The Importance Of Leisure Time: Why 'Doing Nothing' Is Key To Your Mental Health And Wellbeing

Do you feel guilty that you didn't accomplish as much as you hoped today, in the last week, or in the last year? Scrap that — do you feel a nagging, whining, guilt every time you take five minutes to yourself?

Of course you do. We live in the age of productivity culture and productivity apps, after all, the age where everything needs to be scheduled and optimized. The problem with that? It's bad for your mental and physical health and it's soul-destroying. When you feel like every minute of every day has to be micromanaged, and every minute you're not making money or bettering your life is wasted, you stop enjoying life and enter a very unpleasant rat race. 

Are you thinking of making a change? Try adding "chill out and do nothing" to your to-do list more often. 

What Is Leisure Time?

The Oxford dictionary defines it as "time when one is not working or occupied; free time." Collins dictionary is nicer about it: "Time when you are not working and can relax and do things that you enjoy."

We'll add our own definition into the mix — leisure is any activity that you do not because you have to, but because you want to, and leisure time is time you fill doing things you want. 

It can be anything. Some prefer to play computer games. Others seek out lazy afternoons with their families or go to the cinema with their friends, while some head for the gym (not because "being fit" is a scheduled activity but because they want to). It doesn't matter what you do with your leisure time. The point is that you do what you want and are fully able to enjoy it. 

People who take leisure seriously are often happier and healthier, both physically and mentally. They are more satisfied with life, and when that leisure time is over, they feel more motivated and optimistic about getting back to work. 

How Much Leisure Time Do You Need?

Research shows that it is optimal for people to have about 2.5 hours of leisure time each day. This is time you can fill however you choose to — it's not enough to just not be working. Cooking, doing chores, helping your kids with their homework, or attending that dreaded birthday party with the relative you hate but feel you have to show up for don't count. 

If you get much more than 2.5 hours of leisure time each day, you'll feel unproductive and useless. This is bad for your mental health. If you get much less, or you spend all your free time ruminating about work, your child's dwindling academic performance, or your parent with dementia, you'll feel stressed.

What Are the Benefits of Taking Leisure Time Seriously?

People who engage in leisure time regularly, and without feeling guilty about it, experience many science-backed health benefits:

• If outdoor activities like walking or surfing, or other types of workouts, are part of your leisure time, you'll be fitter, healthier, and stronger.
• Regular physical activity is well-known to reduce your risk of many diseases, including diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
• Relaxing helps you deal with pent-up stress, so you can face another day in a happier and more confident state of mind.
• Leisure time alleviates feelings of boredom.
• Spending your leisure time with friends or relatives strengthens your bond, which is also good for your mental and physical health.
• Leisure time is often a great way to meet new friends, which is very beneficial for your quality of life.
• If you spend your leisure time learning something new, you will feel accomplished and proud, which motivates you and makes you feel happy.
• We all crave a sense of challenge. Leisure time can provide that even if we have boring jobs.

Leisure time can broadly be divided into active pastimes, activities that help us strengthen our interpersonal relationships, activities that help us learn a new skill (like pottery, French, coding, or gardening), and simply relaxing. Doing absolutely nothing at all, or just reading a good book, watching a movie, or enjoying a takeout meal on our own can all be beneficial. 

Spending time doing what we want, rather than what we need to do, recharges our batteries. It gives us a greater sense of control over our lives, it can give us the novelty we need, and it can strengthen social bonds that our quality of life depends on. Feeling guilty about that is silly, no? Let's work to live, rather than live to work. Throw your productivity app away and do genealogy research, learn to raise chickens, or be the best you can at the latest video game instead. 

A Final Word

We often think of leisure time as wasted time. That is stupid. Leisure time is at least part of what life is all about, because it's about doing what we want. Take it seriously and choose wisely. Do you really want to learn to dance the tango? Then stop watching Netflix and go dance. 

The free time we have is limited. We should make the most of it and we should never feel guilty about it.