Recent research published in The Journal of Positive Psychology (J. Heo et al., Importance of Playing Pickleball for Older Adults’ Subjective Well-Being: A Serious Leisure Perspective (2018)) shows that “serious leisure” leads to greater quality of life and well-being in older adults. More specifically, “serious leisure” leads to reduced feelings of loneliness, stronger mental health, better cognitive functioning, and improved health.
One great example of “serious leisure” is pickleball. Serious leisure means an amateur or volunteer activity or hobby that captivates and fulfills a person in such a way that a person devotes substantial time and effort in the activity or hobby, creates a social community around the activity or hobby, and structures his or her life around the activity. Pickleball players across the country will attest that pickleball falls squarely in this definition of “serious leisure,” as pickleball players commonly profess that pickleball becomes part of their identity.
So, play pickleball and improve your health, well-being, and quality of life!
