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By Paul J. Rosch, M.D.
Maximizing Leisure Time
We all complain that we "don't have enough time" away from work, but how do we spend these precious and dwindling moments? For many, it is merely an extension of some work-related task or tackling a long "to do" list, rather than time spent on experiences that are refreshing, stimulating, and rejuvenating. It's easy to recall how much time you spend working, but itemizing leisure time is much more difficult. Are you frequently on a "busman's holiday," or does your job constantly intrude on your "free" time? A study of 500 executives by Hilton International found that 70% admitted that the office always knew where to reach them on vacation, and almost one in three called in constantly.
Most of us could use some lessons in the art of self-renewal. A good start might be to list the activities you really enjoyed over the past few months. Did they take place in the evening, on the weekend, or while on vacation? Were they solo activities, or did they involve family or friends? What experiences can you recall that were truly rewarding and truly enjoyable, or possibly even rejuvenating? What do you feel would provide the most pleasure and fulfillment for you personally? Is it entertainment, physical activity, creative expression, relaxation, adventure, intellectual challenge, finishing a project that provides pride of accomplishment, enhancing spirituality or personal growth?
Are there some items in the above categories you would really like to pursue but haven't because they were simply never really considered, or because leisure time is consumed by activities like watching TV?
History is replete with examples of poets, artists, writers, composers, and scientists who conceived of some masterpiece or theory in the void of some leisure moment. We are not all artists, but there may be some spark of greatness waiting to be ignited by a breath of fresh air that also sweeps out the cobwebs. We need to learn how to open the doors and windows to our mind. The "vacant mood" that Wordsworth described is not emptiness. Rather, it is a state of equanimity that allows us to look inward rather than outward, to reflect and contemplate and to re-create and relish pleasurable and meaningful experiences. Voltaire viewed this as learning how to "cultivate our own garden." Few individuals ever take the time to go through this process of weeding and fertilization. Sometimes, as James Thurber noted, "It is better to have loafed and lost than never to have loafed at all."
This article was first published in CreativeLiving Magazine, a publication of Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, © 2003.
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