Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Key Takeaways

• Investing time in hobbies is more than a leisure activity; it’s a strategic advantage that fosters creativity, engagement and a sharper, more grounded leadership style.

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.