This study is structured into four chapters. The opening Leisure Redefined sets out a typology of approaches to defining leisure, namely the classical and social approaches and those arising from the individual's mental and spiritual state, and lays down the concept of leisure as the antithesis of work.
Using international secondary data, the sources of leisure are identified, taking into account its impact on the wider quality of life. It is also indicated that the two worlds of leisure - analog (real) and virtual - interpenetrate.
Empirical data from secondary sources have been selected arbitrarily, seeking a universal "key" to understanding the overall transformation of leisure. The goal was to find the widest possible range of model-forming developments - both on macro scale (countries, regions) and micro scale (individuals, social and professional groups).
In chapter two, Leisure: An Interdisciplinary Approach, the title category is analyzed from the viewpoint of the biological and social sciences. On the one hand, emphasis is placed on describing the biological significance of leisure for the individual and its contribution to mental satisfaction.
On the other hand, the concepts of lifestyle and timestyle are also presented, in conjunction with pattern-setting behaviors, especially in intergenerational terms (Baby Boomers, Generations X, Y, Z). The next chapter, Leisure: Consumer Behavior, raises the issue of market pressure to engage in certain leisure activities - to what extent they arise from fashion, convenience, and to what extent from cool calculation or imitation processes.
The choice of a detailed analysis of market phenomena has been mainly driven by their relative novelty. Therefore, a detailed analysis of the markets related to streaming, gaming, private content sharing in leisure time has been carried out, with new forms of escapism and shopping styles identified.
The final chapter, In Search of the Truth about Leisure¸ contains the results of research conducted in 2019-2021, taking into account the economic dimension of leisure, using a quantitative and qualitative approach.
Based on the analysis, consumer types are ranked in terms of quality of life and ways of using leisure time. Objective and subjective studies relating to the effects of COVID-19 on leisure experience bind together the reflections throughout the monograph.
An attempt has been made to answer the question: How will leisure change in the post-pandemic "new normal"?
