| Human beings, ever since they emerged on earth, | | | | an inexpensive pastime that can be indulged |
| have primarily been occupied with trying to meet | | | | virtually in any place. Other common activities are |
| their basic needs of food and shelter. Scientific | | | | music, gardening, carpentry, cooking etc. One can |
| studies have revealed that during prehistoric times | | | | also choose from activities which are directly |
| humans were mostly engaged in hunting animals | | | | relevant to the society, like social work, caring for |
| for food or in protecting themselves from | | | | abandoned and stray animals, caring for the |
| predators and the elements. But even in those | | | | environment, etc. Activities in the areas |
| difficult times, whatever free time was available | | | | enumerated above impart a sense of |
| seemed to naturally attract human beings to | | | | achievement besides giving meaning and purpose |
| creative activity, a proof of which are the cave | | | | to life. Activities like carpentry, painting and clay |
| paintings from those days. Once human life | | | | modeling help satisfy the creative impulse in many |
| became more organized and settlements and | | | | and amateur artist. Socializing is also a healthy |
| civilizations were established, leisure and activities | | | | activity and promotes good will and mutual |
| carried out in leisure became a more regular | | | | understanding among people. |
| feature of human life. Most of the artifacts, which | | | | Unfortunately the advent of television has taken a |
| today give us documentary evidence of past | | | | heavy toll of other hobbies and internet comes |
| cultures and civilizations, are products of leisure. | | | | behind it. Two of the worst affected activities are |
| In modern times, especially due to industrialization, | | | | reading and healthy socializing. On the one hand |
| life has taken a different turn. While on the one | | | | television has many advantages and the internet |
| hand life has become extremely busy, at the | | | | is also has more advantages, but on the other |
| same time specialized areas of activity and fixed | | | | hand these are mediums which can very easily be |
| working hours offer the possibility of considerable | | | | misused by both the viewers and the net users. |
| free time. Leisure implies free or unoccupied time, | | | | The field of sports offers a wide range of |
| when there is freedom from the demands of | | | | activities to choose from. It has the advantage of |
| work or duty. The social structure has developed | | | | catering to physical fitness and thus helping to |
| in such a manner that some sections of the | | | | develop a healthy attitude towards life. Games |
| society maintain rich lifestyles with plenty of | | | | and sports can be chosen according to ones |
| leisure, whereas the majority of human beings are | | | | physical capacity. They encourage sportsmanship |
| preoccupied with the battle for survival. Relaxation | | | | and an ability to accept defeat and victory |
| and leisure are words that seldom have any | | | | gracefully. |
| relevance to their life. These people live under | | | | Leisure can easily be abused too. "We are all well |
| constant stress and demands of modernity. | | | | acquainted with this sentence, "An idle mind is a |
| Consequently, they are prone to physical and | | | | devils workshop". Whiling away time in useless |
| psychological problems. It is essential to spare | | | | activities is the commonest abuse of leisure. |
| some time from a mechanical routine and spend | | | | People often hand around commercial centers, |
| this time to rejuvenate the mind and the body. | | | | cinema halls, restaurants and bus stops. Such |
| "All work and no play make Jack a dull boy" most | | | | behavior can become almost addictive and |
| of us are common with this expression. It | | | | discourages all creative potential. Idleness can |
| stresses the need for engagement in activities | | | | force a person into bad company and even |
| other than work for a complete development of | | | | anti-social activities. It is thus essential to impart to |
| human personality. Leisure and free time well | | | | children right from their early days the value of |
| spent are as essential as food and sleep. | | | | leisure and its meaningful use. |
| Free times can be utilized in a variety of ways. | | | | A balanced and sensible person will never make |
| Activities to suit all budgets, demands of space, | | | | work alone an end per se. Relaxation of the mind |
| and individual and social needs exist from which | | | | and the body, awareness of ones social |
| one can choose according o ones inclination and | | | | responsibilities, and catering to ones creative |
| interest. Reading is one of the most popular free | | | | needs are traits of a healthy and complete |
| time activities. A wide range of subjects and the | | | | personality. Many problems and crises associated |
| existence of well-maintained libraries have made | | | | with modern life can be successfully combated by |
| reading a very rewarding and affordable activity. | | | | proper utilization of ones free time. By |
| From simple entertainment to highly specialized | | | | coordinating ones talents and faculties one can |
| discourses, reading invariably contributes to ones | | | | break the monotony of modern life and prevent |
| knowledge and helps widen ones perspective. It is | | | | life from becoming a burden. |