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Key Takeaways
- Investing time in hobbies is more than a leisure activity; it is a strategic advantage that promotes creativity, engagement and a sharper, more grounded leadership style.
I run a SaaS company, but as a farmer I also have another, somewhat surprising side job.
To clarify, it’s not like I use Jotform during the day and drive around on a tractor at night like some sort of farming-oriented Spider-Man. It’s more that I’ve invested in a number of olive groves in my native Turkey, tended by my family and, for a few weeks each year, by myself.
You may be wondering what olive trees have in common with online forms, and the answer is: nothing. And that’s exactly why it’s so great to spend time harvesting olives every summer. At the end of every day, my back aches not because I spend too much time in an office chair, but because I have to carry crates full of fruit. My eyes, so used to staring at screens for long days, spend hours at a time admiring the immense natural beauty of my surroundings – not a spreadsheet in sight.
It’s hard, physical work with an immediate, tangible reward – far removed from the abstract results of the tech world. And in that contrast lies its value: farming forces me to step out of my head, into my body, and completely disconnect from the constant mental busyness of running a business. In many ways, the weeks I spent on the olive farm are some of the most defining of who I am as a leader. This is why.
Related: Every entrepreneur needs a hobby separate from the business – here’s why
Hobbies are humbling
When you’re used to operating in an arena where you’ve built deep expertise, it’s easy to forget what it feels like to be a beginner – or to fail outright. The olive groves offer me no such illusions. Among the trees, I am not ‘the CEO’. I’m just a pair of hands, and often not a very dexterous pair.
It’s a powerful reminder that competency is context-specific. The decision-making instincts that serve me so well in business don’t automatically translate into predicting weather patterns or controlling a fruit fly attack. Even something as simple as placing a net or pruning a stubborn branch can humble me in seconds.
That kind of humility is a gift. Research shows that leaders who remain grounded and aware of their limitations tend to foster greater engagement, stronger trust, and better collaboration within their teams. They are more accessible, more open to feedback and more willing to admit when they don’t have all the answers – which, paradoxically, makes their leadership stronger.
Related: Your Favorite Hobby Shouldn’t Always Become Your Business. Use these 3 tips to find your next idea instead.
The power of context switching
When I close my laptop and step into the olive groves, I am not only on holiday, but I switch completely into cognitive gear.
In everyday office life, we consider context switching a bad thing. In one interview Along with the New York Times, Cal Newport goes so far as to call changing tasks “productivity poison.” Overall I agree – research has found that switching between functions like emails, Slack messages, or meetings is bad for focus; on average it takes 23 minutes to fully recover, losing as much as 40% of your productive time.
But when done on a larger scale, context switching is actually a superpower. You may have heard that even a short walk outdoors can do that boost creative thinking. Now imagine multiplying that effect by immersing yourself for days – or weeks – in something completely different from your normal work.
In the olive groves my brain switches from abstract strategy to tangible, physical work. My hands are busy, but my mind is free. Allowing my mind to wander creates space for new, often unexpected ideas to take root. By the time I return to my desk, the problems that felt intractable before I left have often found a way forward.
While not everyone has a personal olive grove to escape to, the same effect can be achieved in a number of ways. One EVP I know started sewing in her spare time; another CEO has delved into carpentry. It’s about spending time on something that is absolutely very different from what you do in your business. By breaking away from your usual mental patterns, you give your brain the contrast it needs to come back sharper and more creative.
Related: How Finding a Hobby Will Make You a Better Entrepreneur
Build skills in disguise
I don’t believe that hobbies should be productive. But they often have a sneaky way of teaching you new skills.
Maybe you start photography for the sheer joy of capturing a moment, only to find that in a design review you suddenly become better at noticing details. Maybe you start baking bread on the weekend and then realize that you hone patience, precision, and ability to follow (and adapt) a process. The best part? You learn without pressure, which often makes those skills stick even better.
By distancing yourself from ordinary life, you can also appreciate it more. As much as I cherish my annual visit to the farm, I wouldn’t want it to become my full-time job. There are simply too many factors beyond my control; there is too much luck involved. I don’t have the temperament to deal with so much unpredictability, and that realization makes me appreciate the relative stability and scalability of my work in technology. By stepping away, I not only renew my presence of mind, but I am also reminded of why I chose the path I did – and how fortunate I am to lead in a field where careful planning and consistent effort can reliably move the needle.
Smart leaders know that work isn’t the only place where growth happens. Even though taking a step back feels like a treat, it’s important to remember that it isn’t: it’s actually a strategic advantage.