Whether it’s yoga, rock climbing, or Dungeons & Dragons, turning your entertainment up a notch can be beneficial to your well-being.

What do collecting old editions of Dungeons & Dragons monster manuals, securing the same backdoor spot for over 20 years and mastering yoga poses have in common? They are all forms of “serious leisure.”

These activities differ from casual hobbies in several ways. It requires participation over longer periods, making people who practice it more skilled and more connected to the activity over time. The driving force of casual entertainment is enjoyment; As the participant becomes more focused on achievement and improving their skills, the pursuit can gradually become more serious.

I direct Rehabilitation and recreational therapy program At Florida International University. in My researchI study leisure activities and different contexts for serious entertainment, with an emphasis on tabletop role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons.

I also work in Recreational therapyhelping people recover and return to their endeavors after injury or illness. The approach we use could also work for someone starting out with a new hobby.

It was the idea of ​​serious entertainment Formulated in 1982 by Sociologist Robert Stebbinswhich described the unique characteristics of more organized recreational practices. The more we understand why people do the things they do, the more we can benefit from their endeavors. Even fringe or supposedly unfamiliar activities like D&D offer insight into the connections people form when they delve into a non-practical activity.

why so serious?

People often relate emptiness With ease and freedom. In contrast, serious entertainment involves pursuing something for a long time and gradually developing the skills and knowledge required to excel at it. People must overcome barriers or setbacks to stay engaged and make progress.

Over time, participants identify with the activity and feel that they belong to a subculture with its own norms and values. In my work, that sometimes means developing well-rounded characters who can fight monsters, dragons, and giants.

Dungeons and Dragonsdeveloped in 1974, is a long-form game that takes place in multiple sessions that can last weeks, months, or years. A Dungeon Master runs the game and assumes the role of all monsters and non-player characters.

The Dungeon Master narrates an adventure with the help of the Dungeon Master’s Guide and Monster’s Guide. Players create characters who possess certain traits and qualities. Battle outcomes, decisions, and interactions are determined by the roll of the dice.

My studies It involved holding focus groups with casual D&D players to determine whether their experiences playing the game represented serious leisure, as opposed to the casual leisure associated with traditional board games.

Players have described developing their characters for years and gaining knowledge and skills. They learned how magical items and weapons worked, did calculations and looked through their character sheets. All of these practices are features of the unique D&D subculture.

Participants also described the benefits they gained from playing the game. For many of them, D&D provided a sense of community. It was also a safe space and a welcoming activity for those who might feel excluded from traditional leisure activities, such as competitive sports and games.

From yoga to sewing

Previous studies have identified many other activities that could be considered serious leisure time, depending on the level of engagement. Some of them are personal physical activities e.g Yoga, Sports clubs and rock climbing. Others include online activities such as Online multiplayer games and Harry Potter Virtual Running Club Members share ongoing stories and experiences related to Harry Potter-themed discussion topics, such as logging miles on virtual races to their specific Hogwarts houses. Studies have explored game-based activities such as Championship Bridgeand even the social art of tracking between Serious football fans.

In each case, the researchers found that participants experienced distinct features of serious entertainment. For example, participants in online multiplayer games describe prolonged immersion in the activity. Yoga students followed systematic training and skill development. Loyal Florida Gators fans obsessively schedule family events around football season.

In all cases, participants became increasingly engaged over time, acquired knowledge and skills, and often formed shared identities and social connections.

Are you serious?

How do you know if your favorite leisure activity is getting serious? One indicator might be to spend a lot of time on it and expand your relevant knowledge or skills. You can also personally identify with the activity and its associated norms or subculture. You may spend increased time with other participants, and even use a common language.

Ideally, your serious recreational pursuit will give you pride and a sense of accomplishment. Belonging to a common subculture can make it easier Express yourselfwhich promotes Social interaction And the feeling Belonging.

These benefits are not trivial. Studies show this Americans’ social networks are getting smaller And that people Spend more time alone. These trends are associated with increased risks Early death, Heart disease and stroke, Anxiety and depressionand Dementia. In 2023, US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued a ruling Advice on the loneliness epidemic Who called for a national strategy for Enhancing social communication.

Leisure activities are a way to develop common interests and social contacts. For example, describe custom bridge players A unique social world for Champion level players It involves hierarchies and relationships that span decades. Serious participants in Online multiplayer games Describe the feeling of being part of a team and working together to share materials, skills, and knowledge to help win challenges and battles. and Serious football fans Describe rites of passage associated with fandom, such as a solo performance of the team’s fight song on the tailgate of a truck.

How to start

Serious free time doesn’t happen instantly, and not every practice needs to reach this level of commitment. Casual entertaining has benefits too, so there’s value in just starting out. But when a beginner becomes obsessed with a new task, he or she may begin to acquire traits Serious free time over time.

Starting a new hobby can be nerve-racking, especially when it’s done outside of our familiar home environment. Start small, go easy, and match the level of challenge to your skill. You may find yourself getting serious about this.