Free Time

Research says it's possible to have too much free time ... Um, what?!

Sunset rainbow viewed from the terrace, captured on a workday, during a break I gave myself from the grind - some stolen "free" time.

Others fantasize about money; those of us fortunate enough to have our material needs met fantasize about time.  I fantasize about all of the ideas that could break free from my brain and come to fruition - if only I had time to pursue and execute them; I fantasize about early retirement.  And those flights into lala land have become more frequent with these last couple of crazy years, when work has been on overdrive.  For the time deprived, it is hard to fathom that there could ever be too much free time.

But a study indicates otherwise - that over five hours a day mitigates the sense of well-being, while two hours a day is the floor for maintaining that sense of well-being.  This whole blog is geared toward attempting to hit that sweet spot - still elusive. 

The thing is, the study results seem to be premised upon "free time" being quite literally unoccupied time - such that the benefits can be regained by picking up a hobby, spending time with people, finding purposeful activities.  Well, no kidding, right?  Isn't that the whole purpose?  Who is left with nothing to do?  (Prisoners?  Torture victims?)  One would think anyone with a brain and some agency would find SOME way to occupy the "free" time.

On the other hand, it did occur to me that my assumption that "free" time would somehow be productively occupied is probably very much symptomatic of capitalist inculcation, if one wants to critique our systems that way.  I see a point in it - human beings shouldn't always be forced to be productive.  But, yes, my ableist default mode is to assume that intelligent people will have passions and curiosities and pursuits.  "Free" is not the absence of something to do, just the ability to control the selection of the cause to which to focus one's energy.

That's the very pursuit of happiness, isn't it?