i1992”N“x@–{ŽŽŒ±@‰pŒκ@‘ζ‚T–βj

Nowadays people spend more time away from their jobs than ever before. Technological developments have steadily shortened working hours for a large part of the population, and the fact that people are living longer has also increased the amount of time spent in non-work settings. As a result, a large number of people have had to adjust to more leisure than they had expected, and this new-found leisure has created difficulties. 

Historically, the emphasis has been on work, and current attitudes still reflect the impact of this earlier way of thinking. Even today, many people still believe that leisure should be used chiefly to restore onefs energy and strength for more and better work. Leisure, therefore, has been viewed as a means to an end. 

Along with greater production efficiency and higher standards of living, there is a new idea in which leisure is viewed as more than simply a restorative for work. Leisure is now regarded by an increasing number of people as an important part of contemporary life. They think that the use of leisure time should be a satisfying experience in and of itself. 

Attitudes toward both leisure and work are changing. Increasing mechanization of work has meant that more people are now looking beyond their jobs for satisfying life experiences. This has led to some change in emphasis from job-centered activities to leisure and home-centered activities, especially among the younger generation. However, because the new idea has not entirely replaced the traditional one, many people face the problem of what role leisure should play in their lives. Some feel guilty about additional hours of free time and seek more work to avoid leisure hours, while others eagerly pursue leisure activities that resemble work. As working hours are shortened, a more meaningful balance has to be found between work and play.

(304 words)