Buzz
If you have a break during the holidays, will you spend it doing something exciting? And what about your free time tonight—what could transform that moment into something relaxing and fulfilling for you? Here’s a thought: maybe you need two distinct types of fun.
Let me explain. Imagine you grab a beer from the fridge this evening and sit down on the couch with your partner to watch your favorite TV show. You enjoy every bit of that moment as it happens: this is short-term fun. Once the show ends and the beer is gone, the fun is essentially finished.
But there’s another way to spend your time that could be called long-term fun. Perhaps you hit the gym and work on your deadlifts. Each lift may not feel particularly fun; it's tough work, and you might even get sore. Or imagine baking cookies with your toddler “helping.” Cooking can be a challenge, and managing a toddler's energy is a whole different level of work. Both of these options aren't fun in the same way as watching your favorite TV show.
But these activities offer a different kind of enjoyment, one that lasts over time. You'll remember fondly the moments spent baking cookies with your child, and you'll also have a batch of delicious cookies as a tangible reminder. If you maintain your gym routine, you'll soon notice your strength improving, and you'll take pride in how much you've achieved and how much you can lift. These experiences may not be fun in the immediate moment, but they're deeply satisfying.
One theory refers to these two types of activities as casual leisure and serious leisure. Personally, I’d rather call them short-term fun and long-term fun. If your free time is only filled with things that are fun in the moment, you might find yourself feeling like you've wasted it. On the other hand, if every free moment is consumed by a hobby that feels like work in disguise, you might start feeling drained, even if the projects are valuable.
So, when planning how to spend your time off, try to balance both types of fun. Bake the cookies, but then sit down and enjoy a few together as a family treat. Hit the gym, then return home for a rejuvenating bath. Or, perhaps you could combine the two by taking on an activity that helps you learn a new skill while offering both short-term enjoyment and long-term satisfaction.
