According to a survey by UN State of the World Population report in 2007, by 2030, 41 per cent of India’s population is expected to reside in urban areas. In 2011, census showed over 300 million already living in urban areas across India. With more and more people moving into urban areas, there will be overcrowding, lack of amenities, increase in traffic and pollution — all of which have an impact on the health and well-being of urban dweller’s lives. It is in times like these that one must make sure of one’s wellbeing and avoid stress-induced diseases by undertaking recreational activities with one’s family.
Research shows that most working adults spend around 7 hours a day sitting down at work, in cars and in their leisure time. This is greater in cities with bad levels of traffic. So, it might seem impossible to manage to take time out for recreation, but it is the need of the hour. The mental stress of overworking and lacking balance in our lives can increase anxiety and lead to families not spending quality time together, but recreational activities are best at getting the pack together and for some fresh air and rejuvenation.
Studies have shown that regular physical activity has benefits for our mental health as well as physical. Exercise can help people to combat depression and anxiety and is also shown to help improve the quality of sleep which is a concern raised by many living in noisy urban environments. Alongside these benefits, regular activity is also shown to help prevent heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and even some cancers. Though you may loathe at the idea of having to exercise as it might seem to be a boring task to do, group activities such as sports, cycling or trekking will make sure you have oodles of fun while you burn those calories and melt your stress away.
If we are looking for a magic pill to improve the quality of people’s lives, then exercise and leisure is it! It is therefore really important that busy urban dwellers take time for their own recreation — physical activity as also relaxation and spending leisure time with family and friends.
One of the other biggest challenges of urban living is finding the opportunity to spend time with our loved ones and take time for ourselves. Recent research has shown that on an average, families are spending less than three hours a week together and the only ‘real’ time they get to spend together is when they are on holidays. Many parents are working incredibly hard to provide for their families, to be able to give their children everything they need in life and often putting their children’s wants and needs above their own. However what is often unknown and therefore overlooked, is that a lack of quality family time has been shown to have an impact on children’s ability to do well at school and their ability to bond socially with others. It is therefore really important for families to spend time together doing things that they love which helps with emotional bonding, brings them closer and ultimately affects the wellbeing of every member of the family.
Often the cost implications of leisure activities is a concern and therefore the precious time that individuals and families have to relax, gets spent inside watching television rather than doing more indulgent activities out of the home. But you can use the internet to hunt for activities around the city that might be free of cost, or at discounted rates. A lucrative option is to join a club where recreational facilities are available throughout the year for the entire family. In fact, you can take your family for a splash in the community pool too.
With increasing urbanisation, it is so important that each one of us takes the time to invest in ourselves and spends time doing the things we love. Whether that is spending time with our families, playing sports and keeping fit or some art and craft activity, it is vital for our health and wellbeing. Families need to ensure that they carve time out of their busy schedules to spend time together and work on their emotional connection which can get lost within today’s rapidly changing world.
(Hazel Geary is the COO of DLL Talwalkars Club Pvt Ltd)
