Definition of Leisure…………..

Answer:

Leisure is a term which has different meanings to different people. To some it involves doing nothing while to some it is full of intense activities. It is a term which is commonly misunderstood. Leisure is an activity that is undertaken to give the individual a feeling of fulfillment, an opportunity for growth and the chance to exercise control over an activity. The purpose of this paper is to look into definitions of pleasure from two academic journals while contrasting these with my own definition which will be summarized at the end of the paper.

While most English dictionaries define leisure as free time or a time when one is not occupied, this definition does not apply across the board. Leisure is not equivalent to pleasure or leafing. It means an opportunity to develop oneself in all aspects of life, including socially, mentally and spiritually. Geoffrey Gobey (1985) defines leisure as “living in relative freedom from the external compulsive forces of ones culture and physical environment so as to be able to act from internally compelling love in ways which are personally pleasing, intuitively worthwhile and provide a basis for faith.” (Page 9)This definition encompasses the whole spectrum of leisure. Leisure has to have an element of free will to engage in tasks that the person finds amusing. It emphasizes the need to be free from external influences while allowing the inner self to be released full swing. It also touches on the goals of pleasure, which is an aspect that should not be left out. One must have a clear understanding of what leisure aims to achieve. The only issue with this definition is one: it does not clearly state what ways should be used to reap maximum benefits from leisure.

According to Shaw (1985), leisure is a concept that is defined by a combination of enjoyment, freedom of choice, relaxation, intrinsic motivation and lack of evaluation. Her view is that it is not derived from just a single aspect of the aforementioned things, a fact which I totally agree with. She views leisure from a different point from the contemporaries. Leisure is a sphere of life in which the mind is in a state of great motivation derived from deep within. However, leisure does not have to involve relaxation. An activity may be energy sapping and mentally involving, but as long it is enjoyable and adds value to the person doing it, then it qualifies to be termed as a leisure activity. Motivation has to come from within as this is what drives the leisure activity. It would be pointless to look upon external forces to direct leisure.

I define leisure as an enjoyable activity which is undertaken without any influence from the external forces of this world and one which releases the inner self to act in a manner which is enticing,  but provides room for growth in all dimensions of life, including but not limited to, social, mental and spiritual aspects. It is a conscious decision that allows an individual to act in a very productive manner while providing an opportunity to stretch his or her creativity to the limits.

References

Gobey, G. (1985).Leisure in Your Life. State College, P.A, Venture p. 9

Shaw, S. (1985). The Meaning of Leisure in Everyday.  Life Leisure Sciences. 7(1) doi: 0149-             0400/85/010001

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