Why You Need a Hobby That Has Nothing to Do With Your Job

I’m the head of a SaaS company, but I also have another, somewhat surprising side hustle as a farmer.

To clarify, it’s not that I’m running Jotform by day and driving a tractor around by night, like some sort of agriculturally-inclined Spider-Man. It’s more that I’ve invested in some olive groves in my native Turkey, cared for by my family and, for a few weeks each year, me.

You may wonder 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 each day, my back aches not from spending too much time in an office chair, but from hauling crates heavy with fruit. My eyes, so accustomed to spending long days looking at screens, spend hours on end taking in the immense natural beauty of my surroundings — not a spreadsheet in sight.

It’s hard, physical work with an immediate, tangible payoff — a far cry from the abstract deliverables of the tech world. And in that contrast lies its value: Farming forces me to step out of my head, into my body and fully disconnect from the constant mental churn of running a company. In many ways, those weeks I spent on the olive farm are some of the most formative for who I am as a leader. Here’s why.

Related: Every Entrepreneur Needs a Hobby Separate From the Company — 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. Out among the trees, I’m not “the CEO.” I’m just another pair of hands, and often not a very nimble pair at that.

It’s a powerful reminder that competence is context‑specific. The decision‑making instincts that serve me so well in business don’t automatically translate to predicting weather patterns or managing a fruit fly attack. Even something as simple as positioning a net or trimming a stubborn branch can humble me in seconds.

That kind of humility is a gift. Research shows that leaders who stay grounded and aware of their limitations tend to foster higher engagement, stronger trust and better collaboration within their teams. They’re more approachable, 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 Should Not Always Turn Into Your Business. Use These 3 Tips to Find Your Next Idea Instead.

The power of context switching

When I shut my laptop and step into the olive groves, I’m not just taking a vacation — I’m switching cognitive gears completely.

In day-to-day office life, we think of context switching as a bad thing. In an interview with the New York Times, Cal Newport goes so far as to call the act of changing tasks “productivity poison.” In general, I agree — research has found that jumping between functions like emails, Slack messages or meetings are terrible for focus; on average, it takes a full 23 minutes to fully recover, eroding as much as 40% of your productive time.

Done on a more significant scale, though, context switching is actually a superpower. You may have heard that taking even a quick outdoor walk can 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 shifts from abstract strategy to tangible, physical work. My hands are busy, but my mind is free. Allowing my mind the chance to wander creates the 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 often have a path 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 took up sewing in her free time; another CEO has been diving into carpentry. The point is to spend time doing something absolutely, utterly different than what you do in your business. In breaking with your usual mental patterns, you give your brain the contrast it needs to return sharper and more creative.

Related: How Finding a Hobby Will Make You A Better Entrepreneur

Skill-building in disguise

I am not of the mind that hobbies need to be productive. But oftentimes, they have a sneaky way of teaching you new skills, anyway.

You might take up photography for the sheer joy of capturing a moment, only to find that you’re suddenly better at noticing details in a design review. Maybe you start baking bread on weekends, then realize you’re sharpening your patience, precision and ability to follow — and adapt — a process. The best part? You’re learning without pressure, which often makes those skills stick even more.

Stepping away from regular life also allows you to appreciate it more. As much as I cherish my annual visit to the farm, I wouldn’t want it to be my job full-time. There are simply too many factors I can’t control; too much luck is involved. I don’t have the temperament to deal with so many unpredictabilities, and that realization makes me value the relative stability and scalability of my work in tech. Stepping away not only renews my presence of mind, but reminds me why I’ve chosen the path I have — and how fortunate I am to lead in a field where careful planning and consistent effort can reliably move the needle.

Shrewd leaders know that work isn’t the only place where growth happens. As much as stepping away feels like an indulgence, it’s important to remember that it’s not — it’s actually a strategic advantage.

I’m the head of a SaaS company, but I also have another, somewhat surprising side hustle as a farmer.

To clarify, it’s not that I’m running Jotform by day and driving a tractor around by night, like some sort of agriculturally-inclined Spider-Man. It’s more that I’ve invested in some olive groves in my native Turkey, cared for by my family and, for a few weeks each year, me.