To put it briefly, drawing is a recreational activity if it is something that you actually enjoy doing.
After all, the whole meaning of a thing or activity being “recreational” is that it is something you do for enjoyment and fun.
I enjoy drawing, so I would consider it a recreational activity.
What about you?
Recreational Activities
Let’s take a quick look at what the Cambridge Dictionary says about the adjective “recreational”.
“Connected with ways of enjoying yourself when you are not working”
Examples:
- “recreational activities/facilities/interests
- Recreational fishing is allowed on the river.”
According to this definition, it seems to me that recreational has two parts 1) something you do to enjoy yourself, and 2) not working.
In other words, you wouldn’t call the time spent working at your job a recreational activity, even if you actually did enjoy it.
Will that then exclude drawing as a recreational activity if it is something you do as part of your job? That is a tough question, but I think it depends on the purpose of the activity and how it relates to the kind of drawing you do at work.
It might be helpful to make a distinction based on your purpose/motivation. With work, your main motivation would be to get paid. In regards to a recreational activity, it would simply be to enjoy yourself.
Doing recreational and fun things is an important part of living a healthy life. It helps you relax and manage stress better. With that in mind, I think it is logical that it has to be something other than work.
Some people associate recreational activities with mostly social, physical, or outdoor/sports activities, but I don’t think that is fair.
Chatting with friends is a great way to take your mind off your busy schedule, and exercise is good for your physical and mental health. However, there are more things that you can do for enjoyment including drawing 🙂
This strawberry was drawn with great delight
How To Find Out If You Enjoy It?
There is really only one way to find out…
Grab a piece of paper or a tablet and start drawing! Drawing on a tablet works best if you have a stylus 🙂
And if you are looking for a place to start, then I suggest you grab a beginner drawing course on Udemy or watch some youtube videos.
I like the course: “The Ultimate Drawing Course – Beginner to Advanced” and the Youtube Channel called Schaefer Art.
Why We Need Recreational Activities and Leisure Time
“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”
We all live busy lives and with so much going on, it is easy to get lost in work and never find the time to enjoy doing an activity just for the sake of having fun.
However, doing fun activities is not just to avoid boredom in your free time. It has been shown to improve the quality of life.
One study found, that engaging in activities for enjoyment, pleasure, or fun had a positive effect on stress levels, mood, and lowered heart rate.
In addition, have you ever experienced a loss of productivity when dealing with large workloads or being stressed for too long?
If you care about staying productive while working (who doesn’t?), then it is actually a bad choice to not schedule some time for recreation and leisure.
Doing things for fun won’t take away your work or fix your problems, but it will improve your mental and physical health so you can return to your work invigorated and with a fresh mind 🙂
