In our leisure we reveal what kind of people we are. – Ovid
Leisure time is often seen as being less important than work, in a way. Work is what defines your life and is viewed as the key component of your identity. But leisure also shapes your behavior and might contribute more to who you become in the future than work in many situations. Let’s examine how leisure can shape your behavior.
Leisure offers many opportunities
Leisure time, by definition, belongs to you, and you get to make decisions about the ways you spend it. This means that this is the time you have to grow as a person, reach new goals, and just spend time on self-care. Leisure is the space you have to shape who you want to be beyond your work and allows you the chance to grow and change.
Often, leisure is spent on rest and relaxation. While this is important, if it’s all our leisure time is, it can mean we don’t get to grow too much outside of work. Very passive leisure can turn us into couch potatoes if we do it all the time, while being more active can shape our behaviors and development in unexpected ways.
Our brain responds to habit
Our brains are not a static thing. They have a great deal of plasticity and are constantly changing. What makes them evolve or devolve in this process of change? Well, the habits we have, and leisure time is a big part of what shapes these habits.
If we work hard and then come home and watch reality television, it is going to affect our brains in one way. If we come home and study, it will have a different effect. Sure, we might not be able to stay productive every single day, nor should we aim for that. But including productive, creative, and healthy habits in our leisure time can help us significantly.
We pursue our biggest life goals during free time
At work, we focus on work goals. But the biggest goals in life often are related to things we do outside of our jobs. Making and raising a family, writing a novel, acquiring a specific set of skills, and even launching a business all start during leisure time.
Usually, work hours are focused on goals that might be yours but might also be the company’s or your boss’s. This means that most of your personal goals should be pursued during leisure. Taking advantage of this time is crucial to be able to get to new heights.
Your free time shows where your priorities lie
Your free time can reflect your priorities. The way you spend and manage those hours that are not controlled by someone else is the best indicator of what is especially important for you now and can point you in the right direction for growth.
This doesn’t mean that you will always use this time in the most productive ways. Sometimes, your first and foremost priority is to rest and recharge. But if you find yourself never pursuing the goals you say you have, it might be a good time to reevaluate your priorities and whether your free time reflects them.
Practice makes perfect
The more we put things in practice, the better we get at them. If we want to achieve significant goals, we also have to be able to invest significant time, and for most people, this time is only available outside of work.
Using your leisure time consistently means that you are more likely to achieve what you need and want in life. But not being consistent can keep you back from those objectives. Free time can be used for rest and relaxation, but also for pursuing those things that you truly want.
Consistency throughout your leisure time is essential. Otherwise, doing exercise one day and not for another week, for example, won’t usually be good enough or sufficient to achieve what we actually want.
Free time is important not just for rest. It’s also the time we have to pursue our goals outside of work. If we want to get somewhere, we need to move forward on a regular basis.
