KICK BACK AND RELAX: IN THE FUTURE, AMERICANS WILL MAKE BETTER USE OF THEIR FREE TIME

If Americans don't learn how to effectively utilize their leisure time, the casualty will be the human spirit, said Dr. Edward Leoni.

Technology is providing an abundance of free time in our country, said Leoni, chairman of the health and leisure department at Southeast Missouri State University.

While people are getting more free time, he said they are not getting the wisdom on how to spend their free time effectively.

"A good metaphor is the person who perished after retirement," he said. "They were not prepared to deal with the abundance of free time."

A key problem is that the American culture is based on a strong work ethic. Stress is caused by our very work-oriented society, Leoni said. People don't know how to effectively utilize the little free time they have.

"No one is prepared to deal with free time and leisure," he said. "They're prepared for a world of work. They believe that their only self worth lies in what they produce."

He said people need to take time to get away from work and that time is quality time. Taking a day off to go skiing or rock climbing is good for people, he said.

"Therein lies the quality of life," he said. "It's not natural for people and the pursuit of the American dollar stands in their way."

People need to take a few moments each day to something for themselves and that may require making difficult changes.

"Recreation is the expression of leisure; take a walk, listen to music. Life is a stress producer. Leisure is a stress reducer. Take time to yell now when you want to before you yell when you have to. That may be at a spouse or your parents."

People need to start doing this immediately, he said. People have to plan for their leisure and then follow through. Putting it off would be the easy thing to do, but don't let yourself do that, he said.

This idea needs to be instilled in people at a young age. Children need to learn how to spend leisure time, but that takes a commitment from parents.

Parents have to be little league coaches, basketball coaches and soccer moms, he said.

Universal Health and Fitness activities coordinator Matt Boxdorfer agrees that, ironically, one of the problems is that everything has become easier to do. He said that people tend to like activities that bring instant gratification like video games or watching television.

And this has certainly done nothing to dispel the myth that Americans have become overweight.

People need to be active. They need to do some form of exercise even if it's just being outside or working in the garden, Boxdorder said.

Activity in general is normally a stress reliever, he said, and is good for mental and physical health. He said if people don't want to join a gym, they can do activities on their own.

They should set up some exercise program that burns about 1,000 calories a week, he said.

But fitness is just one part of weight loss, he said. People need to eat less, too.