Recreate: According to Webster's Dictionary it means, "To give new life or freshness". In the leisure field it means to be able to take time away from work and re-create oneself through hobbies and other pursuits one finds fulfilling and can add to one's personal growth and fulfillment.
Ironically, I have not had as much time to recreate myself as I would like in the past month due to my internship at the park district, where I help others with their recreational pursuits. I guess I should have realized the park district would have some unusual hours, but I didn't quite plan on hours this haphazard. Some days I go in from 9 to 5 while others it's 10 to 8 and sometimes even 9 to 8! Let's not forget the Saturday dance classes from 10 to 1:30. Needless to say I typically work a lot of long days and frequently six days a week.
I'd finally reached my limit this past week and so I requested to take today off. I'd been tense, I was exhausted everyday and I wanted nothing more than to hit the road and find some secluded chunk of forest to hike. I am glad I took today off. I enjoyed Saturday night and Sunday night knowing I did not have anywhere in particular to be or anything pressing to attend to the next day. I anticipated the two day weekend when I had not had one for weeks.
I can do all sorts of things I enjoy when I have two full days off in a row; hobbies which clear my mind, broaden my horizons, deepen my soul and relationships with others while at the same time providing me with opportunities for quiet restoration. In the past two days I have been able to leisurely write, read, listen to music and dance around the kitchen with my parents, eat dinner with them and for the first time in weeks savor every bite of food. I took a good walk outside in the crisp March air and enjoyed the solitude of the empty streets.
Having two days off in a row is of vital necessity in my opinion. It can lead to total relaxation of the mind, body and soul. Through recreational pursuits one can decompress from work or school. One can take the opportunity to stop and do absolutely nothing but breathe. Through purposeful recreation one can engage in activities which renew a sense of living, not simply surviving. This in turn can allow one to look at the week ahead with fresh eyes and an energized spirit.
Can people "screw up" all the free time during two day weekend? Sure, it happens all the time. Add in all the chores and errands we have to do but don't have time or energy for during the workweek. Factor in the social gatherings you want to go to despite how it will further drain you if you're an introvert. And Lord help you if kids are involved because you're likely more on their schedule than your own.
Can people reclaim their recreation time? YES! Ok, now don't get getting rid of your kids just yet. Well, actually yes, you can get rid of them in the sense that you you put them with a babysitter or take them to grandma and grandpa's house. Then you can do whatever you want in those five or six hours. Go for a hike or out on the town. Maybe you'll feel guilty for doing something fun without the kids. Heck, I feel guilty when I go to another room and tune out my parents for a while at home. But you need time for you to be you, too. Otherwise how can you make yourself new and approach your family and friends with more dimensions and exciting adventures to discuss?
Don't have kids but still have difficulty finding time? Just ask. Sure, it might feel as though your stepping on toes or over the line. Yet, if you need a day off from work for your own darn mental health then talk with your boss or submit a request. If work is reluctant, tell them you will come back to work refreshed with more energy and ideas after two days versus one. If you need some time off from friends because you just want to curl up on your couch with a pizza and watch a movie then ask that you meet up the next week. Friends are far more understanding and accommodating than I think we give them credit for. Creating deeply satisfying recreation time might even require you to ask yourself to put off something for a day so you can enjoy the time you have been given. Yes, it's hard, but as Ferris Bueller says, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while you could miss it". People fought to get a two day weekend in America. It's ok for you to fight a little to enjoy it. Properly, purposefully use your weekends as an opportunity to pursue leisure activities. Take every weekend as an opportunity to re-create yourself.
