The day of the week I look forward to most is Sunday, when I can lace up my boots and play soccer in a league.
I arrive at the indoor arena in uniform, freezing my tail off outside and ignoring the need for added layers in my childish excitement. In the dressing room, a song is cued on our speaker while we get ready. There was a brief moment of butterflies when I heard the whistle ending the game before us and I got ready to set foot on the pitch.
Playing soccer has been my hobby since I was seven. It gives me the opportunity to express myself and to feel the pleasure of being completely focused for 90 minutes, when nothing seems to exist but the game.
As a student sometimes caught off track with a short attention span, experiencing that focus — a state experts call “flow” — is just part of the payoff the game I love provides.
Psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi describes flow as a state of complete immersion in an activity when one’s entire being is focused and in sync.
“The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz,” he said. “Your whole being is involved, and you’re using your skills to the utmost.”
That’s one of the benefits of a hobby or activity that one loves. Another is that the schedule adds structure to the week and helps improve time-management skills.
Calgary’s Columbia College states on its website that having a hobby outside school can increase confidence while enabling students to socialize and shed stress.
“Having a hobby that we enjoy brings us joy and refreshes us,” it said in a message to students. “Hobbies help us to manage our leisure and unplanned time more productively.”
The statement adds that taking a short break from work to get involved in something they are passionate about can rejuvenate the mind and help prepare students to handle challenges in the future in a better way.
From experience, I know that in order to reap these benefits it’s important to manage my schedule. There are countless times when I’ve underestimated my workload and filled my calendar with more than I can handle, living to regret it the following week when I fall behind.
I have never been as naturally gifted academically as I have been in soccer. But when I stay on top of my schedule and follow a routine, there is no reason for me to suffer in either department. I succeed best when I stay disciplined and build a habit of setting priorities.
The key to achieving this balance in life is by planning a schedule ahead of time. It’s impossible for everything to go as planned every single time, but when I make note of all my responsibilities, whether it be digitally or on paper, I feel like I am working efficiently.
I sometimes struggle with staying focused when the school week feels like it’s progressing in slow motion.
Anytime I feel this way, I try to remind myself what I have to look forward to at the end of each week. Sunday night. When the ball is on my foot, and the beautiful game is flowing.