22 Hobbies You Can Do At Work (Office and Shift Workers)
Are you working in the office, are you a shift worker, do you looking for hobbies you can do while working, well, you have come to the right place.
Don’t use your free time at work only to hang out on social media or smoke, there are many other healthier and productive things to do. In this post, you will find many hobby ideas for office and shift workers.
Why You Are Looking For Hobbies You Can Do At Work?
Maybe you are looking for something that can boost your productivity. If this is what you need you should look for hobbies that will improve your work and your relationship with coworkers as well.
Maybe you are waiting for someone who is late for a meeting. Well, in those cases many would use the phone and check social media. After you read this post you will find out that there are other things you could do in those situations.
But, not everybody can do their hobby while working, for example, loud music might bother your coworkers. There are chances you have a strict working schedule.
Many people pursue their hobby while working and get away with no consequences but don’t forget that you may have problems with your boss if you do your hobby while at work.
I don’t want you to get fired because of my hobby suggestions, be careful, you should know the best what you can and what you cant do while at your work.
So, no matter what your current situation is search for the following hobbies you can do at work, choose the one that works for you, and leave the rest.
Hobbies for Office Workers
In this section, you will find many useful, relaxing, and productive hobbies you can do while working in your office. Some will help you when stressed, others will burn calories while working. Let’s start with yoga.
Yoga
Sitting at a desk for many hours can cause problems like a stiff neck, a sore lower back, or tight shoulders and hips.
In case you are facing these, you should think about office yoga. It is one of the most beneficial hobbies you can do at work, it will definitely help you to focus on work.
You can simply practice poses at your desk, only a few minutes will be enough to help you minimize discomfort throughout the day.
Rubik’s Cube
Rubik’s cube is one of the hardest challenges and it is a great hobby with many benefits. If you are working in an engineering office you should consider it. By the way, here are more hobbies for engineers.
You can have it all the time with you, you can play with it anywhere even behind the desk at your work.
Once you solve it you will become more self-confident and if you continue with more difficult variations, you’ll notice an increase in your cognitive abilities.
Crossword Puzzles
Crossword puzzles are a great way to pass the time even when at work.
If you have the time to incorporate this hobby into your working routine, it will help you with productivity and better overall mental health.
So, just forget about stressful work and relax for 5 minutes with a good crossword puzzle.
Take Online Class
Online courses are not only for geeks. Usually, you will need access to the internet, but you will also find downloadable classes.
Always try to learn new things, take online classes, sacrifice every minute you have to learn more, if you have a chance do it also at work.
Who knows… maybe you’ll invent something new at work, maybe you’ll impress your coworkers with your new skills.
Learn a New Language
Learning a new language is a productive hobby that you can do even while at work.
Search online and you will find many online language courses. This way you will always have something to do when your all work slows down.
If you work for yourself you’ll realize that you have access to a new market just because you speak their language.
Watch a Ted Talk
If you watch Ted Talk I guarantee you’ll learn something. These videos cover many great ideas on many topics.
But, it is not optimal to go through every single video while searching for the topics you are interested in.
If you search in the right places you should find many lists of Ted Talks, the following list is centered around productivity.
Write
If your work is centered around the computer take a five-minute break and write something in a word document. In this post, you will find more hobbies that involve writing.
Write some short poems or massage and send them to your coworker or your loved one. Writing is a great hobby that you can do almost everywhere, so why not do it while working.
If you have a lot of time available while working in your job you could also write a novel or start to write your blog, but this takes much more time, so tell your boss about it.
Coloring
You’ve probably heard that many people these days do coloring as their hobby, it can be an excellent hobby to do while working as well.
Coloring is great if you have stressful work, with only five minutes of coloring you will be able to relax and work more focused.
This hobby is not just another time burner but it can benefit your life in many ways. Tell your coworkers that you color to boost your productivity, maybe they will start to color too.
Drawing
I am sure you will easily find some paper and something to draw with, all you have to do next is to imagine or determine any object.
Draw people, cartoons, and other characters and objects of all kinds use online resources to help you master the process.
Once a day, take a break for fifteen minutes and draw something, while doing it you will relax and grab more energy to keep on working.
Fantasy Sports
Not familiar with fantasy sports? Basically, you are coaching, and managing your fantasy football team which is based on real football players.
After choosing your team you compete based on the statistics of these players in real-life games.
After playing for some time you will realize that fantasy sports skills are useful in other areas of life as well. For instance…it can help you with making the right decisions.
Listen To Music
Many people listen to some music while working, it is one of the most obvious hobbies you can do while at work.
The best way to listen to your favorite music while working and not disturbing your coworkers is by having earbuds.
Many resources state that listening to instrumental music can boost your productivity at work, so choose your favorite music and get back to work.
Listen To Podcasts
These days podcasts are extremely popular, as long you use a smartphone and have an internet connection you can listen to them anytime and anywhere, also at work.
In case you don’t know where to find good ones visit this link and you’ll find podcasts that will give you inspiration and lift you up.
Read Something
Read online or get yourself some magazine, it doesn’t matter just read something and relax a little and let the tensions drain away.
No matter how stressed you feel at work, it all just slips away when you read a great article or story.
After all, you never know when information that you just read about might come in handy, at work, or in your personal life.
Visit Social Media
I would usually advise not to spend a lot of time on social media, but once a day for five minutes is acceptable, even if you do it while working.
Search for a friend and suggest a short drink after work, or search for some event in your area.
But don’t use it just because you have nothing else to do, this list proves that there are many other productive things you can do while working.
Daydream
Daydreaming is not only sitting in an office and blankly staring out a window, daydreaming for five minutes a day can be actually beneficial.
Since you’re always imagining new situations and stories, daydreaming forces you to develop your mind.
While daydreaming you will improve your memory and make yourself a better thinker which should be beneficial for your productivity at work.
Hobbies For Night Shift Workers
The following are hobbies for shift workers, you can pursue these while working or when you are off from work. These hobbies will help you to stay alert and productive, with these you will also get rid of boredom. Let’s start with weight lifting.
Weight Training
In case you spend a lot of time on the phone during work you might consider weight lifting.
Many people can do weight training and regular tasks simultaneously. If you are inspired bring a barbell to work or use something else if your office disapproves of bringing it.
I am sure you will quickly find other items to create resistance. Look around your office, you should find a water bottle or case of printer paper.
Yo-yoing
In case you are working long night shifts, there are possibilities you feel bored sometimes, Yo-Yo could be a fun hobby for you
Many of us played with yoyo a lot, but we all somehow forgot about it. These days you will find many good tutorials on how to do yoyo tricks.
Also, if you search online you will find a lot of different yoyos, get yourself one and use it in your free time during night shifts.
Chess
Play chess with a computer or with those who work with you during working shifts, search for helpful chess online resources.
Not everybody can play it while working, you have to have at least half of an hour to play chess with your coworker, maybe even more.
On the other hand, if you play it on your smartphone or on a computer you can pause the game and come back later.
Board Games
Play board games with your coworkers, these days you will find many different ones on the market.
Board games can be fun and can give your brain a workout, it depends on the game but you will be able to practice trading, resource management, and many more skills.
Consult with your boss about it and if you get permission to play it, this could be one of the best hobbies for night shift workers.
Dominoes
Dominos is another board game that you can do while having a night shift.
It is a classic table game that it’s not hard to play. All you need is a set of tiles and at least one coworker to play with.
If you are inspired, do the search and get yourself a set. After you have one you can choose between straight dominoes and Mexican train dominoes.
Darts
In case you are working at the hotel reception then I am sure you are facing long boring night shifts sometimes.
Consider darts, it is a great hobby that will help you to stay alert during your night shifts.
Search online, you’ll find that its a cheap and fun hobby, you always have the chance to buy a good darts for as little as twenty dollars.
Poker
First of all, when playing online poker you need to be responsible, play it just for fun, or for a very small amount of money, don’t take it lightly.
But one thing is for sure, poker may build self-confidence, which is one of the most transferable skills you can use at work as well.
Make sure you play it just for a small amount of time, let’s say fifteen minutes. After that, you should focus on work and play it after you finish your working day.
Other Things You Can Do While You Are Bored At Work
Edit Your Email Box
Check your spam folder and erase all spammy emails.
Unsubscribe from newsletters that you ignore, because what is the point of receiving them if you don’t open them.
Send an email to old colleagues and ask them how everything’s going.
Create a folder with emails you need to read in the future.
Clean Your Computer
Clean screen, keyboard, and everything that comes along a computer, including mouse.
Delete any personal photos or emails from your working computer. Stop clicking “remind me later” and run all updates.
To stay safe, update your oldest passwords. Make the logical structure of your files and move them to whatever cloud service you prefer. Try other hobbies you can do with a computer.
Clean Your Working Area
Start with your desk, take everything off, and clean it with the spray cleaner.
Clean up everything else and organize your workspace.
Make a list of what you need, maybe you miss some office supplies or snacks to survive the whole eight hours.
Work On Your Productivity
Think about time differently and figure out how to use it productively, if you feel lazy pick up the following hobbies.
Make your first to-do lists, or upgrade the old ones.
Read about time management and master it with different techniques.
Did I miss something?
Well, these are just a few hobbies that you can do while working. I am sure there are more hobbies you can do while working, find even more hobbies for night shift workers here.