In college, many of us likely joined several clubs. They were a great way to meet new friends, blow off some steam and even just have something different to put on our resume. They are a lot of fun, so why do we suddenly stop attending them once we graduate? If anything, we need them more than ever when we enter the scary adult world! Here is why you should join a club outside the office.
Meeting new people
If all you do is work and sleep, you will never meet anyone new, and that makes for a boring life indeed! Not only will you be meeting new people, but you also know that anyone you meet at a club that you have joined will have at least one thing in common with you. It seems to be harder to make new friends as an adult and even more so if you never actually leave your house, so a club or hobby is the best choice.
Networking
Professional networking is key to getting ahead in your career, and you can’t just rely on in-work connections for that. Everything is an opportunity to network, and whether you find contacts through a social club, or join one of the groups that are specifically for professional networking, you could end up talking to someone who will be really useful for your career.
Keep fit
If you have a gym membership but never actually go to the gym, it doesn’t count! For some people, the only way to get motivated is to be accountable to a group or a team, and so joining a running club, or a sports team is a great way to keep fit and have fun at the same time.
Your mental health
It’s easy to get stuck in a rut when you are doing the same things day in and day out. It’s important to be able to blow off steam and do something to relieve the stress of daily life. A weekly club or meeting will give you something to look forward to when the daily grind is dragging on.
Learn new skills
You are never too old to learn something new, or to develop skills you already have. Learning new things keeps your brain sharp and will make you a more interesting and rounded person. Whether you want to learn a craft, sport, a new language or something crazy like fire breathing, you won’t regret learning something new!
A better work-life balance
Working 9-5 can often feel like you are working every hour of every day of the week. It can be hard to strike a work-life balance and scheduling in time for a group meeting, or club will ensure you take some time to yourself. It’s much harder to flake out on something regular than it would be if you were just planning on spending some ‘me time’ on your own.
There are so many different types of club that you could join outside of work, and as you can see, there are also so many benefits to doing this, so kick off the New Year by joining a club or two!
