In Episode 2 of the Leisure Matters Podcast we explore the glorification of busyness that pervades North American culture and critique the privilege that is inherent with discussions of work-life balance.  Sources: Bellezza, S., Paharia, N., & Keinan, A. (2017;2016;). Conspicuous consumption of time: When busyness and lack of leisure time become a status symbol. The Journal of Consumer Research, 44(1), 118-138. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucw076 Coyne, S. M., McDaniel, B. T., & Stockdale, L. A. (2017). “Do you dare to compare?” associations between maternal social comparisons on social networking sites and parenting, mental health, and romantic relationship outcomes. Computers in Human Behavior, 70, 335-340. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.12.081Link Expedia (2022): https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/expedia-study-warns-the-workcation-isn-t-a-cure-for-vacation-deprivation-873547845.html Exude (2021): https://www.exudeinc.com/blog/the-glorification-of-busy/ Mayo Clinic (2021): https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-symptoms/art-20050987 Press Progress (2020): https://pressprogress.ca/canadian-workers-get-fewer-paid-vacation-days-than-nearly-any-other-country-in-the-industrialized-world/ Randstad (2019): https://www.randstad.ca/job-seeker/career-resources/workplace-culture/why-all-employees-should-use-their-vacation-days/ Quast, L. (2017): https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisaquast/2017/07/31/stop-boasting-about-always-being-busy-its-detrimental-to-your-health/?sh=6b898acb1513 Tiggemann, M., & Anderberg, I. (2020;2019;). Social media is not real: The effect of ‘Instagram vs reality’ images on women’s social comparison and body image. New Media & Society, 22(12), 2183-2199. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444819888720

Physical education within the public school system is recognized as one of the essential ways to ensure that children meet daily physical activity goals. However, it is also well known that time assigned to physical education classes is limited and has focused heavily on sport or sport like games. For those who are not athletically inclined, or who simply do not like sport, PE classes have also been the source of much childhood trauma! This episode takes a critical look at physical and health education in Canada and considers whether it's time to move to leisure and health education as a means of promoting participation in physical activity. Sources: BC Physical and Health Education Curriculum (2022). Caldwell, L., Baldwin, C., Walls, T., & Smith, E. (2004). Preliminary effects of a leisure education program to promote healthy use of free time among middle school adolescents.  Canadian Women & Sport (2020). The Rally Report Swaiths, W., Young, G., & Temertzoglou (2021). Exploring Physical Education in Canada: Part of the 2021 Series UNESCO (2013). Berlin Declaration World Health Organization (n.d.). Physical Activity 

From the World Leisure Centre of Excellence at Vancouver Island University this is the Leisure Matters podcast. Recorded in the Department of Recreation and Tourism Management on the unceeded Territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation, this podcast explores the role of leisure in global society.  Leisure can be a vehicle for achieving the UN SDGs and improving the lives of people everywhere. Issues explored in this podcast are related to practice and grounded in independent academic research.