Take your Pleasure Seriously

Charles and Ray Eames made a beautiful life together and left us with a wonderful direction to “take (our) pleasure seriously”.  As a Recreation Therapist this quote sums up my intention and purpose for my entire career.  Leisure and pleasure are serious matters that should be valued, evaluated and celebrated. 

Throughout my 15+ year career the word “fun” has plagued me professionally.  In almost all depictions of the life of a RT the word FUN follows and defines the work.   It has undermined my role and put me in a position of defending my job over and over again.  Although Charles Eames was a designer who died before I was born his quote comforts and reminds me that my career matters.   

Recreation, leisure, fun…they all sound easy and often lack real depth.  I see it the opposite way.  I see leisure as something to strive for.  To find and make meaning in your life- that leads to Aristotle’s “good life”.  It’s the difference between a hedonic and a eudemonic life .  The Eudemonic way focuses on meaning and purpose and looks at one’s optimal functioning verses the latter which looks to avoid pain and seeks out pleasure. 

So What?

In their article on Subjective Well-Being, Parsons, et al say that subjective well-being (SWB) is measured by 6 psychological dimensions: autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relations with other, purpose in life, and self-acceptance.  Meaning that pleasure and happiness are essential components of subjective well-being.   “The most effective means of creating lasting improvements in SWB is through engaging in activities (mental and physical) that fulfill core psychological needs, such as meaning, mastery, autonomy and affiliation”.  It means you have to work for it.  And as Sonja Lyubomirsky says in the How of Happiness: “Without effort, without trying, without striving, without tenacity, without constancy of purpose, there is only failure, hesitation.”

Flow

No post about Recreation Therapy would be complete without talking about FLOW.  Flow, as Mihaly Csikszentmihályi has extensively written about, is that sweet spot where challenge and interest collide. People are happiest when they are engaged in an activity that is just outside of their skills and abilities.   Increasing your experiences in flow leads to an increase in subjective well-being and can build intrinsic motivation. 

See Csikszentmihályi’s Ted Talk to learn more about Flow:

Now what?

1. Find something you’re interested in. Make it just outside of your skill set cause that’s where the magic happens

2. Objectively look at your day and find 5-10 minutes you can work on your new passion every day. This could mean waking up a bit earlier, watching a little less TV, doing it on your break at work…whatever works for you.

3. Be intentional and consistent with your time. Plan to do this every day. 5 minutes of something is better than nothing. See how much you can grow when you stay committed.

4. Try being bad at something new.

Lessons Learned

In the book: The How of Happiness, Lyubomirsky shares that as a whole, we don’t do a great job of spending our precious time in meaningful ways. My hope is that you decide for yourself to make more meaning in your life by being intentional in the ways your spend this valuable currency.

References:

1. Parsons, Hannah & Houge Mackenzie, Susan & Filep, Sebastian & Brymer, Eric. (2019). Subjective Well-Being and Leisure. 10.1007/978-3-319-69627-0_8-1. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/330880793_Subjective_Well-Being_and_Leisure

2. www.eamesoffice.com/blog/take-your-pleasure-seriously/

3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11148302/

4. Sonja Lyubomirsky: The How of Happiness http://thehowofhappiness.com/

leisureflowwell-beingpleasurehappinesschallengeinteresthow of happinessscience of happiness