What do you like you do for fun

Answers to “What Do You Do for Fun?” (Interview Question)

In an interview, hiring managers aren’t just looking to see if you can do a job; they’re curious about your personality, too.

So they may ask an interview question about how you spend your free time and what you like to do.

When the interviewer asks, “What do you do for fun?” or, “What do you like to do in your spare time?” you should generally be honest, but there are some bad answers and mistakes to avoid.

So in this article, I’m going to share:

Why Interviewers Ask “What Do You Like to Do for Fun?”

You may be wondering, “Why do employers care how you spend time outside of work?”

There are a few key reasons that a hiring manager or other interviewer will ask about your hobbies, interests, and life outside of work.

First, they may be asking this type of question to determine if you’re a good cultural fit for the company.

You can expect at least a few interview questions designed to see if you’ll fit the existing team and culture.

So know your audience when answering and try to read about the company culture and current team before your interview.

There are also two more reasons employers might be asking a question like, “What do you like to do for fun?”

First, the interviewer may simply be trying to create some small talk and ask a question that’s less demanding and difficult. Sometimes, this is why they’ll ask, “What can you tell me about yourself?” and, “Can you walk me through your resume?” too.

And the final reason employers ask what you like to do for fun or what you do in your free time: They simply want to get to know you as a person.

This is especially true if you’re interviewing directly with the hiring manager, e.g. the person you’ll be reporting to if you’re hired.

You’re going to be spending a lot of time together each day and it’s natural for them to want to know more than your work-related skills. At least, if they’re a good manager who cares about their team, it’s normal for them to seem interested in your hobbies and other skills.

So in most cases, there isn’t a hidden or secret reason that you’re being asked this question in the interview, but you should try to sound honest and also keep your audience in mind… in terms of the interviewer’s personality and also the work environment and company culture of the employer you’re interviewing at.

How to Answer Interview Questions About What You Do for Fun

When asked what you like to do outside of work, or what you do in your spare time, come up with two to three interests. They could be related or unrelated. Then, when talking in the interview about what you do for fun, you can quickly name these interests and mention why you enjoy them.

You could also mention how you got started with a certain hobby if you find that relevant to share. You’ll see this in some of the full example answers below.

And don’t worry if your answer isn’t particularly exciting/interesting in general; if these interests are exciting to you, that’s all that matters.

By talking about hobbies or skills you truly enjoy and find interesting, the interviewer will be able to see and appreciate that you’re being genuine and that you have passions outside of work. Hiring managers like to see that someone is well-rounded and has interests aside from coming to work each day.

You can name a job-related skill as one of your interests, but it’s not needed.

Of course, if you really enjoy a skill or hobby that’s related to the job you’re interviewing for, then you should absolutely mention that in the interview. For example, if you’re applying for a position at Adidas, it’s a great idea to mention that you enjoy playing sports (and then name your two or three favorites).

If you’re applying for a job at a publishing company, you could begin your answer by talking about how you spend some of your free time reading novels or other types of publications.

But I recommend not saying anything that’s untrue when you answer. This will just put you at risk of being asked follow-up questions and having to lie more. And this can cost you the job offer on a question that’s not designed to be difficult.

You can also try to find common ground with the interviewer when answering this question.

Imagine you walk into the office of the interviewer and spot a few tennis trophies on their desk. Now, if you used to play tennis or you still do, then you could mention this. You could bring it up right away, or wait to see if they ask what you like to do for fun and then include this in your answer.

The more you can build relationships in your interviews, by getting to know the other person, sharing a few details about yourself, and identifying any common experiences or interests, the more memorable you’ll be.

27 Ideas for Answering What You Do for Fun

These are far from the only hobbies and interests you can name in your answer. The above list is just intended to give you a range of ideas to help you brainstorm a couple of ideas to talk about in your answer.

What Not to Say When You Answer

While none of these answers below are particularly bad, I recommend you avoid saying that you find the following enjoyable just to play it 100% safe.

You never know what preferences/judgments your interviewer has, so you’ll be safer avoiding the following topics in your answer…

7 Sample Answers to “What Do You Like to Do for Fun?”

Below, you’ll find seven sample answers for the question of what you like to do for fun. Note that while the first example mentions being interested in your work and career, there’s no need to mention that if it’s not true. And you’ll see plenty of examples below that have no mention of work/career whatsoever.

Example Answer 1:

Example Answer 2:

I do a couple of different sports for fun, including basketball and hiking. I also enjoying cooking, so one thing that I do for fun and in my spare time is to learn and try new recipes.

Example Answer 3:

Example Answer 4:

In my spare time, I enjoy writing and reading, mostly fiction. That’s one reason why I’m applying to publishing companies like yours. I think it’d be exciting to work in an industry that’s closely related to what I enjoy — reading and writing. I also like to study foreign languages, so that’s one other hobby that I spend a significant amount of time on.

Example Answer 5:

I have two main hobbies: collecting coins and archery. My father got me into collecting coins from the places we traveled when I was a child and I’ve kept up the hobby since. And I enjoy the outdoors, so I’ve found archery to be a great way to stay healthy and get to spend more time outside. I also watch archery competitions. I know it’s not the most popular sport but it’s a fascinating skill to watch.

Example Answer 6:

I enjoy board games and puzzles. Scrabble is one of my favorites to play with friends, and I even play online at times. I also like word search puzzles and crossword puzzles.

Example Answer 7:

Conclusion

When the interviewer asks what you do for fun, name two to three hobbies that you enjoy in your personal life.

Aim to share areas that you’re truly interested in because you may face follow-up interview questions, and you may discover that the hiring manager shares similar interests and wants to talk about them.

For example, if you say you enjoy watching movies, they may say they’re a big movie fan and start asking you about your favorite genres.

This type of conversation can create great relationships with hiring managers, but only if you tell the truth in your initial answer.

As long as you’re truthful and able to provide a couple of hobbies you enjoy, you’ll pass this interview question. And if you use the list of example hobbies and interests from earlier in the article, then you’ll have an easier time creating a good answer.

Other common interview questions:

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32 Ridiculously Honest Answers To ‘What Do You Like To Do For Fun?’

A few weeks ago, I went on a Tinder date. It was a disaster. He was a very short and very gay (my gaydar is uncanny) chemistry major. Not even halfway through the date, we were both so clearly disinterested that we just kind of gave up. One very simple question he asked me, however, left me thinking for days after.

“So, what do you like to do for fun?”

Feel free to use any of these in your next job interview or on your next Tinder date.

1. Pick flowers.

2. Play tag.

3. Have staring contests.

4. See how many knots I can tie in a blade of grass; my record is 5.

5. Read cookbooks; my favorite is The Ultimate Cookie Cookbook by Barbara Grunes.

6. Write.

7. See how many swigs of seltzer I can take before my throat feels like it’s being dissolved
in acid; it’s usually about 4.

8. Tell my mom she’s turning into my grandma; the fun part is seeing her reaction.

9. Call people out on their shit to see how defensive they get.

10. Similar to #9, tell a privileged white boy his joke was actually really offensive and count
how many seconds he says “woooooooow” for.

11. Peel my nail polish off my nail in a single piece.

12. Flirt shamelessly with people I know I’ll never see again; bonus points if I use “you have
like, really nice teeth.”

13. Flirt with cute little old men, especially if I know I’m going to see them again.

14. Do cartwheels.

15. Play “One Bite Or You’re a Wimp”, a game created by one of my best friends that’s
literally exactly what it sounds like.

16. Pick the seeds out of a strawberry.

17. Pop other people’s back pimples; blackheads are my vice.

18. Pluck pretty much all of my eyebrow hairs out to try and resemble Christina Aguilera
circa 2002; true story.

19. Pop blisters with a pin instead of peeling the layer of dead skin off so I can watch the
liquid come out in a steady stream.

20. Get down to Avril Lavigne with my angsty self.

21. Stalk myself on Instagram.

22. Drive a good 15 miles over the speed limit when there’s a lot of people around.

24. Put on a shit ton of makeup on days when I know I won’t be leaving the house.

25. Ask my little brother over and over if he has a girlfriend until he punches me and/or
cries.

26. Seriously consider what I’m going to name my children; I might even whip out my phone
and create a new “bb names” list in my notes.

27. FaceTime my mom when she’s one room over because I just love seeing her beautiful
face so much but I’m also a human sloth.

28. Dance to Beyonce; no explanation necessary.

29. Tell people about how my pinky toes don’t grow nails.

30. Bake.

31. Get baked.

32. Masturbate; you can never go wrong with this one.

Ask MetaFilter

I am an introvert. I enjoy taking long walks by myself, watching movies or just relaxing with a book. I don’t do sports, I don’t paint, I don’t play an instrument.

I work full time in a very demanding job and I just like to switch off in my off time. I get stressed when I have a weekend full of activities ahead. None of that sounds appealing when I say it out loud and my dates get puzzled. I actually really dislike this question. I sometimes get a follow up «but how do you actually fill your spare time? what do you do?».

I have a group of friends where we catch up for drinks couple of times a week. I often have a work function or someone’s birthday at least 1-2 times a week. I also travel for work often. I actually don’t feel like my life is empty. I look forward to times when I just have a day of nothing so that I can listen to music and just think and relax. I sometimes binge watch random netflix shows. I browse various forums and can lose hours doing it.

I almost feel that if I took up some random hobby, like say, learning Italian, I would have something to say. But surely I don’t have to take up a hobby I am not interested in just to say that I have a hobby.

I have been on 3 dates with a guy from online dating. He asked me this question on all 3 dates. I did my best to outline what I said above but he doesn’t seem satisfied with the answer. When he asked me again «but what did you doooo all weekend?» (when I had a very blissful quiet one) I actually got annoyed and am having a hard time maintaining an interest in him.

Any tips on how to handle this question where you don’t have clearly defined hobbies?

I am an introvert. I enjoy taking long walks by myself, watching movies or just relaxing with a book.

Seems pretty cut and dried to me. Maybe dude is both an extrovert and also very low on empathy.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 10:09 AM on April 10, 2016 [22 favorites]

Just speculation, but if you dislike this question you may be giving off an evasive vibe in answering it, as opposed to just being straightforward about enjoying unstructured downtime. It’s kind of obnoxious having someone repeatedly press you like this guy seems to have done, but you might want to think about tone more than content in answering this question. If you’re okay with how you spend your free time, make sure you’re communicating that in both what you say and how you say it. Be straightforward and own your answer to the question in a relaxed way instead of stressing about it, and people may respond differently. «I have a really demanding job, so on the weekends I often just enjoy chilling out and catching up on my Netflix queue.»

Caveat: you don’t want potential dates to think you’re not open to making more specific weekend plans with them, but if you’re more upfront about this from the get-go while dating many people, hopefully you’ll meet someone with a compatible lifestyle who’s just as relieved as you to chill out instead of bouncing between 3 different structured activities on Saturday morning.
posted by deludingmyself at 10:11 AM on April 10, 2016 [5 favorites]

If you asked someone what they do in their spare time, and they answered «I like to read» I suspect you’d accept that answer.

Equally there’s plenty of people who would understand and accept that answer from you. Disappointingly, he isn’t one of them.
posted by Lorc at 10:19 AM on April 10, 2016

I know when I was looking at profiles, i was looking for something I could follow-up on specifically.

So if this is something you get in a message response or even on dates, I’d try to go from the general to a very specific example.

I have a group of friends where we catch up for drinks couple of times a week.

«Well, I hung out with my friend X on Tuesday», then throw something in specific about the place you went and what you liked about it, or its history, or a specific topic you chatted about, or an event that is coming up in their life. Whatever it is that can be explored further

I also travel for work often.

I sometimes binge watch random netflix shows.

What did you just finish? What’d you like about it? What’s on your list? What might you watch next? What’s been your favorite show? Why?

I browse various forums and can lose hours doing it

What’d you discover recently? What’d you find out? Why did that interest you? How do you find them?
posted by miasma at 10:26 AM on April 10, 2016 [10 favorites]

I would just answer the question honestly, it’s best to be yourself. Your date might be trying to figure out an activity to do with you and that’s why he keeps asking. You could be like «I love taking long walks, there’s a really nice path I could show you», or «I like movies about X, want to watch Blahblah with me?»

I would also just generally say «Right now my work takes up a lot of my energy so when I get the chance I spend time with friends, read about X and Y, listen to music like Z, watch movies.» If he’s into you he’ll want to know what you like to read, what music you like, what movies you like, so just throw an example or descriptor in to give him something to run with.
posted by lafemma at 10:27 AM on April 10, 2016 [1 favorite]

I’m prone to quoting Office Space: «I did absolutely nothing, and it was everything that I thought it could be.»

The other folks here are pretty much right. Some people need to have a ton of outside things going on at all times or they feel empty and unfulfilled. Other people don’t like a ton of activity and stress in their off-time and think that people in the first group are nuts. Neither group is really right or wrong, it’s just. people are different.

I’m more on your side of things. I spend large chunks of my day and night doing software development, which is pretty mentally taxing (at least for me.) The idea of spending a weekend where I’m *not* under any mental pressure and where I have some time to just relax is bliss. Listening to a good album takes minimal mental energy (and the parts of my brain it does use aren’t the ones I use for software!)

But you know. there are totally some people who look at me like I’ve grown a second head when I say that I had a great weekend because I was able to sit on my couch and take in a couple new albums that I’d been looking forward to all week. And when they talk about how great their weekend was because they went trail biking in the middle of some remote backwater and got dirty and almost went off the side of a cliff and found a snake in their backpack and wasn’t it awesome? Yeah, I have the same puzzled expression they had for me.

I work with guys in upping their online dating game, and my first instinct is that he’s genuinely curious and looking for a conversation starter that will allow him to get to know you better. Heck, he might even hear something he LIKES and ask you if you’d like to do it together.
Be open, be honest, have a sense of humor about it, no worries.

Just don’t say Netflix and Chill :)**

**Until you’re ready for that, of course.
posted by Major Matt Mason Dixon at 10:37 AM on April 10, 2016 [2 favorites]

You and I sound very alike, introversion wise. I talked with my therapist about how much I hate the «what are your plans/what did you do this weekend?» question, and she said much the same thing as deludingmyself: if the answer is «nothing» or «I read in a park all day and otherwise didn’t leave the house», it’s all in the tone. Enthusiastic replies that make it clear that I LOVE doing nothing makes it hard for the other person to judge me. I used to make all sorts of excuses for my lame weekends until I realized that it doesn’t matter if other people think they’re lame, it matters that I love having downtime.

FWIW, while your tone may convey to this guy that there’s more to your answer, he sounds like he also has trouble relating to introverts. This has been such a challenge in my dating life, but it has improved this I stopped leaving the door open for them to enrich my life by trying to get me to be social as much as they are—someone that accepts the differences between us is the only person I go on a second date with.
posted by the thorn bushes have roses at 10:39 AM on April 10, 2016 [1 favorite]

You sound like you’re ashamed of how you spend your time. No reason to be. I’d simply say, «I read, met up with my friends, shopped and caught up on my TV. It’s pure bliss!»

You can talk about these things in conversation, to let you’d dates into your life. If you say, «nothing», it seems like you don’t want to share.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 10:44 AM on April 10, 2016

I’d simply say, «I read, met up with my friends, shopped and caught up on my TV. It’s pure bliss!»

Yeah I do what you do on weekends for the most part. I can spend days not talking to anyone and I like it. However, I already have a partner (who does the same things, in separate location, sometimes we connect and do nothing together). I think these questions serve a few purposes, not all of them obvious/intentional

— getting information about you, what sort of person you are and what you enjoy, what your passions are
— literally figuring out where you are likely to be and how you pass the minutes of your life
— learning more about other people in your life if the answer is «Do things with others»
— determining good fit «Does she like to do what I do?»
— determining mood «When I ask her about her life is she positive/negative/neutral?»
— determining possible overlaps for activities «What could we do together?»
— just having a conversation «What can we talk about RIGHT NOW?»

It sounds like you may be in a situation where you’re a bad fit for this person but instead of that being more clear, it’s coming out in this weird way. Like if he doesn’t see reading and walking and seeing friends as «activities» then he’s got a narrow definition of those things and/or just isn’t a good fit for you. No harm no foul really.

That said, I agree with others who say that if you dislike these questions you may be indicating that in ways that are obvious but which may make your answers seem evasive or otherwise non-responsive and some people view this as a weird challenge to figure it all out.
posted by jessamyn at 10:55 AM on April 10, 2016 [5 favorites]

Sometimes that question — «what do you do in your spare time» — is a way to ask what you’re passionate about or what excites you. Many folks end up dividing their lives that way — work for the money, extra time for things they love — and ask the question with the assumption that you do, too.

So you could redirect the conversation that way, if you’d like.

But if I were you I’d take a cue from my improv classes: call out the unusual thing. If he asks you again, call him on it. «You’ve asked me that on every one of our dates and I’ve answered. What answers are you looking for?» I think this will take you down the better path.
posted by wemayfreeze at 11:16 AM on April 10, 2016 [1 favorite]

1) You do have hobbies and things you enjoy doing in your spare time: I enjoy taking long walks by myself, watching movies or just relaxing with a book. I have a group of friends where we catch up for drinks couple of times a week. I often have a work function or someone’s birthday at least 1-2 times a week. I also travel for work often. I look forward to times when I just have a day of nothing so that I can listen to music and just think and relax. I sometimes binge watch random netflix shows. I browse various forums. Maybe this is just the introvert in me but your spare time activities sound like they’re fulfilling and a good balance of alone time and social time!

2) In my opinion, you don’t come across as being apologetic or unenthusiastic about how you spend your spare time in this AskMe question. So, unless you are coming across very differently in how you communicate with your dates/potential dates, I’d say it’s not your tone that’s causing the problem.

3) People who just! can’t! understand! how you’d find your spare time activities to be adequate are most likely not a good match for you, both because they enjoy spending their time in vastly different ways AND their powers of empathy are so poor that they don’t understand how YOU could enjoy YOUR preferred hobbies.

Good luck—I hope you are able to find someone who understands you better and doesn’t make you feel like a freak for your perfectly reasonable preferences.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 12:10 PM on April 10, 2016

I work full time in a very demanding job and I just like to switch off in my off time. I get stressed when I have a weekend full of activities ahead. None of that sounds appealing when I say it out loud and my dates get puzzled.

You’ve presented two very different answers and I can’t figure out which one you actually offer up in response to «What do you do in your spare time?» One actually answers the question and the other sounds evasive and defensive.

«What do you do for fun?»
«I enjoy taking long walks by myself, watching movies or just relaxing with a book.»

That allows for follow-ups. Where do you walk? What kind of movies do you like? What book are you reading right now? It literally doesn’t make sense for a follow-up question to this reply to be, «But what do you dooooooo?»

«What do you do for fun?»
«I work full time in a very demanding job and I just like to switch off in my off time. I get stressed when I have a weekend full of activities ahead.»

There’s nothing to follow up on here. Your date is puzzled because it is a weird answer to the question. It’s not like you sit and stare at a wall for 48 hours until your alarm goes off on Monday. You’re actually doing stuff. You’re reading, exercising, and watching movies. If you want to stress that you prefer quiet weekends, you could amend your reply.

«My job is pretty demanding, so I like to unwind quietly on the weekends. Last weekend I went for a walk in [Walking Location] and then ate lunch and finished reading [Book Title Here].»
posted by xyzzy at 12:17 PM on April 10, 2016 [8 favorites]

To be honest I think it’s a stupid question in the first place, I fully get where you’re coming from and I think you’re perfectly entitled to be annoyed especially at someone insisting so obnoxiously about it.

If you’re talking to someone you’re interested in and like, and they come up with the question in a non-annoying way, just joke about not having some super specific plan or hobby or activity that you religiously do every weekend, or say it like you said here, «I had a blissfully quiet weekend», that sounds very nice and if it was me on the other end I’d instantly get what you were talking about and say something like «oh I love those blissfully quiet weekends».

You might find this Previous Ask helpful.

I have had folks tell me that my kind of fun cannot be fun. My ex used to say I never did anything fun. Well, you don’t get to decide what I think is fun. I do.

So, I would be inclined to either stop seeing this guy or go «Um, I answered that already. It is time for you to come up with a new question.»
posted by Michele in California at 3:50 PM on April 10, 2016

«I am learning Italian» would definitely work on a date because then they can say something like, «Oh are you Italian, Have you been to Italy, Do you like pasta, Do you speak any Romance languages already, Italian sounds so beautiful, did you see that Italian movie, my friend’s dad speaks Italian and he says. »
It’s specific, so it reminds the other person of specific ideas, and that helps the conversation jump forward easily.

If other people seem confused by your (totally pleasant, totally valid) hobbies, it might be because your answers lean a little vague, so they don’t really know how to reply. you could try adding more specificity to your descriptions.

I’d suggest adding in some combination of a detail, an opinion or a life theory about whatever you did, and the other person will probably be better able to grab on and move forward.

«I like walking» becomes «It was drizzling and I love rainy weather, so I went for a really long walk downtown. I feel like people who like rain and people who hate rain are fundamentally different- sunny people are optimists but rainlovers are realists.»

«I like to read» becomes «I’m on Book 4 of Game of Thrones, and one of the themes is «what makes a good ruler», which is reminding me of the US elections.»

«I like movies» becomes «I watched , which I loved because has such a unique worldview, or because it made me really want to visit , or because or whatever.»

Also given your irritation, this guy might not be the one so maybe don’t bother with him? (haha just kidding, not kidding)
posted by pseudostrabismus at 4:17 PM on April 10, 2016 [3 favorites]

I really hate this question too (and similar open-ended ones). It might help to remember that most of the time (IMO) people are asking this because they’re desperately trying to make small-talk with a total stranger, without knowing much about them. Some people have just run out of other things to say and will be happy with literally any response that keeps conversation going. But most people are asking to figure out whether you have stuff in common.

So you want to focus on answering the underlying questions, not the literal question. Talk about what makes you happy (family, friends, pets, travel, etc), how much you go out (i.e. whether you’re more of a partier or a homebody or an outdoorsy type), and especially any hobbies (if any) that you could imagine sharing with a partner someday. Don’t worry about whether your hobbies are «exciting» or not. But at the same time. everyone likes to watch TV sometimes, so that doesn’t really tell your date anything unless it’s an unusually huge part of your life. Telling them something like «I’ve always wanted to learn Italian because I like XYZ related things or it would help me go to XYZ places or get XYZ jobs» is way more informative, even if it’s not literally a thing you do now for fun.

Back when I was online dating (almost the only time people have ever been awkward enough to ask this question), I tried to reply some combination of:

A) «it depends», and usually elaborated with example weekends ranging from extreme sloth to extreme activity. because I like to laze around a lot of weekends, but also get really bored if that’s all I do every weekend. Like most people I guess, but some people are more on one end or the other.

B) listing off a few examples of things I’ve tried in the past and enjoyed. Surely you’ve tried some hobbies at some point, even if you didn’t like them enough to stick with them? I mean, don’t falsely imply that you’re still doing it, but listing and especially describing what you liked about past hobbies tells your date something about you, which is the goal of the question. e.g. for me I often talked about martial arts and soccer, which I loved and did for years but don’t do anymore for various reasons (again, another opportunity for conversation if it’s appropriate).

C) listing off a few things I’ve always wanted to try but haven’t gotten around to yet. On my last date, one of these I mentioned was rock climbing. Now he’s my boyfriend and we climb together (. occasionally. In between many, many weekends of basically netflix, ha)
posted by randomnity at 9:54 AM on April 11, 2016

Learn English – What do you do for fun?

Test your understanding of this English lesson

275 COMMENTS

Because your photo is not clear either!! lol

hhh from where you got this wit

You are probably watching in low quality. Click the gear icon on the bottom left of the video. Change the quality to “720p” or higher.

sometimes your connection may get slower and because of that youtube automatically lower the resolution to make the video do not stop.
I hate when it appens lol always i hit the gear to restore a good resolution.

I got 10/10 thank u, Mr E.

Thanks Mr James the lesson is very interesting I like it …

Thanks James. I’ve got 10/10 )))

Great lesson James. I enjoyed it a lot, Thanks!

i`m serious to do that if u want

When I discovered James’s videos I had some difficulties to understand because a little bit fast speaking. But I already knew that in this “game” mustn’t never give up! After listening many many James’s videos my ears are used to listen to easily and they ask me for faster and fluent English. Thanks Jemes for your trigger strategy communication to make disappear our difficulties!

sir
please provide a lesson on basic conversation at the airport and at the hotel in foreign country..please sir

Thanks for the lesson! It is realy interesting! James, you are so cool! And I very like your joke!

Yeah I got 90, It was a good lesson.

Thanks, James.
Your speak skills is faster. :o)

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I love this lesson. Thanks

Thanks for good lesson, James. I’ve got 10/10.

Thanks, James. I enjoy watching this videos. All ur videos crack me up. I think u could’ve been very good comedy actor 🙂 Anyway, my hobby is watching movie. It doesn’t matter it’s my time off or not every day I’m watching two or tree movie or more. So, I’m Cinephile. I can’t stay without watching movie

Heh, me neither )) Especially horrors ones ))

But I don’t like horrors, coz I’m scared 🙂

i love to watch your video, it’s so cool…

Great and thans!
Concerning the verbs ENJOY and LIKE.
Yeah, “enjoy” is always followed by Gerund.
But after “like” Gerund is possible too, isn’t it?
I like dancing/to dance.

Thank you James so much.

After my English has been improved, I am interested in more lessons like that. Grammar seems to be boring. Business English can be useful. I want to talk to usual people. Here I can pick up some vocabulary. Ronnie’s lessons are also cool!

… my English has improved…

Thank you James!I enjoy watching the video!

thank you James great and funny lesson as always

Thank you for this great lesson! I have got 10 out of 10. http://youtu.be/0lHCemUta1w?t=5m59s Visit Ukraine my hobby is not cooking, but I know a good places where you could enjoy delicious dishes. My friends from the USA really liked it. And take Mister E with you ^_^

I like to watch these lessons. I got 10/10 =)

James, you are a great and funny teacher. Thanks.

Thank you James

Thanks James, I got 10 correct! By the way, one of my hobbies is studying English with EngVid! I really enjoy watching your videos, James!

Yes i got 10/10 thank you Mr.E

Awesome, thank you very much Mr E 🙂

Thank you very much for your lesson! Very interesting and useful information! I hope, my skills in speaking and others will improve)

“spare time, downtime, time off, hobby, enjoy ‘verb + ing’, like to + ‘base verb’ ”

thank you James.

5. In my ________________ I like to _______.
downtime, collecting comics
spare time, play music
time off, playing soccer

James is “in my spare time” correct?

That’s really cool James

wow 🙂 ten answers are correct 🙂 thanks James 🙂

Its really cool. Thanks james…

Hello James!I enjoy learning languages,Spanish
Swedish and English of course.Recently I started studing Swedish,but this is a hard language to learn.If is there some person who can help me with this language please,let me know!I thank.

Hi there! How are getting along with spanish? I actually can help you with spanish cause it is my first language; and also english, we can practice it each other! Greetings

I’m impressed with “EngVid” Congratulations for the amazing work.

Great lesson,great teacher,thank u.

really great video from great one thank you james it improved my English 🙂

Hey, I got perfect score. I really love these lessons on engvid.

thanks for this!
so cool and knowledgeable

HI James! I would like to ask a question.
“What do you do with your spare time” can it change to “What do you do in your spare time”?
THANKS!! ^^

thanks, it was very interesting

I enjoy watching engvid video lessons to improve my English. Thanks James.

’twas really cool your lesson James txs a lot! By da way i enjoy collecting 10/10…..lol

why these videos are not downloadable? plz tell me

Thanks James
I really need to tune the antenna to understand your speaking.
tanks again.

Hello Jame. I’m Luan. I comes from Viet Nam.You are exciting teacher and i want to be friend with you. I am crazy fan of you. ^^ So could you give me your facebook address? Thank you!

pretty good! i’ve got 6/10,

Did I see “Jadzia” there? 😀
In polish Jadzia=Jadwiga, Jagoda
Greetings from Poland 😉

Thanks James
I am really benefited from this lesson.

Love the lesson

U r the best English Teacher

Oh dear! This is incredible. I enjoy your teaching style. It’s absolutely cool.

thank you.
you funny and good teacher.

Hi Monika! how are you getting along with your english?? Greetings!

hello sir,I’ve difficulties to understand your fast speaking.I want to know what to do to understand a person who generally speaks fast.I hope you will do a favour on me by replying me

hi,sir.To be honest, you’re a funny man. 🙂

thanks for the lesson!

James, do you still remember me? this is Jingjing. I miss you a lot. You are one of my favorite teacher in the world.
I would like to go back to visit you, but I got a full time job.
It is great to see you here. would like to give you a big hug if possible.

Thank you. That’s really cool

Thank you fot the lesson!

how can i use ideo to improve my english too fast

Thank you so much;)

i like your style hehheheh. thanks James.

I have fun in your lesson. That’s so cool!

I got 10 out of 10 🙂

thank u so much 🙂

Great! I enjoy watching Mr. E’s lessons

I’m not understand any think it’s bad

Thank you James I Got 9/10

wow! so cool. congratulation!

thanks very much man

mr.e and james, why can’t i watch any of your videos

Oh dear! A few questions:

– Can you see other Youtube videos?
– Can you see the video on Youtube but not on engVid.com?
– Are you looking at the site with a computer or with a phone? Is your browser up-to-date?

yaa, that was great. i got 10/10.

Thanks James! You are the best teacher!

thanks to you my vocabulary has increased by far!

Thanks James..
I enjoy collecting 10/10….
wow

Wow! that’s good lesson!! (y)

thanks a lot James

I love your style. so cool! You are so fun, You know? Hah ha. 🙂
can you tell me some about reported speech? I’m not sure about that.

Very interesting lesson,thanks:)

Hey James!what means POO POO?

well, james thank you for your video

i speak english haha

I’m your fan. I’m in love with you and your teaching methods :).

I’m really enjoyed with this lessons

I like ur face expressions 😀
Thanks james

thank you James

yes. that was great. i got 10/10

Public Enemy – Bring the noise.

I like them, this music is awesome.

Thanks for the lesson.

Hi James,
This is an awesome and a great idea,I love it because it a very helpful tools to me and the class that Im taking currently ESL level 51 and 52.

great teacher, i will recommend to my wyfe

It was great! Thanks.

100. I like it, thank`s

great. i like it, it’s an useful video,thanks alot

i got 9 out of 10
thank you for kind of lesson.
so..i am curious what means poo poo? LOL
i have been fun watching your lesson
when in the home,in the office.
i spread all of my around.
i has learn and laugh by your lesson.
thank you teacher James

How to Discover What’s Fun for You (and Why It Matters)

We all like different things, so it only goes to follow that what’s fun for others isn’t necessarily fun for you. You can live more authentically when you discover what’s fun for you.

Living authentically

Living authentically means being true to yourself, having a strong sense of who you are, and behaving in ways that reflect your values, interests, and goals.

To live authentically, you have to know yourself well.

Who are you?

Without a clear sense of who you are, you can be more easily influenced by friends, family, advertising, the media, political or religious leaders, or anyone asserting their opinions.

When you know yourself, you’re grounded and solid, you’re less susceptible to people-pleasing and less afraid of being judged, snubbed, or rejected. For example, part of why teens tend to succumb to peer pressure is because they’re still figuring out who they are (they’re also susceptible because the decision-making part of their brains isn’t fully developed).

What Do You Like to Do for Fun?

What you like to do for fun is only one aspect of who you are, of course. I chose to focus on fun because so many of us don’t prioritize fun, self-care, and relaxation.

Those of us who struggle with codependency, over working, and perfectionism, find fun to be especially elusive. Work and service to others have been our focus, so it feels odd to consider that playing is an important part of adulthood and something we can all benefit from. Play is one type of self-care.

When I ask adults what they like to do for fun, they often say “I don’t know”. They’ve lost touch with this part of themselves.

This might be because they didn’t get many opportunities to relax and play as a child, or they were told that hobbies are a waste of time and money, or that these things are selfish and they should be doing for others and not themselves.

When I open up this topic, some people notice that they spend very little time on their hobbies and interests, and other people notice that the things they are doing for “fun” aren’t actually all that fun for them.

Are you forcing yourself to like things because others find them fun?

Tim forced himself to go on a beach vacation every summer with his wife’s family. He hated the sun and the sand. Everyone else seemed to love the family beach trip so much; he thought he’d surely grow to love it and kept pushing through year after year. It never turned out to be fun for Tim.

Marjorie played tennis every Saturday for five years. She had been flattered when her neighbor invited her to join her team. It filled a void in Marjorie’s life and she knew the exercise was good for her, but she no longer enjoyed playing tennis. She loved having lunch with her friends after their match and didn’t want to miss out on that part of her Saturday routine, so she continued to play tennis with her friends. It was a relief when her tendonitis got so bad that she had to quit.

Are there things you keep trying to make yourself enjoy? When all your friends or family are really excited about something, it’s hard to be the one that’s disinterested. You might feel separate and different, perhaps wondering what’s wrong with you.

This is what happens to me when people start eagerly chatting about the new episode of Game of Thrones. I have no interest in it, which means I have nothing to add to conversations, I don’t get the memes or other Game of Thrones references. Perhaps you’ve experienced something similar when your interests were different than everyone else’s. Sometimes this can push you into doing things that really aren’t fun for you.

Trying new things

In general, trying new things is a good idea. As a therapist and personal development junkie, I know that we usually benefit when we stretch ourselves to do things that are just beyond our comfort zone. It’s true that sometimes, you don’t know if you like something unless you’ve tried it.

However, the more you know yourself, the clearer you become on what you like and don’t like. Sometimes you know what you’re going to like or not like before you’ve tried it. For example, I don’t have to try skydiving to know it’s not my idea of fun.

It’s OK to quit

One of the old beliefs I have from childhood is that I shouldn’t quit things. Quitting seemed like a failure or a cop-out. I thought I should just suffer through playing volleyball and ice skating; I’d signed-up so I expected myself to see it through. It turns out that sometimes quitting is good for us.

Why do we need to continue doing things that we hate (especially if it was intended to be fun)? I tried to make myself like board games. It’s taken me until well into my 40’s to accept that with a few exceptions, I don’t like playing board games.

A lot of my family and friends really enjoy playing games so I kept trying to make myself like them. The idea of family game night seems like such a great source of wholesome family fun and bonding…and I’m sure it is for many, but it’s not fun for me.

Trying to force yourself to do and be something that you’re not, isn’t healthy. It can damage your self-esteem, instead of improving it. So, I will no longer make myself play board games just because everyone else thinks they’re fun. Life is too short for that.

I want to do things that are actually fun for me. Are there things that you’re ready to give up because they aren’t fun for you?

How to discover what’s fun for you

The easiest way to figure out what you like is to start a list.

Ultimately, figuring out what’s fun may take some experimenting. As you do “fun activities” notice your thoughts, feelings, and body sensations. This can help you notice whether it feels good.

As I mentioned earlier, you will need to find a balance between challenging yourself to try new things and honoring your feelings, and accepting that some things aren’t enjoyable for you.

Why is it important to live authentically?

What’s wrong with going along with what everyone else wants to do?

If you’ve ever done something that’s out of alignment with your values or interests, you know it can feel awful. You might experience feelings of guilt and regret that are hard to shake.

Even something as small as enduring your sister’s book club or watching horror movies with your partner when you don’t like these activities can lead to resentments over time. Compromise is a part of happy relationships, but you can’t constantly minimize your need for fun and relaxation to please others.

Taking the time to learn about your interests and strengths is a way of taking care of yourself. It says “I deserve to have fun. My needs and interests are just as valid as everyone else’s”. Embracing your own idea of fun is a step away from people-pleasing and into your authentic self.

We all have our own ideas about what’s fun and when we let go of the notion that we should find certain things fun, we free ourselves up to find and do what’s actually fun for us. And when we live authentically, we feel empowered and fulfilled.

©2017 Sharon Martin, LCSW. All rights reserved.
Photo of beach by Will Langenberg on Unsplash