Making 'leisure time' enjoyable again

We're here for all the high-quality leisure we can get

Hey there,

DD HQ here. Do you feel like the idea of ‘leisure time’ is a myth?

In a world that is always rushing to get more done in a shorter amount of time, one that values a person’s worth by their output - it seems like having “free time solely for enjoyment’s sake” is a concept that’s nearly extinct.

More often than not, our time is spent in two main ways: intensely working or mindlessly scrolling (or as we say at DD HQ, hamster-wheeling). The little ‘leisure time’ we do seem to have is optimized, efficient and sometimes, even feels like a chore to check off our To Do list.

If this sounds familiar - you’re not alone. We’re collectively experiencing the highest levels of burnout in generations. But, these aren’t just numbers: our team has been having onboarding calls with our new Early Access members (we just hit capacity!!) and it seems that everyone has lost their creative, leisurely spark.

Let us clear up a tiny misconception: you have more free time than you think (and even more importantly, there are higher-quality ways to spend it).

At DD, we like to think of our ‘free-time’ in two main buckets: low-quality leisure, and high-quality leisure. This perspective from Arthur Brooks about sums up the difference from our POV: “Pleasure is addictive and animal; enjoyment is elective and human.”

Daydreamers coach, Kim Curhan, wrote a powerful piece on how we view leisure time at DD HQ, and why making space for rejuvenating, high-quality leisure is a radical act. We’re left with a question that Kim so eloquently asks:

“What if you felt nourished and revitalized by your free time? What if leisure could be when you felt inspired and energized?”

Giving ourselves room for enjoyable, rejuvenating - maybe even ‘unproductive’ - time in our overscheduled, ambitious lives doesn’t just make us feel better. It allows us to live a life on purpose.

And, making space for that stuff around the edges, the practices that may seem frivolous on the surface, are the ones that give us our creative spark back. That spark - it can change the world.

With us?

Katina + Dupi

and the entire team @ DD HQ

exciting news: Daydreamers Early Access hit capacity this weekend - but we’re excited to accept more people into what we’re building soon. make sure to get on the waitlist so you can join when we open up spots again.

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An idea to noodle on 💭

High-quality leisure helps us feel alive.

THINK ON THIS: You actually have more ‘leisure time’ than you think. We know, we know - it feels like everything was due yesterday, and your overscheduled, busy life doesn’t have room to budge. But, did you know that we spend, on average, 11.1 hours consuming content…per day? LQL much?

…MAYBE NOT THAT: Enjoyment is more than having fun - it gives us meaning and purpose. As our favorite, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, talks about in his monumental book, Flow, enjoyment: “…gives us a sense of effort, forward movement, and accomplishment.” It allows us to reach the peak experiences of life, and remember why it’s all worth it.

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Inside our brains at DD HQ  🧠

What are vibes? They’re a thing, and they impact how we see the world. Creative-thinking is becoming mainstream + we’re here for it. At DD HQ we talk a lot about Virgil’s 3% rule - we love that his creations are now on display. Serious question though - why do we follow rules? Hmm - if plants hear us, what else do they know? 🌱

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Ideas from the DD Crew 🛸

Our Medium Series is back!

Check out this piece by Daydreamers creative well-being coach, Kim Curhan, that takes an in-depth look at the difference between high-quality and low-quality leisure time. And, even more: it shares actionable ways to incorporate more rejuvenating, creative habits into your daily life.