What’s The Weekend “Fun” Planned ?
February 21, 2020
As we head into the weekend, here’s an interesting nugget of an idea that I picked up from a book by Laura Vanderkam- “Off the clock”
There are 2 types of fun we all like to have- Effortful fun and Effort-less fun.
I have “effortful fun” when I put in some work in the process of having fun. Some nice examples of effortful fun for me would be
- Playing some sport.
- Inviting friends over for dinner.
- Reading a book.
- Going for a trek as a family.
- Going out for a movie or dinner with family or friends. The process of planning and going out together is the effort!!
- Going on a holiday.
In contrast, “Effort-less fun” is when I seek some sort of pleasure without exertion of any sort.
- Browsing social media.
- Binging on Netflix or Prime.
Both types of fun have their own place. But what makes this idea powerful? The framing of the idea of “fun”.
When I put in any effort to have fun it actually becomes an experience. – a holiday, a trek, time with friends etc. Experiences are memorable and lasting. I feel good when I invest effort in making my experiences. I have to be deliberate and intentional to have this kind of fun.
Effortless fun on the other hand is compulsive, shallow, transient and operates on the mode of instant gratification. Too much indulgence in such activity sometimes leaves me with a hangover of guilt. Could I have used my time doing something better?
Thanks to this idea, I today make it a point to ensure that my weekends are loaded more towards the “effortful” fun. I enjoy my effortless fun to, but I am careful. I do it in moderation.
What are your “experiences” planned for the weekend ?
