Going extracurricular: successful women share the hobbies that inspire them

Research reveals that performing small acts of kindness can provide a health boost, increase satisfaction in relationships and foster all-round better moods, even reducing stress levels in socially anxious people.

The story: Since 2011, Dials has self-funded The Sussy Project – “sussy” being a gift given for no reason, simply “because you thought of someone and wanted to make them smile”. Nominations are ciphered through by Dials until a worthy recipient is discovered and then one of a team of US-wide volunteers is tasked with sourcing and delivering the gift. The recipient’s story is then shared on < href=’http://thesussyproject.com/’>TSP’s blog, not, says Dials, as a way to promote good deeds, but as a way to inspire others with their insight into the lives of others. Gifts are small – usually around $20, a scarf, a voucher for a breakfast: “We’re not solving world problems, but maybe we’re putting a smile on the face of someone who needs it, even if it’s only for five minutes.”

Regularly playing a musical instrument has been proven to change the shape and power of the brain and may be used in therapy to improve cognitive skills, even increasing your IQ by seven points!

The story: “My hobby is playing the guitar and writing music. It’s a fun little escape from the day to day chaos of running a business, and allows me to tap into my creative side by playing and composing music.” Career-boosting potential: “Some of my best ideas have occurred while playing music!” Besserman is on to something: scientific studies have shown that sitting around the office trying to come up with an idea is rarely a path to creative success – but changing up your routine, doing something unrelated to the problem or challenge at hand can be. Psychologists have shown that even the simple act of using a different method to make your usual sandwich can result in unblocking creative pipelines and enabling new ideas to spring forth. Discover more in our workbook Unleashing your creativity.

“You can turn the destructive into the creative just by stirring some sugar and eggs. Working through the steps of a recipe in a methodical way means you don’t have time to concentrate on everything else that is whirring through your mind.”

The story: Two weeks before my wedding I decided it would be a brilliant idea to bake my own four-tiered wedding cake. It wasn’t like I was already about to internally combust with stress or anything. When we launched Stylist I worked until 2am for three months but I still spent my first weekend off making a giant gingerbread house. When I’m feeling stressed and overwhelmed, like my brain can’t quite focus and my heart is a bit racy, I bake.” Career-boosting potential: “We spend eight hours a day in front of a computer screen and rarely have something tangible to show at the end of it. Modern technology means we don’t switch off until we actually sleep. Baking is the antithesis to this. It’s physical. Methodical. It can’t be rushed. Follow a recipe step by step and you’re almost (almost) guaranteed a certain result. There is calm in its predictability; reassurance in its simplicity. You also receive an extra shot of happiness when you see the positive reaction your baking has on other people. Then, of course, there’s the eating.” Footnote: The sense of calm that baking can instil is thought to stem from the techniques of stirring, mixing and kneading. “Repetitive behaviour and rituals can be very effective in increasing focus and reducing stress,” says Chartered psychologist Dr Jill Owen. That’s why knitting, needlework, or simply squeezing a stress ball can all have the same effect.