Sometimes your personal life can affect your work life. We’ve picked out 15 hobbies that we think are best kept on the down low. Don’t start talking about these hobbies at work. You might just find yourself getting dirty looks from co-workers. Some of these hobbies might even get you canned. A few of the extra-curricular activities on this list might just make you look bad to potential employers. Your current boss might not be able to fire you for enjoying these leisurely pursuits but they still might not be too happy with your enthusiasm for them. In the end, it’s important to recognize that work-life balance is key. It’s definitely important for you to have leisure time. But it’s also important to make sure you’re not neglecting your job.

15. Gaming

There’s nothing inherently wrong with loving video games. If it’s your leisure activity of choice and there’s no reason to be ashamed of it. The problem arises when it’s all you’re interested in. Look, anyone who has enjoyed playing video games in the past knows how much of a time suck it can be. If all you’re thinking about during your work day is how excited you are to keep playing Call of Duty, you might run into some problems. Your work might suffer. And maybe don’t tell your boss that video games are your life. They might not be so impressed with you.

14. Hanging Out With Your Pets

Anyone who has a furry (or not so furry) companion knows that they are basically like children. There are some pets that need more attention than others. Dogs, for example, don’t do well when they’re left alone for long stretches. They need plenty of exercise and love. Unless your boss is a dog person, you might want to be careful about revealing how big a part of your life your pets take up. Your boss doesn’t want to know that your fur baby is more important than work even though we all know pets are more important than anything. Although, finding a workplace that allows pets means you’ve scored big time.

13. Social Media

There are a few issues with this particular hobby. Great, you’re active online. You enjoy posting on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. However, there are a few things you need to keep in mind when you’re posting your pictures and status updates. Remember that unless you’ve set everything to private, your superiors can see whatever you post. If you’ve called in sick but you’re posting pictures of yourself at a concert? That’s definitely going to get you fired, or at least reprimanded. And be careful about what you say. Some workplaces might have strict confidentiality rules or they may not appreciate certain comments you make.

12. Music

Are you a musical person? Do you love playing guitar on your spare time? Maybe you’re even part of a band. A love for music isn’t odd at all. A lot of people love listening to music and enjoy playing an instrument. But be careful, if you’re really into the music scene your boss might start wondering if you’re really committed to your job. Do you really want or need that promotion if you’re always playing impressive gigs on the weekends? Maybe that extra work would be too much of a burden. Invite your co-workers to your show, but maybe skip inviting your boss unless they’re really into whatever genre of music you play.

11. Gambling

Yeah. This is an obvious one and it might just get you fired. Sure, heading to the casino once in a while might make for a fun evening. But it’s not always going to make a good impression if it’s your only pastime of choice. We wouldn’t advertise to our bosses that we were constantly throwing our money away on slot machines and poker. Your boss might worry that you’re too much of a risk taker and that you’re a loose cannon. If that’s a quality that’s wanted in your line of work, great! Just be careful you don’t lose control.

10. Extreme Sports

Bungee jumping, sky diving, base jumping? These all sound like intense adventures. It might make you look cool at the office but your boss might not want to invest too much in you. If you’re constantly participating in risky sports, maybe you have some kind of death wish. Your risk taking might not be as appealing to your boss as it is to your co-workers. Unless your boss is just as into extreme sports as you are. Then maybe you can bring them along for the ride. Just make sure they don’t do anything too crazy. Killing your boss isn’t exactly the best way to get a promotion.

9. Politics

If you’re someone who volunteers on your spare time by getting involved in politics you might want to keep that on the down-low. We all know that politics is a topic of conversation that can become contentious. Not everyone agrees and that might include your boss. Maybe you have certain beliefs that don’t quite jive with the company’s mission. You can’t actually be fired for your political views but you might just piss off your boss. Don’t let your political leanings get in the way of a successful career. Your boss and your co-workers don’t need to know who you voted for.

8. Netflix

We all watch Netflix. We watch HBO, Showtime, and FX, too. But it’s probably not the best idea to advertise your Netflix addiction at work. Yeah, we all binge watch shows but your boss doesn’t need to know that. Let them think that you’re just a little bit less lazy than the rest. And don’t watch Netflix at work. No matter how badly you want to find out what happens at the end of that Black Mirror episode. Don’t sneak your tablet or smartphone into work to watch your shows on the sly. That’s definitely a recipe for getting fired.

7. Larping

What? Larping? Yeah. LARP stands for ‘live action role play’. You know those people who dress up like knights and sword fight in a field with foam weapons? Those are LARPers. It’s one of the nerdiest hobbies. But people who LARP are actually pretty creative and imagination is a wonderful thing. But maybe don’t talk too much about your pretend adventures when you’re in a meeting with your boss. They don’t want to hear about it. You might have a boss with a limited sense of wonder and they might just end up thinking you’re weird. Don’t worry, we don’t think you are.

6. Redditing

If you’re a die hard Reddit user you know that browsing Reddit can be a time suck. You can waste hours browsing through sub-Reddits and going down wormholes of comments and posts. Your boss doesn’t need to know that it’s what keeps you up till the early morning hours. They don’t need to know that you’re less productive because of your Reddit habit. And if you’re going to be commenting on the site and upvoting posts, make sure that you’re not using your real name. You don’t want your boss to know about all the weird stuff you comment on.

5. Travelling

You love to explore new places. You enjoy taking trips throughout the year and you’re always on the lookout for airfare deals. You love learning about other cultures and visiting tourist attractions. You’ve even backpacked across Europe. You’re a real globetrotter. Yeah, don’t start bragging about this to your boss. They’re going to wonder if they can count on you. If you’re always planning your next adventure, are you really committed to your job? You could up and leave at any moment. If you put your travel plans above your work duties, you might just find yourself without a job to come home to.

4. Guns

Some people just love their guns. If you enjoy collecting firearms and you find yourself visiting the shooting range real often, you might just be a gun nut. We’re not here to judge right now but beware that your hobby might be seen in a negative light by some. We’re willing to bet that the chances are slim that your boss has the same hobby. In a world where gun violence is prevalent, your boss might wonder about you. If you’re constantly talking about how many guns you have at home people might start to get a bit worried about you.

3. The Occult

There’s a moment in almost every teen’s life where they become really interested in witchcraft and the occult. It’s usually after they’ve watched The Craft. They scour the Internet for spells and they might even start to dress differently. It’s just a phase, though. But if you’re an adult and still into that stuff ? Well, you’re definitely different from the rest. Again, we don’t want to judge, but your work mates might give you a funny look if you’re claiming to be a witch. If you’re eschewing the company dress code and going for a more witch-y vibe, your boss might not like that. Keep the witchcraft stuff to yourself.

2. Pageants

Are you a pageant mom? Do you love to dress your kids up and show them off on stage. Do you feel pride when your young daughter looks like a mini adult with a full face of makeup? Or maybe you’re the one who’s dressing up and getting on stage to compete. Either way, nobody at work wants to know. Kid pageants are mega weird. The general public associates them with overbearing mothers and pedophiles. Pageants are part of a bizarre world and we’re willing to bet that you’ll be looked at differently if you reveal this side of you to your boss.

1. Sleeping

Some people love sleep so much they might even say it’s their hobby. Leisure time is a way for people to relax, after all. Isn’t sleeping the best way to unwind? It’s when you can zone out and stop thinking. Your brain gets a break from zipping through to-do lists and worrying about the future. If all you do is sleep when you’re not working, you might come off as pretty lazy to your boss. Your boss doesn’t need to know that you’re a champion at napping. Don’t reveal this side of you lest you make a terrible impression. It signals laziness even if you’re very productive otherwise.