented, this game demands intellectual aptitude coupled with some form of luck. It's a very mentally stimulating game. But if you're just about to start it, beware of its addictive nature.
• Chess - Another mentally exhausting but stimulating game, this has long been considered a game of wits. The strategic moves you need to take to defeat your opponent require logic and an ability to predict your opponent's response or next move.
• Word Factory/Boggle - In this game, you need to form words (at least 3-letter each) out of the letters shown in the tiles during a certain round. You're given 3 minutes to write down all words you can form. And once the time is up, the words you've written will be checked for duplication (words written by anyone of your opponents should be erased), and correctness (correct spelling and sequence of letters as displayed in the tiles).

The only drawback shared by scrabble, chess, and word factory/boggle is that you cannot engage in it alone. You need to have other people who enjoy playing these games too. It can be very frustrating if you love playing these games, but have nobody to play them with.

• Crosswords, word hunts, sudoku, and other similar puzzles - A wonderful way of killing time when you're alone. When you have long hours to spend leisurely alone like during a sea trip, or waiting for someone in the park, a book of puzzles could be a perfect companion. You will not only sharpen your vocabulary skills and logical ability, but you will also effectively conquer boredom without engaging in an unhealthy habit.

Freelance writing and photography

If you have a flair for writing, then use most of your free time penning something worthwhile. Aside from the fact that writing provides a way to relieve mental and emotional stress, you can even turn it into a part-time job.

The advent of online publishing has paved an infinite way for aspiring and professional writers alike to explore, enhance, and showcase their writing skills. There are numerous websites that serve as writing platforms for various types of literary compositions.

If you love taking pictures, there are also a number of sites where you can submit your digital photos, and earn from them. All you need is a digital camera with a modest level of resolution, a passion for taking pictures, and a few hours of web surfing and voila, you've found yourself a very enjoyable, fascinating, and productive hobby.

Engaging in a hobby that does not only help you deal with stress effectively like a real smart individual, but also brings out a better you, need not be expensive or difficult to do. You just have to determine which one appeals to your interest and start with it. You may engage in any or all of these hobbies as much as you can. Just remember though that smart people know how to balance all aspects of their lives. Even if you engage in these hobbies, you should not neglect your more important personal, physical, professional, social, and spiritual responsibilities.