Create: Day 87
August 27, 2011 
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Day 87
The seven leisure time activities of Americans.
Courtesy U.S. Labor Department
The chart above is from the 2008 government American Time Use Survey, but later years’ numbers are similar (more depressing, actually).
Here are a few highlights from the 2009 study:
Leisure Activities in 2009
--On an average day, nearly everyone age 15 and over (96 percent)
engaged in some sort of leisure activity, such as watching TV,
socializing, or exercising. Of those who engaged in leisure
activities, men spent more time in these activities (5.8 hours)
than did women (5.1 hours).
It’s excellent to know that we’re all recreating…my problem is with how we choose to do it. Read on.
--Watching TV was the leisure activity that occupied the most time
(2.8 hours per day), accounting for about half of leisure time,
on average, for those age 15 and over. Socializing, such as visit-
ing with friends or attending or hosting social events, was the
next most common leisure activity, accounting for nearly three-
quarters of an hour per day.
Good for socializing. But watching TV is the thing we do most with our free time? Let’s decide to spend less time with the boob tube, and more time creating!
--Time spent reading for personal interest and playing games or using a
computer for leisure varied greatly by age. Individuals age 75 and
over averaged 1.0 hour of reading per weekend day and 26 minutes
playing games or using a computer for leisure. Conversely, individuals
ages 15 to 19 read for an average of 5 minutes per weekend day while
spending 1.0 hour playing games or using a computer for leisure.
This is terrible news. If you’re a creative spirit, I know you’re reading a lot…probably more than an hour a day. I certainly am. Try to pass along those good habits to the young people you know.
What can we learn from this survey? That most of us can surely find time in the day to do something creative. All we have to do is turn off the TV.
Create Month 3
What to do so far:
In case you missed a day, the reminders below are clickable.
Turn unproductive activity into creativity.
Kill the angel and tell the truth.
Try ephemeral art.
Take a road trip.
Implement the 7 habits of creative people.
Don’t wait for inspiration.
Avoid online undermine.
Create at any age.
Make a portable Creation Station.
Use something taboo in your art.
Implement unplugged weekends.
Find a mentor or be one.
On the Ides, I’d rather…
Support arts education.
Get older and let your creative brain cells branch.
Start a new project: fill out a completion plan.
Enliven creativity by getting out in nature.
Take on a new creative identity.
Spend more time on creative ventures.
Look for places on your schedule to add creative time.
Learn Gleeful lessons.
Take a creativity quiz.
Learn from a master: John Updike.
Let go of projects.
Re-create how you recreate.
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