At long last, summer is here! For many, this is the season in which we feel at our best. Long days of warmth and sunshine result in opportunities to cycle to work, take the long route home through the park, enjoy a good book on a patio or go for an evening stroll along the waterfront to enjoy the sunset. Numerous studies have shown a strong correlation between leisure and wellness and so feeling our best in the summer at a time when most of us prioritise leisure and recreation makes good sense.
Leisure refers to enjoyable and personally meaningful activity in the free time context… often associated with a sense of freedom and intrinsic motivation and may take several forms: social, creative/expressive, cognitive, spiritual or physical (source). It has been found that leisure is therapeutic, meaning that it provides mental health benefits when individuals have the opportunity to experience:
- Social support, friendships and social acceptance
- A sense of competency and self-efficacy from participation
- Self-determination and control
- Feelings of relaxation and disengagement from stress
- A sense of continuity or normalcy in the face of challenging times (source)
Often times clients express concerns of feeling overwhelmed and stressed by their pace of life, struggling with finding enjoyment and balance. Frequently, I inquire into what they once did in their free time, when perhaps they had less responsibilities and seemingly more time. In response, clients share stories of when they would go to the gym after work, meditate in the morning, sketch in the park, write in their journal, etc. Reconnecting my clients with these lost forms of leisure often proves to be greatly beneficial, psychologically, emotionally, physically and spiritually.
As one of my clients so aptly stated towards the end of therapy, “I learnt that for me, activity was not about weight control, but that it was about mental wellness.”
So, pull out that dusty sketch pad, tune up that rusting bike in the shed, join the local ultimate frisbee team or just take out a good piece of fiction from the library and escape. You will be surprised at just how rewarding these simple yet often forgotten forms of leisure are for your well-being.
Enjoy!
Christopher Shillington, M.A., C.C.C.
Psychotherapist | Sexual Health Educator