Balanced Leisure

It’s said that one person’s pleasure is another person’s pain. And so it is with leisure: One person’s household chore is another person’s leisure. Basically, then, leisure activities are a matter of personal preference. Well, mostly.

In the way that many economists look at life, there are basically three sets of activities: market work (income production), home work (unpaid chores), and leisure. With respect to market work, it’s unlikely that more work would count as leisure. Unless you’re a workaholic. On the other hand, with an activity like cooking, the line between home work and leisure can become blurred. Dread cooking and the activity could be a chore; eagerly engage in preparing an Everyday Italian dish, then you’re probably looking at leisure.

On a practical basis, leisure is an activity, voluntarily engaged in, that brings pleasure. It also needs to be a diversion from your normal routine. So, if you are a workaholic, your leisure needs to be a break in your work routine, and compulsory activities like sleeping, doing laundry, or brushing your teeth don’t count as leisure. Well, mostly not.

Interestingly, the requirement for diversion comes from what retirement expert Dr. Richard Johnson, calls the paradox of leisure; he says, “…for an activity to be leisure it must be a diversion; a vacation, a breather, a break, a new space. … [and] remain secondary to what is the primary focus of our life if it is to retain its ability to refresh us.” To be leisure, then, an activity must be balanced against other meaningful and productive pursuits.

So, all golf, all the time? Not leisure.

There is another aspect of balance that applies to your leisure life. It is a good idea to consider a mix of passive and active pursuits. Think of passive leisure as entertainment, think of active leisure as recreation. Both are desirable and both have benefits. While passive leisure promotes relaxation, active leisure is all about engaging life.

Find the right mix for you, and have a great time. Own your leisure. Own you life.

Contact me if you are at mid-life and want create a plan for a more balanced life.

Comments

[Wendy]

I just started laughing when I read this. My life is dedicated to trying to find that elusive balance. But I have categorized working in my home as leisure. Haha. I'm a bit of a workaholic, so I'm going to have to re-evaluate what I've classified as leisure. Uh-oh.

[Walter Akana]

Hi Wendy! Thanks for dropping by! Actually, I think we’re all after that elusive balance, and yet finding it is … well, a balancing act! Seeing you’re a little bit of a workaholic (and frankly, I am too!), is a big step forward. From time to time re-evaluating what we call leisure can lead to more mindful enjoyment of our leisure time – whatever the activity!