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　　Maybe you paint, keep a journal or knit. Or maybe you play bass in a punk rock band. Whatever hobby you have, keep at it. A little study published this week suggests that having a creative outlet outside the office might help people perform better at work.

　　Psychologists from San Francisco State University found that the more people engaged in their hobbies, the more likely they were to come up with creative solutions to problems on the job. And no matter what the hobby was, these were also more likely to go out of their way to help co-workers.

　　The researchers also surveyed a second group of 90 U.S. Air Force captains. The psychologists knew that these folks were already trained to solve tough problems, and help others-so they wanted to see if having a hobby affected their performance in any way. In addition to asking the officers about their own work performance, the researchers checked performance reviews from the captains' co-workers and bosses.

　　It turned out that for both groups, having a creative outlet boosted work performance. And that's after the scientists took into account other things that might influence performance-like personality.

　　"Some people have a personality that's more creative," Eschleman says. To judge how naturally creative participants were, the researchers asked them, for example, to rate how open they are to new experiences and how much they value art.

　　Behaviors at work and home strengthen each other. "It's very possible that those who are performing better at their jobs also have more energy to pursue these creative activities," he says. And, in turn, participating in creative activities may help people feel more energized and engaged at work.

　　And while the paper doesn't pin down exactly how or why your weekend comes into the wonderful world of soap-making might help your professional life, Eschleman says it's likely because hobbies can help people learn more about their own strengths and weaknesses. "Creative activities really can provide you with the opportunity to learn something new about yourself."

　　Hobbies can also provide an escape from everyday stresses. "You're using that time to recharge," he says.

So bosses should encourage employees to take up hobbies, Eschleman says. Maybe even