Savouring leisure spaces
pp. 164-175
in: Sean Gammon, Sam Elkington (eds), Landscapes of leisure, Berlin, Springer, 2015Abstract
If a person has the luxury of taking a few hours out of her busy day or is contemplating where to spend a relaxing or engaging weekend outside of the home, thoughts of leisure spaces may naturally come to mind. She may decide to take a walk in a nearby garden, visit an art museum, or even join in a game of soccer. As disparate as these options may seem, they all involve spending time in a leisure space; that is, a place intended for enjoyment, engagement, or relaxation. However, if she visits one of these spaces in a state of stress or distraction, it will be less likely to serve its intended function. In other words, while leisure spaces provide the raw material needed for engagement, relaxation and pleasure, a complicated chain of internal, psychological processes must be activated in order to fully enjoy them. Specifically, people must notice and savour these spaces if they are going to be fully enjoyed.