HOW DO GENERATION Y SPEND THEIR FREE TIME

TEAM - 2

Abstract This research on HOW DO GENERATION Y SPEND THEIR FREE TIME was conducted to know the insights and attitude of Generation Y towards leisure time and leisure activities. This research was taken in to consideration to help Generation Y for betterment of their lifestyle and also to improvise the usage of their leisure time. This research was conducted with the Generation Y people who reside at West Coimbatore. Around 50 Generation Y people were selected through convenience sampling and they were the respondents for this research. Questionnaire was the research tool which was used to collect the data from the respondents. The collected data was analyzed through simple percentage analysis. The results which were obtained from the data provided by the respondents were interrelated with the different factors which have been taken in to consideration for this research. Key phrases and words: Generation Y, Leisure time, Leisure activity, Coimbatore West

Introduction According to Karen A. Matthews, Ph. D (2009), people who are engaged in multiple enjoyable activities are better off physically and psychologically. This statement of Karen A. Matthews is inversely stating that one must not obstruct himself working too much. There is a need to enjoy and rest in order to become a better person. Generation Y who are dedicated to their studies & work spend an ample lot of time thinking about their studies & work, doing their assignments, constructing their projects etc. They focus almost all of their time in doing academic & professional stuff in order for them to step up and achieve their goals as students & professionals. Different types of activities may produce an impact to the performance of Generation Y. It may be desirable or undesirable effects. This study will provide answers that cannot be stated through surface analysis, but by providing valid information and data that will show the correlativity of leisure activities and overall performance of Generation Y.

Perspectives on Leisure Leisure is defined as freedom from paid labour or as a voluntary behavior (Rojek 2005). Developing this concept, (World Youth Report, 2003) state that leisure is commonly characterized as an activity in time free from obligations, which provides meaningful and satisfying experience identified with freedom, choice and life satisfaction.

Differences in Opinions along the Generations The differences in attitude towards leisure time & leisure time activities differ from one generation to the other, and this generation gap creates chaos at times and ends up in unwanted disputes and misunderstandings. For Generation X, the leisure time was completely different and they prefer more external activities rather than using digital media. Whereas Generation Ys attitude on leisure time and leisure time activities differs a lot and they prefer digital entertainment and social media for their relaxation during the leisure time. Theres also a possibility that the upcoming Generation Z may completely vary from their previous generations and can come up with something totally new.

Significance of the Study This study will be a significant endeavor that will help Generation Y, future Generations and future researchers in order to efficiently handle free/leisure time. This study also helps in deeper understanding to the relationship of leisure activities to the overall performance, and also will serve as a guideline for Generation Y to select activities which promote their overall performance.

Research Methodology This section contains the well-organized account of the research design, research dependents, research instruments, research procedure s and treatment of data.

Research Design This study uses the simple percentage analysis method of investigation to achieve the results that are required. Simple percentage analysis method is chosen because this study aims to provide information and data about the relationship between two or more variables .The choice of this research design ensures that the study will not result to anything insignificant. Preparations and efforts will come up to a quality and a reliable research output.

Research Environment Coimbatore west is the location where the result is going to be conducted. The west Coimbatore map is attached in the annexure please refer the map for more details regarding the research environment.

Research Respondents The respondents of this research study are people of the Generation Y. Here the Generation Y refers to the generation born in the 1980s and 1990s, comprising primarily the children of the baby boomers and typically perceived as increasingly familiar with digital and electronic technology.

Research Instruments The instruments used in this study are questionnaires that are given to the respondents who are spending their leisure time on different leisure activities. The questionnaire was designed in such a way that it meets all the requirements which were required to obtain the data for the research. The questionnaire also contains the profile of the respondent.

Treatment of Data The gathered data is segmented, and the profile and kinds of leisure activities is treated with simple percentage. The level of engagement will be dealt by calculating the weighted mean.

Research Findings
35

65% 59% 57%

30 25 20 15

35% 29% 20%

10

10%
5

12%

12% 2%

AGE

GENDER

OCCUPATION

1.0 Graph (Age Gender - Occupation) of the respondents

1.0 Graph represents the age, gender, occupation of the respondents who provided data for the research. This graph provides information with the numbers and also with the percentages. 18 22 years age group has the most number of respondents (59%). Comparatively male respondents (65%) are more than female respondents. By occupation, student category contains the most number of respondents (57%).

Leisure Time Per Day

6% 3 1 hr 2-3 hrs 4-5 hrs 20% 10 49% 25 More than 5 hrs

25% 13

2.0 Pie Chart (Leisure Time per day) of the respondents 2.0 Pie Chart represents the free or leisure hours of the respondents per day. The majority (49%) of the respondents had 2 3 hours of leisure hours per day.

Most of the Time Spent

Outdoors Indoors

56% 28

44% 22

3.0 Doughnut Chart (Most of the Time Spent) by respondents 3.0 Doughnut Chart represents the place where the respondents mostly spend their leisure time. The majority (56%) of the respondents prefer to stay indoors during their leisure/free time.

Free Time Spent With

49%
25 20 15 10 5 0

24% 16% 4% 6% 2%

4.0 Graph (Free Time Spent With) by the respondents

4.0 Graph represents, with whom the respondents spend their leisure time. Majority of the respondents spend their leisure time with their friends (49%) and family (24%).

Time Spent With Family/Day

30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Less than 30 minutes 1-2 hrs 2-3 hrs More than 3 hrs

48%

24% 16% 12%

4.0 Graph (Time Spent with Family/Day) by the respondents 4.0 Graph represents the time spent by the respondents with their family every day. Most of the respondents (48%) spend 1 2 hours every day with their family.

LEISURE TIME ACTIVITIES

18% 16% 14% 12% 10% 8% 6% 4% 2% 0%

5.0 Graph (Leisure Time Activities) of the respondents 5.0 Graph represents the different leisure time activities which are mostly preferred by the respondents. Watching TV is the leisure time activity which is preferred by the majority (18%) of the respondents. The second most preferred leisure time activity is Sports & Fitness (11%). Only a very few people (1%) preferred arts & crafts as their leisure time activity. To know more details on individual leisure time activities, please visit the below mentioned link. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B69y0a_89ffHZjhIV29nTkhab1E/edit?usp=sharing

Leisure activities make me feel fresh

SD D N A SA 0 5 10 15 20

NA 2% 16% 39%

43%
25

6.0 Graph (Leisure activities makes me feel fresh) respondents opinion Respondents who involve in sports and physical fitness are the ones who agree completely with this thought. Respondents those who spend their leisure time indoors also agree with this thought.

I feel relaxed after leisure activities

SD D N A SA 0 5 10 15

NA 2% 20%

47%
31%
20 25 30

7.0 Graph (I feel relaxed after leisure activities) respondents opinion

Respondents who involve in less physical activities such as arts, reading books, spending time with siblings are the ones who agree with this thought. Respondents who disagree with this thought are the ones who involve in activities such as driving & playing online games.

Leisure activities improve concentration

SD D N A SA 0 5 10

NA

12%
27% 39% 22%
15 20 25

8.0 Graph (Leisure activities improve concentration) respondents opinion Respondents who involve in sports & fitness, sleeping, reading books are the ones who agree with this thought. Respondents who involve in playing online games and watching TV disagree with this thought.

Leisure activities increase physical fitness

SD D N A SA 0 5 10

4% 8% 27% 33% 27%

15 20

9.0 Graph (Leisure activities increase physical fitness) respondents opinion Respondents who involve in sports & fitness activities are the ones who agree completely with this thought. Male respondents are the ones who agreed mostly with this thought.

Leisure activities create positive thoughts

SD D N A SA 0 5 10

2% 12%

43% 22%
15 20 25

10.0 Graph (Leisure activities create positive thoughts) respondents opinion

Respondents who involve in active leisure time activities, visiting family and friends and working for social causes are the ones who agree with this thought. Respondents who involve in leisure activities such as watching TV, using social media are the ones who are against this thought.

Leisure activities make one feel tired

SD D N A SA 0

12% 35% 27%

24%
2%
5 10 15 20

11.0 Graph (Leisure activities make one feel tired) respondents opinion Respondents who involve in leisure time activities such as driving, watching TV, doing household chore are the ones who agree with this thought.

Leisure activities are time Killing

SD D N A SA 0

16% 47% 20% 12% 6%

5 10 15 20 25 30

12.0 Graph (Leisure activities are time killing) respondents opinion Respondents who involve in non productive leisure time activities such as watching TV, playing games and those who do nothing are the ones who agree with this thought.

Leisure activities make one less productive

SD D N A SA 0

16% 35% 31% 12% 6%

5 10 15 20

13.0 Graph (Leisure activities make one less productive) respondents opinion Respondents who involve in leisure time activities such as watching TV, playing games and using social media are the one who agree with this thought.

Leisure activities are stressful

SD D N A SA 0

32%

34%
22% 8% 4%
5 10 15 20

14.0 Graph (Leisure activities are stressful) respondents opinion Respondents who involve in surfing the net, playing online games and driving are the ones who agree with this thought.

Respondents who involve in active leisure time activities are the ones who completely disagree with this thought.

Leisure activities do not have any effect

SD D N A SA 0 5

27% 31%

25%
6% 10%
10 15 20

15.0 Graph (Leisure activities do not have any effect) respondents opinion

Respondents who do nothing and with less unproductive leisure time activities such as watching TV, using social media, playing online games are the ones who agree with this thought. All the other respondents who involve in active leisure time activities completely disagree with this thought.

Conclusion: Generation Y involves in some form of leisure time activates and only very few dont involve in leisure time activities. But the problem is only few people use their leisure time efficiently and productively, where as others involve in less productive and time killing leisure time activities. Generation Y also dont participate effectively in social w elfare activities, this is a great drawback for Society/Nation. Generation Ys involvement in arts & crafts are also very poor. Physical fitness has a great impact on Generation Y and its definitely a positive sign. Thus Generation Ys leisure time activities are not completely deviated off track they just want some refinement to achieve the fullest out of leisure time.

References Rojek, C., 2005. Leisure theory: principles and practice. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Mulatu, Schooler C, MS (1999) Section on Socio-Environmental Studies, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland USA. World Youth Report (2003) The Global Situation of Young People, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations, NY, ISBN.

APPENDICES APENDIX A QUESTIONNAIRE How are Gen y Spending their Leisure Time?

1. Age: (a) 13-17 yrs 2. Gender: (a) Male 3. Occupation: (a) Student

(b) 18-22 yrs (c) 23-27 yrs (d) 28-32 yrs (b) Female

(b) Working

(c) Home-makers

(d) Other

4. How much leisure time do you have in a day? (a) 1 hr (b) 2-3 hrs (c) 4-5 hrs (d) More than 5 hrs

5. Where would you spend most of your free time? (a) Outdoors (b) Indoors

6. With whom do you spend your free time? (a) Family (b) Friends (c) Neighbours (d) Colleagues (e) Alone (f) Other 7. How much time do you spend with your family every day? (a) Less than 30 minutes (b) 1-2 hrs (c) 2-3 hrs (4) More than 3 hrs

8. Rank the following activities in which you involve the most (1) to least (15) during leisure time. Criteria Participating in Sports/Fitness activities Watching TV/Movie Using Social Media Working for a Social Cause Doing Shopping Visiting family/friends Involving in Artistic work Surfing the net Reading Driving Doing nothing Spending time with siblings Helping in house-hold chores Sleeping Playing online games Rank

9. State whether the leisure time activities impact you. Please tick the appropriate column. Give your opinion between Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), Neutral (N), Disagree (D) to Strongly Disagree (SD). Criteria Leisure activities make me feel fresh I feel relaxed after leisure activities Leisure activities improve concentration Leisure activities increase physical fitness Leisure activities create positive thoughts Leisure activities make one feel tired Leisure activities are time Killing Leisure activities make one less productive Leisure activities are stressful Leisure activities do not have any effect SA A N D SD

APENDIX B COIMBATORE WEST MAP