Why Do We Need Free Time? #StressPsychology Stress is exhaust | Alter Ego

Why Do We Need Free Time?
#StressPsychology

Stress is exhausting, and sometimes all we want to do in our spare time is chill out. However, research suggests that challenging hobbies may be a better way to replenish ourselves.

Do you love to paint, go rock climbing, or play chess? These and other absorbing hobbies may help you to build a better buffer against stress. In the 1970s, a team led by American psychologist Peter Lewinsohn developed a theory known as “Behavioral Activation” (BA), originally aimed at treating depression. BA may also help us to stay positive in the face of stress.

Whatever the source, stress can make life feel less rewarding. If that feeling permeates other aspects of our lives, we may withdraw from activities we usually enjoy – and reducing these rewarding experiences can, in turn, further heighten stress.

BA takes an outside-in approach to this problem: by engaging in activities we enjoy, we experience emotional rewards that lead to more positive thoughts and feelings. Under stress. It’s your best interest to keep doing what you enjoy or what makes you feel good about yourself.

An enjoyable and exciting challenge may leave you feeling even more energized than resting when you feel tired. Using your BA skills can create what Hungarian psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi called “optimal experiences” – that is, moments of flow in which you feel so engaged, powerful, and confident that the stresses of life feel less intense. Make space for challenges in your spare time: they can help you build your resilience against stress.