Thinking of Leisure as a Waste of Time Undermines Enjoyment

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2021.104198

Explanation

This study examines the effects of how we view leisure time on our happiness and stress.

While it is generally believed that having leisure time brings many benefits to mental and physical health, many people consider leisure time to be wasteful and unproductive.

Four studies (n = 1310) have shown that believing leisure time is wasteful undermines enjoyment of enacted leisure activities.

Studies 1 and 2 stated that people who tend to perceive leisure as wasteful report less enjoyment of leisure activities, and that the belief that leisure is wasteful is also associated with poorer mental health, including lower reported happiness and higher reports of depression, anxiety, and stress.

Studies conducted to establish these causal relationships3,4 have shown that priming the belief that leisure is wasteful or unproductive reduces the enjoyment of motivated leisure activities.

And unfortunately, priming the belief that leisure is productive does not increase enjoyment.