leisure concept

Reflective report
Table of Contents
Week 1    3
Definition of Leisure and Recreation    3
Week 2    4
Downshifting: Regaining the Essence of Leisure    4
Week 3    4
Benefits of Leisure    4
Week 4    6
Leisure and Health: The role of social support and self – determination    6
Week 5    7
Theory of planned behavior    7
Week 6    8
Leisure, Family and the Lifecycle    8
References    9
Week 1
Definition of Leisure and Recreation
Leisure is defined as an activity wherein a person expects to get spare and free time from the work or duty (Schantz, 2017). Thus, according to previous literature, leisure is the concept in which demand is there for temporary exemption from work or duties so that the person can have free time for himself. In the first week, I have gone through with several definitions of leisure which are being stated by different authors and scholars. I have read different definitions about leisure; hence I came to know that it involves range of activities. On a generalized note, leisure is always attributed with peaceful and productive co-existence with environment’s facets. I was also not sure about the exact meaning and definition of leisure; hence I always considered it merely a process of having quality time without having any burden or work activities.
According to my understanding, leisure is all about taking time for the activity which a person wishes to carry out as per the interest level. Earlier, I used to think that leisure is only about having fun, visiting new places and finding relaxation from the work. However, now I came to realize that leisure includes many other things. Such as – if a person wants to study a book, then he can go out anywhere at desired place to read a book and to have time for himself only. It is not necessary that leisure always involves free time; but it may include many things which can help a person to create better experience by carrying out different activities (Evans, Bellon and Matthews, 2017). Apart from this, in week 1, I also learned about the concept of recreation. It includes activities or experience which is voluntarily adopted by a person in terms of satisfying own desires.
Week 2
Downshifting: Regaining the Essence of Leisure
In this week, historical dimensions of leisure were discussed regarding the source from which it is shifted in the modern western society. In earlier time period, leisure was one activity which included the concept of rest and recreation along with social exhibition. However, according to Greek philosophy, leisure was considered as the activity wherein people will not do any sort of activity at the workplace and they can participate wherever they want (Potgieter, et al. 2017). However, I also came to know about the historical beliefs in which idealness is regarded as a sin; hence a person should regularly involve in doing different things. However, in modern time work is given much importance; hence people take out less time for relaxation and other activities (Schantz, 2017).
After a certain period of time, changes were made in leisure; hence this increased the use of cultural aspects in modernization activities. According to my knowledge, voluntary simplicity could help people to regain the essence of leisure which also contributes in enhancing quality of life. The concept of downshifting does not intend to stop work or stop spend; however it means to work less and spend less by doing different things in leisurely manner. This has also generated the need of creating balance between work and life so that all such activities can be adopted that relaxes a person (Vaz, et al. 2017). Thus, reading about every dimension in this week, I can say that leisure is a valuable time wherein people spend special time by understanding the inner-self. Thus, this has contributed me to get insights about the concept of leisure activities. Concluding this, I can say that it helps in simplifying the lives through adopting alternative approaches of happiness.
Week 3
Benefits of...