Hobbies - By K.D.Lakithi Liyanga

Written By: K.D.Lakithi Liyanga

Category: Essay

Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

In the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026, K.D.Lakithi Liyanga presents an insightful essay titled "Hobbies." This submission delves into the evolution of hobbies in our AI-driven world, exploring the shift from traditional activities to the increasing reliance on technology. As participants in this prestigious competition, writers and poets worldwide are invited to reflect on themes that resonate universally, such as the intersection of technology and human life.

About the Work

K.D.Lakithi Liyanga's essay "Hobbies" thoughtfully examines the impact of technological advancements on human leisure activities. The piece highlights a growing disconnection from traditional pastimes, underscoring the importance of hobbies in maintaining mental health, creativity, and social bonds. With a reflective tone, the essay invites readers to consider how these cherished activities preserve our humanity in an increasingly digital age.

Hobbies

Original Submission by K.D.Lakithi Liyanga

Hobbies

In today's AI-driven world, people have begun to depend solely on technology. People are beginning to lose themselves in the miracles and wonders of technology. For work and leisure, people depend on digital technology. In the past, people have fulfilled their needs and wants all by themselves. They reaped the harvest of their own hard work and efforts. But now, due to the advancement in technology and the introduction of online platforms, humans, who are social beings, have become less sociallyconnected. Many people spend hours scrolling through social media, and depend on AI to fulfill their various tasks.

In ancient times, people had done all their work by themselves. They engaged in their day to day activities collectively with each other. They got the help of their friends, family, animals and nature in order to get their jobs done. Cooking, gardening, working, hunting, swimming, were all part of their daily routines. Gradually, with the beginning of the industrial revolution, people began to get the help of machines to get their jobs done. They began to get some of their work done by machines, which made them have some spare time in their hands.

The Industrial Revolution did not create hobbies, but it gave many people more leisure time, allowing hobbies to become more common and diverse. When people began to get the help of machines to fulfill their tasks, people began to have some free time. But it is the nature of humans to engage in some kind of task and never sit still idly for a long time. Therefore, they began to engage in some leisurely activities and called them hobbies, to make practical use of their time. Some of these were connected with their old daily routines. For example, people began to engage in gardening as a hobby. Also they engaged in singing, dancing, and painting which were also considered as hobbies.

With the passage of time, and the development of technology throughout the globe, the society and human beings became more and more sophisticated. With this development, the varieties of hobbies also began to get developed over time. Until the recent years, people have kept up the practice of ancient times by engaging in hobbies such as gardening, singing and painting etc. In addition to these, some new kinds of hobbies also came into being with the passage of time. Reading, cycling, swimming, travelling, writing, collecting, baking and even inventing have come under the new list of hobbies.

Until recent years people have kept on engaging in these kinds of hobbies in the spare time. But nowadays, due to the recent developments in technology and the introduction of AI, and also due to the busy schedules and complexity of human lifestyles, people have begun to gradually get distanced from these peacemaking leisurely activities. At present, it is widely visible that human beings spend all of their time looking at screens and scrolling up and down through social media. They get most of their work done with the help of AI and even tend to spend their leisure time on phones.

Human beings have begun to get distanced from the practical nature of life. The same humans who had spent half of their lives with nature have begun to get distanced from nature and even with each other. Humans who are considered as social beings have begun to shed their socialism by engaging in social media but without true interactions with each other. People who had invented games in order to make practical use of their time and to increase their bonds with each other, have neglected these social activities and instead have begun to keep their eyes glued to the screens.

Humans have given up doing practical things in their free time and engaging in hobbies and instead they have

chosen to look at YouTube and scroll through Tiktok a major part of the day. Today's children spend more time using smartphones and tablets than previous generations. While technology offers educational opportunities, excessive screen time often replaces outdoor play, reading and creative hobbies. Encouraging children to develop hobbies from a young age helps them build discipline, patience, imagination and healthy lifelong habits.

People have even forgotten the major benefits acquired by engaging in hobbies. Some of these benefits are, giving exercise to body and mind, helping us to keep fit, reduce the risk of many physical and mental health problems, keeping our lives practical, calming our mind in times of turmoil etc.

Researchers have also shown that engaging in enjoyable hobbies helps reduce stress hormones. Activities like painting, gardening and music improve emotional well being and lower anxiety.Reading, solving puzzles and learning musical instruments stimulate the brain, improve memory and increase creativity throughout life. Active hobbies such as cycling, swimming and hiking strengthen the heart, improve muscle strength and reduce the risk of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and

obesity. Many hobbies encourage teamwork, communication and leadership. Joining clubs, sports teams or volunteer groups helps people build meaningful friendships and develop confidence. Creative hobbies encourage people to think differently, solve problems and express emotions. Many inventors, scientists and artists developed their greatest ideas while pursuing hobbies outside their professions. Studies suggest that employees who regularly engage in hobbies often return to work feeling more refreshed, focused and productive.

Technology and artificial intelligence are remarkable achievements that have transformed human life. However, they should never replace the simple activities that enrich our minds, strengthen our bodies and connect us with one another. Hobbies remind us of our creativity, curiosity and humanity. In an age increasingly shaped by machines, preserving hobbies is not merely a way to spend our leisure time-it is a way of preserving what makes us truly human.

About the Competition

The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar invites writers from around the world to express their creativity and explore contemporary themes. This competition serves as a platform for artistic voices to share their perspectives through poetry, essays, and creative writing, fostering a global dialogue on the issues and ideas that shape our lives.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to K.D.Lakithi Liyanga for contributing the essay "Hobbies" to the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. Your thoughtful exploration of the role of hobbies in the modern world adds a valuable perspective to this international dialogue. We appreciate your dedication to the art of writing and your participation in this celebrated event.

About Hashtag Kalakar

Hashtag Kalakar is a creative platform dedicated to providing artists, writers, singers and other creative talents with opportunities to showcase their work and reach wider audiences through competitions, features and creative initiatives.