Perhaps one of the most vital elements in creating lives of health and well being is the most overlooked. We are talking about the importance of leisure in a decidedly stressed out world. Leisure is an antidote to stress, and is absolutely necessary for a life of liberty, health, and happiness.
The problem with stress, and we are all victims of it, is that it kills. Stress kills, and it kills in horrific ways. It causes strokes and heart attacks, and leads to alcoholism and drug addiction. It leads people to overeat and watch too much television. It leads to domestic violence and abuse. It causes unnatural reactions to an other wise natural environment.
This killer needs to be relieved, and leisure is a great way to do so. We all need some time off, preferably every single day, when we are free to simply be ourselves and play. What you decide to do is up to you. It could be as simple as a quick round of cards during your lunch hour, to running marathons every year.
It could be camping trips on the weekends, or just playing in the yard with the kids. Go fly a kite, literally, or go jump in a lake. Walk somewhere just for the fun of walking. Find a time consuming hobby like scrap booking or genealogy research. Do something with your friends or family. Go for walks and get some exercise. Golf is such activity that you can enjoy with the right shoes like the Bite golf shoes, and you can take your son or daughter along, as junior golf shoes are becoming very inexpensive.
Join the company softball team, or go out bowling once a week. Take a class at the local community college just for fun and the chance to open your mind a bit. Read classic literature, or just a trashy summer romance novel. Sit in a little patch of green and just enjoy the way it looks and smells.
The point here is that you need to do something, anything at all, to get you away from the things that are causing your stress and learning how to relax. Leisurely activities will calm the mind, soothe the soul, and benefit the body. Being stress free is one of the healthiest and wisest things you can ever do for yourself, as well as for those around you.
Again, and this cannot be understated, stress kills. Leisure reduces stress, and it is as simple as that. Find a hobby, play with the kids, walk to work, or just stare out the window and day dream for a few minutes every single day. Treat your leisure time with as much seriousness as you do your work time, and you will be better for it. Protect your health and well being with some time to yourself.