Ideas Why is it so hard to embrace leisure time?
Aug 7, 2025
Guest
Alex Sager
Guest
Bridget Schulte
Guest
Alex Strick van Linschoten
Guest
Nahid Mustafa
Guest
Anne Helen Petersen
In this insightful discussion, Anne Helen Peterson, a culture writer known for her focus on burnout, joins Ideas producer Nahid Mustafa, researcher Alex Strick-Van Linschoten, journalist Bridget Schulte, and philosopher Alex Sager. They tackle the societal constraints that hinder leisure time, drawing contrasts between childhood freedom and adult responsibilities. The conversation highlights the burden of productivity, the unique struggles of working mothers, and the importance of redefining leisure as an essential aspect of well-being. It's a call to reclaim time for personal fulfillment.
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Episode notes
Leisure Lost to Work
- Leisure has become scarce because work absorbs more of our time and mental space than ever before.
- This shift leaves us exhausted and resentful about the unfulfilled promise of downtime.
Slow Tech Boosts Productivity
- Alex Strick-Van Linschoten described productive years in Afghanistan with limited internet and reliance on books.
- The slower pace helped focus on thinking deeply rather than constant information seeking.
Digital Leisure Feels Like Work
- Social media speeds up time and creates compulsive habits that don't feel restorative.
- Designed features keep us engaged, turning leisure into a task rather than a choice.
