Sport and Recreation Management - Essay Example

BENEFITS OF LEISURE Benefits of Leisure Introduction The modern world is alive to the fact that work is the key to economic, social, physical, and spiritual wellbeing. However, even as people focus on their works and relevant activities, they appreciate the significance of free time, recreational time, and leisure time in their endeavors. Indeed, there is a common assertion in the modern world that all work with no play makes Jack a dull boy that advocates for leisure time. Ideally, we can define leisure as any time that an individual spends away from work, entrepreneurship, maintenance activities, family activities, and academic activities. While defining leisure, we refer to time, which includes nondiscretionary time, working time, and leisure time where leisure is discretionary time (McKay 2012, p. 5). Worth noting is that all activities done during leisure time must be necessary and chosen at free will by individuals (McKay 2012, p. 5). In fact, there is a distinction between leisure and unavoidable activities with respect to the motive of any activity. More so, there is a difference between leisure and free time since some factors as social pressures may coerce individuals to engage in leisure activities. For instance, the need to keep up with the economic developments achieved by our colleagues may force one to spend leisure time in activities aimed at deriving economic value. In most cases, leisure time comes in small quantities during weekdays where different individuals and countries have diverse opinions on the value of leisure time (Godbey 2009, p. 17). In America, many individuals have about 35 to 40 hours of leisure per week (Godbey 2009, p. 17). The most common concept of leisure is social leisure that relates to actions pursued in a social setup since the social institution recognizes the significance of leisure. Different social settings determine the time available for leisure where some societies have individuals who value work more than any leisure activity hence deriving little leisure time. In most cases, women have less leisure time compared to men with respect to all leisure components. Ideally, the basic components of leisure include catering, visitor attractions, children’s play activities, sport and physical recreation activities, home-based leisure, countryside recreation activities as well as arts and entertainment. Notably, these components accommodate various activities and experiences that derive leisure to people of all cultures, social classes, and ages that include children, youth, adults, families, and senior members of the society (Cohen-Gewerc 1999). However, the understanding of the importance of leisure has been vivid and governments have been investing in ventures aimed at deriving a clear understanding on leisure time. As such, companies and government institutions have been encouraging workers to derive and utilize leisure time instead of encouraging them to work overtime. Through this initiative, there is a regulation of overtime and employees enhance their productivity during the established working hours (Cohen-Gewerc 1999). In the recent times, the modern society has been appreciating the essence of leisure time in enhancing mental and physical health (Temple University Collaborative 2014). Nevertheless, it is quite clear that leisure is not absolute positive. Indeed, leisure time has some negative components though they do not supersede the merits of leisure in the modern society (McKay 2012, p. 6). Some of the key benefits of leisure include social health, physical health, economic health, psychological health, and spiritual health that define the wellness of any human being. These benefits are feasible and they justify the need for leisure time in our social settings. There are significant social health benefits that relate to leisure activities. Indeed, we often define leisure in social contexts since leisure activities derive social interactions (Ho 2008, p. 30). For instance, social clubs, sporting clubs, and other social ventures lead to the development of social capital, which derives wide societal benefits. Leisure activities eliminate isolation and alienation in the society as all individuals establish social interactions that derive social unity. With the leisure activities, individuals can handle stress and depression since the activities establish mental wellness (Hutchinson 2011, p. 1-2). In fact, participating in leisure activities helps individuals to establish a balance in their lives by putting them in control of their time and duties. Other social benefits that emanate from leisure include providing a platform for the growth of leisure activities like art, culture, and sports. The growth of these activities promotes tourism and cultural awareness in the society. Furthermore, the sporting and youth activities that leisure supports leads to leadership development in the society, which leads to the establishment of a centralized and strong society. The social interactions derived by leisure activities forms strong family bonds as they ensure that individuals spend quality and enough time with their families. The leisure time spent with people with special needs defines social integration that promotes social cohesion and a strong society. Moreover, different leisure activities develop self-esteem among individuals since such people derive positive images and feelings through hobbies, social activities that foster social interactions and encourage good lifetime activities (Hutchinson 2011, p. 1-2). Notably, leisure relates to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs that includes physiological, safety, love, esteem, and self-actualization needs (McLeod 2014). Indeed, leisure helps us to achieve physiological needs that entail freedom from hunger, thirst, bodily discomfort (Huitt 2007). It also helps in attaining security needs that entails freedom from danger, unemployment, bodily harm, insufficient resources, and health problems. It helps in establishing affiliations with friends, family, and sexual partners (Huitt 2007). Leisure derives self-esteem, which enhances achievement, competence (Indiana University 2006), confidence, approval, and recognition in the society (Huitt 2007). Ultimately, leisure helps the society to achieve self-actualization needs that include morality, creativity, and ability to solve problems and accept reality (Huitt 2007). Various physical health benefits relate to leisure activities. Indeed, there is a close relationship between leisure and physical activity since most leisure activities involve vigorous physical movements. Ideally, the high level of leisure activities relate to improved health outcomes where they help to deal various health issues like obesity thus improving the quality of life and increasing endorphin production. Furthermore, individuals who participate in various leisure activities establish an avenue for addressing serious mental illnesses, which promotes their physical, and health wellness (Hutchinson 2011, p. 1-2). In most cases, leisure activities like hiking, dancing, playing soccer, and swimming involve the movement of large muscles (Temple University Collaborative 2014). Such activities have the capacity of improving the cardiovascular health of the participants by increasing their lung capacity (Ho 2008, p. 30). However, this benefit is only applicable with routine participation in such activities. Since such activities derive a lot of pleasure, individuals have a tendency of practicing those more often thus improving their cardiovascular health. Moreover, the physical leisure activities can act as proactive coping strategies that help individuals to avoid stressing activities and create a balance in life (Temple University Collaborative 2014). Physical activities like sports, swimming, and painting help individuals to break from stressful situations in the society, which reduces stress hormones in the body (Ho 2008, p. 30). Other physical benefits that relate to leisure include reduced serum cholesterol, hypertension, and the ultimate reduction of disease occurrence among participants of leisure activities. Moreover, children who participate in leisure activities tend to develop higher motor skill development and social skills in childhood development. Such children develop a sense of confidence and focus on their studies, which confirm the significance of leisure in the learning process. Most assuredly, leisure activities improve the attitudes and performances by deriving a refreshing feeling. As such, it is clear that leisure derives numerous physical benefits that are clearly feasible. Leisure generates significant economic health benefits in the modern world (Veal 2006, p. 1-8). Indeed, the modern economy hosts unlimited recreational and leisure facilities. The leisure industry is an established industry in the global economy that offers diverse leisure activities and supports various leisure components. Such activities create a platform for massive business ventures that seek to accommodate leisure needs of all individuals. Through the PlayStations, soccer fields, entertainment hubs like restaurants and pubs, and movie theaters that allow individuals to spend their leisure time, this industry has economic value as it guarantees enjoyment and relaxation. Different individuals strive to make sure that people derive complete benefit from their leisure time, which derives a new form of work and entrepreneurship. For instance, tourism and travel agencies generate significant amounts of money from hosting people on their leisure time (Veal 2006, p. 1). Worth noting is the fact that the economic benefits of leisure cuts across borders since individuals move to different countries to spend their leisure time. Individuals spend a lot of money on enjoyment and leisure activities. For instance, the global population spends about $14,000 billion per year on leisure and recreation. This confirms that leisure is part of the global economy subject to its global effects. Ideally, leisure contributes to a better economy and a better environment since it equals consumption. Leisure is all about money since the leisure activities hosted in different location demand for subscription fee. Furthermore, leisure fosters the protection of the environment since it forces the society and global economy to create and maintain recreational places in a clean and green environment. This enhances environmental conservation, which is a major aspect in promoting global economic growth. Psychological health benefits are the major benefits of leisure in the society. Indeed, leisure activities like playing Sudoku, crossword, and other games are very challenging and hence they offer relaxation and stimulation that has great value in enhancing mental health (Hutchinson 2011, p. 1-2). Such games play a major role in reducing stress and fostering psychosocial development among individuals in the society. Most assuredly, leisure activities are entertainment ventures that reduce stress and tension by soothing the mind and body of the participants. This helps in deriving positive attitudes and social interactions, which have an overall effect on the social and physical health of the individuals (Hutchinson 2011, p. 1-2). Stress reduction is a major physiological benefit that emanates from regular exercise of leisure and stress-relieving recreational activities. Leisure offers a leeway to relieve ourselves from stressing activities, which derives personal satisfaction. As a result, individuals that participate in leisure activities depict a sense of pride and relaxation as individuals have less stress. Other psychological health benefits include a derived sense of freedom, self-competence, self-esteem (The Academy of Leisure Sciences 2014, p. 3), and independence (Indiana University 2006). Leisure fosters self-reliance and confidence, which enhances leadership development in the society. Moreover, it encourages teamwork, understanding, tolerance, and social interactions through various leisure activities (The Academy of Leisure Sciences 2014, p. 3). Through such activities, leisure promotes creativity, resiliency, value clarification, and personal reflections (The Academy of Leisure Sciences 2014, p. 3). Participants in leisure activities develop the potential to solve various societal problems, adapt to various conditions, and develop positive attitudes, which define psychological health benefits (Hutchinson 2011, p. 1-2). The learning process is also subject to leisure activities as well as the entertainment needs of the society (The Academy of Leisure Sciences 2014, p. 3). We can understand different cultures and geographical locations by interacting with personalities from diverse cultures and locations. This reduces social alienation and enhances the psychological well-being of different individuals (The Academy of Leisure Sciences 2014, p. 3). As such, it is clear that leisure derives psychological health benefits that are feasible in the modern society. Ultimately, leisure derives significant spiritual health benefits since leisure activities seem to have a spiritual component (Heintzman 2009, p. 419). Indeed, individuals engage in wilderness adventures and visits to holy sites. This derives a sense of spirituality as leisure activities take place in spiritual sites. Moreover, individuals visit exclusive sites for personal reflections and meditation, which derive a sense of spirituality. In fact, religion has become part of leisure in the modern world where individuals engage in religious and compassionate activities during their leisure time. Furthermore, certain religions define the work ethics of its followers thus deriving a spiritual effect. The spiritual experience derived from participating in leisure activities lead to a spiritual well-being in the society (Heintzman 2009, p. 422). In fact, the modern society supports significant spiritual health benefits that are seemingly feasible. In conclusion, I find that individuals, organizations, and governments appreciate the significance of free time, recreational time, and leisure time in the modern society where leisure relates to any time that an individual spends away from work, entrepreneurship, maintenance activities, family activities, and academic activities. Individuals participate in leisure on free will where different individuals and countries have diverse opinions on the value of leisure time. Notably, the key components of leisure include catering, visitor attractions, children’s play activities, sport and physical recreation activities, home-based leisure, countryside recreation activities as well as arts and entertainment. The merits of leisure in the modern society supersede the negative components of leisure. Indeed, key benefits of leisure include social health, physical health, economic health, psychological health, and spiritual health that define the wellness of any human being. These benefits are feasible and they justify the need for leisure time in the modern society. Works Cited Cohen-Gewerc, E 1999, Leisure: A Philosophical View about Leisure, Personal Freedom and Politics, retrieved 12 June 2014, < http://eepat.net/doku.php?id=leisure> Godbey, G 2009, Outdoor Recreation, Health, and Wellness, retrieved 12 June 2014, Heintzman, P 2009, “The Spiritual Benefits of Leisure,” Leisure/Loisir, vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 419-445. Ho, T 2008, A Study of Leisure Attitudes and Benefits for Senior High School Students at Ping-Tung City and County in Taiwan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, ProQuest. Huitt, W 2007, Maslows hierarchy of needs, retrieved 12 June 2014, < http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/conation/maslow.html> Hutchinson, S 2011, Physical Activity, Recreation, Leisure, and Sport: Essential Pieces of the Mental Health and Well-being Puzzle, retrieved 12 June 2014, < http://www.recreationns.ns.ca/wp-content/uploadhere/2012/05/Mental-Health-and-Recreation-Executive-Summary.pdf> Indiana University 2006, Benefits of Leisure for Individuals with and without disabilities, retrieved 12 June 2014, < http://www.indiana.edu/~nca/leisureed/leisure2.html> McKay, C 2012, The psychological benefits of participation in leisure pursuits for adolescents, retrieved 12 June 2014, < http://scholars.unh.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1025&context=honors> McLeod, S 2014, Maslows Hierarchy of Needs, retrieved 12 June 2014, < http://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html> Temple University Collaborative 2014, Recreational and Leisure Activities, retrieved 12 June 2014, < http://tucollaborative.org/comm_inclusion/recreational_leisure.html> The Academy of Leisure Sciences 2014, White Paper #7: The Benefits of Leisure, retrieved 12 June 2014, < http://www.fritidsvetarna.com/1_Kultur_och_fritid/7_Benefits_of_Leisure.pdf> Veal, A. J 2006, Economics of leisure, retrieved 12 June 2014, < http://epress.lib.uts.edu.au/research/bitstream/handle/10453/12506/2006004581.pdf?sequence=1> Read More