Leisure as non-work

In that concept, “free time” refers to time spent away from painful or disagreeable obligations,
whereas pleasurable obligations are viewed as basically leisure. In other words, a person at
leisure does not feel compelled to engage in the activity at hand. Leisure is generally associated
with aspects of imagined freedom and choice. It is carried out for "its own sake," in order to
improve the quality of the experience and engagement.

Leisure as Activity

Leisure may also be defined as activities that people undertake in their spare time that are not
work-related or do not need life-sustaining activities such as housecleaning or sleeping. Reading
for enjoyment, meditating, drawing, and engaging in sports are examples of leisure activities that
we engage in for a variety of reasons such as relaxation, competitiveness, or progress. This
definition emphasizes how a person feels while engaging in the activity; it merely asserts that
some activities qualify as leisure since they occur during time away from work and are not
undertaken for the sole purpose of surviving. However, as many have noted, it is exceedingly
difficult to come up with a list of activities that everyone believes constitutes leisure—an activity
may be a leisure activity to some, but it may not be a leisure activity to others. Since a result of
this definition, the distinction between work and leisure is blurred, as what some consider to be
leisure may be considered labor by others, and vice versa.

Leisure as State of Mind

Unlike definitions of leisure as an activity, leisure as a state of mind is considerably more

subjective, taking into account an individual's opinion of an activity. Perceived freedom, intrinsic
drive, perceived competence, and pleasant affect are all important factors in assessing whether or
not an experience is leisure. Perceive freedom refers to an individual's capacity to pick the
activity or experience they want to have in the sense that they are free of other commitments and
may act without being controlled by others. External limitations to involvement are also part of
perceived freedom.

The final key component of leisure as a state of mind is positive affect, which refers to a person's
sense of choice, or the feeling people have when they have some control over the experience's
process. Positive affect relates to pleasure, and pleasure stems from a sense of control. What one
person considers to be a leisure experience may not be for another; whether or not an experience
is leisure is determined by a variety of variables. Three of the most essential of these variables
are enjoyment, incentive, and choice. As a result, when two people participate in the same
activity, their mental states might be dramatically different.

Leisure is a manner of being, of being at ease with oneself and what one is doing... There is just
one criterion for leisure, and that is the state of imagined freedom. Leisure may be defined as any
activity that is done without restriction or pressure.
Why is Leisure time important? 
The main reason that leisure time is important is that it gives a person the balance needed to
focus on his or her other, more stressful, daily activities. Leisure time relieves boredom and
stress and also improves one's physical and emotional health.
Taking time to focus on enjoyable leisure activities gives a person's mind a rest from daily stress.
This allows him or her to be more focused when the time comes.
Quality leisure time is also important because it has the ability to enhance one's communication
skills and self-esteem. By engaging in group leisure activities based on shared interests, such as
book clubs, craft clubs or exercise groups, a person broadens his or her circle of friends. Group
activities also can benefit those who are shy or introverted.

Here are some of the reasons why leisure time is so important.

MAKES YOU MORE PRODUCTIVE

To some individuals, the idea of taking a break from work in order to be more productive may
seem absurd. I know I always have more than enough work to keep me busy, and it might be
difficult to persuade yourself to take a break. When we take on too much, though, we tend to be
slower at work, make more mistakes, and wind up wasting more time in the end. Taking a break
from work can help us clear our heads and enhance our problem-solving abilities. You can return
to work feeling rejuvenated and eager to take on new challenges.

REDUCES STRESS

In our careers, most of us face some level of stress. It's uncomfortable, but if we can manage it,
we can usually learn to live with it successfully. The issues arise when you are overworked and
don't give yourself enough time to handle your stress. It has been proven that participating in a
leisure activity relieves stress. According to research, persons who take time off on weekends are
less stressed than those who work even on their days off. Allow yourself time apart from
unpleasant circumstances so that you can learn to deal with them more effectively.

IMPROVES YOUR MOOD

People's emotions have been found to improve with some leisure time, just as they have with
stress. Work responsibilities and difficulties that arise on the workplace might be aggravating. If
you never allow yourself to leave that environment, it's difficult to escape that irritated sensation.
A little time away from a difficult situation may sometimes provide insight and aid in issue
solving.
HELPS YOU ACHIEVE WORK-LIFE BALANCE

Contrary to popular belief, it is feasible to strike a balance between work and personal time.
Work-life balance is becoming increasingly important for many professionals, particularly those
approaching their "retirement years." However, in order to do so, one must first understand how
to distinguish between the two. Taking your leisure time seriously helps you to build the norms
and structure that separate your working and non-working lives.

KEEPS YOU ACTIVE

Millennials are an active generation that appears to be wary of getting "lazy." Allowing oneself
time to rest, however, does not imply that you should be inactive. In many cases, the reverse is
true. We frequently overlook to remain physically active while we are preoccupied by work. You
can, however, utilize your free time to go hiking, biking, playing sports, or doing anything else
you wouldn't typically do.

It’s good to be proud of your work ethic, but keep in mind that leisure time is something to be
embraced, not ignored. 

Being involved in a variety of leisure activities is also a good role model for children. It helps to
teach them about valuable life skills, such as socially acceptable behavior, communication and
relationships with other people.