Sport and Leisure

The Fijian United Nations Development Programme, is considering looking at consigning a value to the time people use up on unsalaried work. The latest report revealed that women in Suva spend 58 hours a week on housework, contrasted to males who only spend 8 hours.

The report also said that women in the tropical island nation of Vanuatu, voted the Happiest Country On Earth in 2006, have 25 percent less leisure time than men. (Who is kidding who, in a male dominated community?)

UNDP Pacific Centre manager says “It’s important to provide separated out data about the different roles men and women play in the community, if the UNDP is to understand how a particular policy might impact differently on different genders”. Without this type of information, the Centre understands it would be unable to plan workable programs or policies.

The word is out that most people have 45 minutes more relaxation time daily, than was available 40 years ago. Half of that is used watching television (report numerous experts). The average person in a Western nation allocates 2.5 hours a day to the relaxing diversion of watching television.

This break down of an average person’s day to day routine was published in 2006 from an unknown source.

Activity: Time Spent by Gender Marital Status

Men Women Married Single

Phone calls, mail, email 7 min 14min 8min 14 min

Caring for Non-household 13min 15min 13min 14min

Religious and civic duties 16min 21min 20min 17min

Caring for Family 20min 43min 45min 17min

Educational activities 28min 26min 7min 51min

Buying goods, services 38min 58min 53min 43min

Eating and drinking 1hr 18min 1hr 11 min 1hr 24 min 1hr 8 min

Household activities 1hr 20min 2hr 16 min 8hr 8 min 1hr 26 min

Work related activities 4hr 26min 3hr 4hr 1 min 3hr 18 min

Watching television 3hr 28min 2hr41 min 2hr 24 min 2hr 47 min

Personal care and sleep 9hr 13min 9hr37 min 9hr 8 min 9hr 46min

Then Harris Poll shared these results, in 2004, subsequent to a nationwide telephone survey:

· 35% of adults put reading top of their list.

· 21% would rather watch TV

· 20% liked to spend time with their family and friends

Harris Poll reported these three activities as having been placed at the head of the list every year since 1995. However, it is understood that technology such as the Internet clearly sways the use we make of leisure time.

There is one question that begs to be asked. How were these results arrived at and what is their ability to truly give an overall picture of life either in 2006 or 2009?

It certainly seems the more ‘time-saving-devices’ we are given, the less time we have to do the things we really want to do. Time is our most precious resource and must be used, protected, cared for and used wisely, just as we consider the expenditure of any of our other resources.