Beyond boardrooms: Stress-relieving hobbies for business leaders

In high pressure environments, maintaining personal wellbeing is often overshadowed by priorities, demands, and performance expectations. It is important that executives and entrepreneurs recognize that sustained productivity depends not only on intellectual agility but also on physical and mental resilience.

Stress, when unmanaged, can accumulate gradually, affecting judgment, motivation, and decision-making.

By cultivating restorative hobbies, leaders can strengthen their overall wellness, enhance cognitive performance, and reinforce long-term professional effectiveness.

How stress can affect business

For business leaders, stress is rarely the result of a single factor. It often stems from competing deadlines, people management challenges, financial risks or market volatility, and regulatory pressure, among others. Prolonged exposure to these stressors can manifest in fatigue, irritability, poor concentration, and burnout.

In the corporate context, these manifestations may lead to slower decision cycles, reduced strategic foresight, lower team morale, and compromised organizational performance. Ultimately, a stressed leader inadvertently creates a stressed organization.

Investing time in stress-reducing activities therefore should not be treated as a luxury but a strategic imperative that supports healthier leadership and more sustainable operations.

Benefits of having a hobby

Engaging in a hobby is one of the ways to bust stress. It allows executives to disconnect from work, reset mentally, and pursue interests that stimulate the brain.

Hobbies promote creativity, reduce anxiety, and reinforce emotional balance. They also improve self-awareness and enhance problem-solving by providing the mental distance needed for clarity. Whether practiced individually or with groups, hobbies can also foster social connection.

Here are some hobbies executives should consider, classified as follows:

Arts and craft

Journaling enables leaders to process complex thoughts, reflect on challenges, and identify patterns in their emotional responses. It also promotes clarity and reduces mental clutter. It’s better if it’s done away from a screen and using a pen and a notebook.

Listening to music and podcasts. Music helps regulate mood, while podcasts, whether educational or inspirational, offer new perspectives that can stimulate creativity or provide a mental escape. For those seeking to get analog, consider starting a record collection and then building a listening room, complete with the finest speakers and a bespoke suite of high-fidelity players.

Reading books. Reading strengthens cognitive functions and broadens perspectives, but it does not stop there. Writing notes or reflections while reading makes the reading productive.

Drawing and painting promote emotional regulation through visual expression. Joining an art class may be worthwhile, but painting by numbers can be a good start.

Mind-body and rhythmic practices

Walking. Even short, brisk walks can significantly reduce cortisol levels, enhance cardiovascular health, and improve mental clarity. One can start the habit alone, but communities gathering for weekend leisurely walks are beginning to sprout on social media.

Pilates strengthen core muscles, enhance posture, and supports overall body alignment; while aerobic routines increase heart rate, boost stamina, and release endorphins, the body’s natural stress relievers.

Dancing, meanwhile, provides both physical exercise and emotional uplift, enhancing coordination and promoting self-expression.

Nature- or home-based practices

Yoga. By integrating breathing, stretching, and meditation, it helps build flexibility and restore inner balance.

Meditation, meanwhile, trains the mind to remain calm, focused, and present. High-intensity activities

Cycling strengthens cardiovascular health and builds endurance.

Hiking allows individuals to reconnect with nature and enjoy physical exertion in a calming environment.

Beyond hobbies

In addition to getting one or more of these hobbies, executives can greatly benefit from integrating lifestyle practices into their routines:

1. Healthy eating habits to stabilize energy and mood.
2. Regular exercise to manage stress and maintain physical fitness.
3. A strong support system—family, friends, or peer networks—to provide emotional grounding.
4. Adequate sleep to improve cognitive function and prevent burnout.
5. Relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, to restore calm.

Stress may be unavoidable in business, but with intentional practices like hobbies, leaders can maintain balance and thrive.

(Editor’s Note: This article is part of a special collaboration between Metrobank and BusinessWorld. Our aim is to explore the facets of living well for Wealth Insights readers, who value the finer things in life. From discerning choices in cars, dining, and travel to appreciating exquisite jewelry and, ultimately, the journey toward building a legacy.)