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06.30.22 | Sage Advice

Change Your Mindset On How You View Leisure Time

Working and finding purpose helps to bring meaning to life, but leisure time that we spend with people we love and doing things we enjoy is what brings extra health and happiness. While some people may view their leisure time as wasteful, a new study from the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology finds that the more negatively we see this time, the less enjoyment we will receive from it. 

Goal-oriented activities like working out and meditation are typically viewed in a positive way whether or not those who participate in them view it as wasteful because of their productive value. But activities like hanging out with family and friends or enjoying activities for pleasure like watching television or simply relaxing are often viewed as self-indulgent.  

The study explains that those who viewed their leisure time as less enjoyable and wasteful were found to have more anxiety and stress in their life, and those who viewed it oppositely were happier. Results conclude that happiness not only has a linkage to whether people partake in leisure activities but also how they value that time spent. 

It can be a strenuous process to change your mindset, but it’s important to remember the value that lives behind leisure time. Instead of viewing the time as wasteful, relating it to procrastination or work and tasks, start to picture it as beneficial time you can utilize to take care of yourself. 

You can read more of the study here.

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