We explain what free time is, its relationship with productivity and leisure. Also, what to do during our free time.
What is free time?
When we talk about free time, in general, we refer to the amount of weather that we have left after having satisfied our duties and needs (personal, professional, domestic, etc.), that is, the time that we can freely dispose of. It is common to use this term as a synonym for leisure or recreation, but it is not the same.
The way to understand free time in the society it can be very different, and it can often be problematic. Its very name already reveals that under a certain idea of production, free time would become unproductive time, that is, wasted time, in which “nothing is being done”. But we all know that this is far from being true: free time can be full of different kinds of activities.
However, the management of free time is an entirely personal and individual matter. One can choose to invest it in leisure and recreation, or in the development of talents not related to our professional activity, or even in the study; So that, deep down, the boundary between what is free time and what is not often becomes arbitrary, conventional, if not subjective.
In our modern societies, free time is both a necessity, vital to be able to rest and get rid of productive work, and an opportunity, since by engaging in recreational or other activities, we consume goods and services that also mobilize energy. economy of society. Thus, while we have our free time, others are immersed in productive time, and vice versa.
Free time and leisure
As we said before, free time and leisure are not exactly the same. Leisure is the time dedicated to recreational, free and voluntary activities, the purpose of which is recreation, rest and distraction. Leisure is carried out in everyone's free time, that is, in the time available after the satisfaction of duties and needs, but not every activity carried out in our free time is a leisure activity.
On the other hand, leisure is characterized by a certain attitude of the person regarding the activity that is carried out. Generally, leisure time is experienced voluntarily and disinterestedly, that is, without expecting anything in return and without having a greater commitment than recreation and meeting with oneself, or socialization and contact with loved ones.
Unproductive, recreational and free-time activities can occur, which are not idle. For example, extending recreational activities far beyond healthy time, such as spending a whole day hooked on a video game; or competitive activities that represent a final reward, such as participating in a sports tournament, are not exactly forms of leisure, although they should always be carried out in each person's free time.
Instead, watch a TV show, go to the movies with friends, practice a sport or engaging in a hobby are forms of leisure, whose only satisfaction is the activity itself and the distraction they provide. In conclusion: the difference between free time and leisure time is how we dispose of it.
What to do with our free time?
Free time can be made available through a multitude of activities, such as:
- Do sports and physical activities, alone or as part of a group.
- To visit museums, theaters and rooms movie theater, to consume exhibitions, works and shows.
- Read books on a topic of our interest or passion: literature, history, divulgation, etc.
- Entertain yourself through video games on different platforms, or simply watch television.
- Enroll in classes from some idiom new, or learn to play a musical instrument.
- Acquiring and exercising a hobby: models to build, painting on canvas, bird watching, etc.
- Practice meditation or some kind of mystical-religious rites.
- Visit our friends or our relatives.
- Go for a walk, eat out, or go dancing at a disco.
- Volunteer in ecological, social or community activities.
- Travel.