Some people think that it is important to use leisure time for activities that improve the mind, such as reading and doing word puzzles. Other people feel that it is important to rest the mind during leisure time. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Over many thousands of years, humans have used the

time

when they are not working in different ways. These days, there are two main views as to how our

leisure

time

should be employed, either actively or for rest. In

this

essay, I will discuss

both

perspectives and give my opinion, which is that

both

views are valid. Many feel that cognitively stimulating activities should be pursued during

leisure

time

. The idea behind

this

, which is well-supported by scientific research, is that when we use our minds, we keep the synapses or connections in our brains in good condition. Games like Sudoku, crosswords, puzzles or more high-tech activities,

for example

, on apps or websites have indeed been proven to keep our minds alert and sharp, and even ward off dementia.

Although

the claims some of the creators of these make that they can change the very structure of our brains or enlarge their capacity may well be exaggerated, there is enough reliable evidence that they can benefit our minds. The other view,

however

, is that

leisure

time

ought to be devoted to mental rest. Given the overwhelmingly long work hours expected nowadays, along with the stress of being eternal contactable, thanks to our phones, there is good reason for people to advocate switching off. Indeed, there is plenty of research to show how healing and beneficial a walk in nature can be or how calming and renewing it is to simply sit quietly in meditation or contemplation using our mental faculties as little as possible. A study of Buddhist monks,

for instance

, too showed that when they were deep in meditation, their cells regenerated more rapidly and their bodies’ ageing processes slowed down. Personally, I see the value in

both

uses of

leisure

time

. Following periods of extreme stress, problem-solving, or meetings with lots of people, spending

time

alone doing nothing can be hugely re-energising.

Similarly

, after spending a day doing monotonous work or without much mental stimulation, a good book or challenging puzzle can have the same impact. There is no point, in my view, in declaring one form of

leisure

better than another. In conclusion, I think that it is true to say that

both

an active

leisure

time

and one of relaxation are good for us. In the former, the mind benefits from stimulation and in the latter, from being used very little.