INDIAN WOMEN AND THEIR QUEST FOR LEISURE
How can women reclaim their leisure? (Image credit: Surabhi Yadav)
Picture your local tapri — but filled with women. Women delighting in a shared cup of chai. A bunch of them slurping on a single plate of butter maggi. A pair sitting a little sideways, hand in hand, as they blast music out of their phone, while the rest of their friends are busy yapping amongst themselves.
Feels like an alternate reality, does it not? Except for those of us who are products of women's colleges — including this writer — and may have often, if not every day, witnessed scenes of women just being.
One of the have-nots of this scenario have been 26-year-old Ananya Rane, who cannot remember the last time she saw her mother resting. The media professional is currently on an indefinite break from work because she wanted her leisure to be defined by more than just "sleeping in on the weekends, or taking a three-day vacation”.
Women are often not socialised to enjoy leisure and acknowledge its importance to the same extent as men are. (Image credit: Surabhi Yadav)
Amber de Melo, who works in human capital consulting, suffered immensely for not taking time to just be. "Long hours at my desk resulted in developing knots in my back which snow-balled into a very severe back issue. This culminated in having to take bed rest for a week and then attending physiotherapy sessions. I also developed stress-related acne," she said. Now her day doesn't begin without her steaming cup of uninterrupted coffee on her balcony.
Unpaid domestic work and what government data reveals
As per a 2019 data from the National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of India, women in India spend nearly five hours, an average 280 minutes, every day on unpaid domestic and caregiving services for household members. The corresponding figure for males is just 97 minutes, i.e. an hour and a half.
Women's Leisure, What Leisure?, a book by Eileen Green, Sandra Hebron, and Diana Woodward, emphasises the importance of examining women's leisure time within the context of their daily lives and responsibilities. Factors like unpaid labour and social expectations significantly impact how women experience free time.
One of capitalism's basic tenets teaches that people's worth is linked with their economic productivity. So, when your wisdom as a homemaker, labour to build relationships, nurture families, caregiving, which is essentially the bedrock of human sustenance, doesn't have any economic value, your worth goes unacknowledged and unvalued, explained Surabhi Yadav, creator of Project Basanti: Women at Leisure, which is an archive of photos and videos of women and girls taking out time for leisure.
The freedom to enjoy leisure time is often an elusive privilege, particularly for women. (Image credit: Surabhi Yadav)
"If your labour is worthless, your leisure becomes worthless. You at leisure become worthless. The message from society is clear – ‘don't rest, keep working, keep proving your worth’. Who gets to spend time for themselves is a matter of privilege of whose time is counted as valuable economically and socially," added Yadav.
"Women are taught to look at less leisure time. So, whether it's focusing on household chores, whether it's work, getting things done, women are always mentally focused on the next activity that they have to move on to and have a huge list of things to do, which is why leisure never sort of comes in," said Tanul Mishra, CEO and founder of Afthonia, a fintech company.
Malvika Jain, founder of Sereko, a skincare brand, agreed and added that "as a result, women internalise the belief that prioritising their own needs and leisure activities is selfish or indulgent”. This stands true for 24-year-old Divyanshi Bareja, who thinks she has to be productive constantly.
Leisure isn’t a luxury
Leisure isn't a luxury, it's a necessity and is so much more than just "kicking back and relaxing", said Suman Agarwal, certified counsellor, co-founder and director - Image Consulting Business Institute. It acts as a pressure valve, releasing the stress that builds up from daily demands.
"I define leisure as a time and space window where one's guards are down as much as possible. Leisure is a way to get to know oneself, to reveal our inner lives," explained Yadav.
However, the freedom to enjoy leisure time is often an elusive privilege, particularly for women.
"The real question is not about whether women are taught to be at leisure, but how systemically they are taught not to be at leisure, in multiple ways," explained Yadav.
Leisure isn't a luxury, it's a necessity and is so much more than just "kicking back and relaxing". (Image credit: Surabhi Yadav)
Women are often not socialised to enjoy leisure and acknowledge its importance to the same extent as men are, said sociology expert Pranay Aggarwal, who serves as India’s representative in UNESCO’s International Sociological Association. And this disparity stems from the historical, as well as cultural factors, which have traditionally assigned women primary roles as caregivers and basically shouldering domestic responsibilities.
How many of us remember seeing our mothers, grandmothers, aunts relax? Letting their hair down and just being, whether that is with themselves or with other women around them.
Lisa Suwal, CEO of Prasuma, a company that sells frozen Asian snacks, agreed, adding that "you'd have to be lucky to have had a role model from the previous generations who talked to you about the importance of leisure”.
Lack of physical, emotional safety
Another point brought up by both Yadav and sociology expert Aggarwal, who also mentors young men and women for the IAS exams, is how women or girls are forced to let go of leisure in the lack of physical and emotional safety in spaces - be it home or roads outside.
In the book ‘Why Loiter? Women and Risk on Mumbai Streets’, authors Shilpa Phadke, Sameera Khan and Shilpa Ranade challenge the dominant focus on women's safety in public spaces, arguing that this approach prioritises restricting women's movements rather than making the city safer for everyone.
How many of us remember seeing our mothers, grandmothers, aunts relax? (Image credit: Surabhi Yadav)
Oppression is a loaded word, expressed Yadav. In action, however, it is often banal and thrives on controlling the most mundane parts of life: what and how to talk, eat, dress, play and love.
According to her, "If oppression is about shrinking freedom from being, leisure is both its antidote and a measure of its absence. The more leisure for all exists in a society, the freer that society is."
How can women reclaim their leisure?
Out of the 20 women who were talked to for this story, all of them confessed to never being taught about leisure, but discovering it through a breakdown (imminent or not) of their own.
According to Dr Ankita Priydarshini, consultant psychiatrist and founder and clinical head - Thriving Minds, Dehradun - incorporating leisure into daily life does not always require elaborate planning.
"Take the simple act of going for a walk at a nearby park, enjoying a cup of tea while reading a book, or spending quality time with friends and family. Let us take a real-life example: A woman managing a hectic schedule may find solace in practicing mindfulness or meditation for a few minutes each day or catching-up with her friends for a cup of coffee. It is about recognising the value of leisure, no matter how small it is, and making it a regular part of one's routine for a more balanced, rejuvenated and fulfilling life," Dr Priyadarshini explained in an interaction with indianexpress.com.
Dr Sonal Anand, psychiatrist, Wockhardt Hospitals, recommended developing a hobby as it has been known to have a calming effect on the brain and leads to improved concentration.
Take the simple act of going for a walk at a nearby park, enjoying a cup of tea while reading a book, or spending quality time with friends and family (Image credit: Surabhi Yadav)
While Tanaz Buhariwalla, India director, IDA Ireland (Ireland's Foreign Direct Investment Agency), finds leisure in spending time with her best friend, calling it "food for the soul", Srijana Bagaria, co-founder at Pee Safe, a feminine hygiene products brand, finds solace in the art of baking and Devanshi Tripathi, founder, North Star Cafe, enjoys slow mornings by herself before the hustle and bustle of the day.
Dr Parth Nagda, consultant psychiatrist at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Navi Mumbai, explained that being actively invested in your leisure can reduce stress, anxiety, and ensure personal growth, along with social interaction.
Meeti Vaidya, psychologist, Mpower (Aditya Birla trust's mental health startup), advised that by treating leisure as a priority rather than an afterthought, women can ensure they reap the benefits of these activities consistently.
For the latest news from across India, Political updates, Explainers, Sports News, Opinion, Entertainment Updates and more Top News, visit Indian Express. Subscribe to our award-winning Newsletter Download our App here Android & iOS
2024-03-08T08:13:36Z dg43tfdfdgfd