OECD Countries That Spent The Most Time on Leisure Activities

Leisure is an important activity for human’s life but finding the time makes it such an elusive thing for many people. Among the member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, people dedicate their time differently and are ranked in the following ways.

OECD Countries That Spent The Most Time on Leisure Activities

Belgium

Belgians spend the most time engaging in leisure activities averaging around 369 minutes a day. Most of the activities they engage in include outdoor activities, personal hobbies, and social events among others. Belgians work for 1,574 hours a year. This is below the worldwide average of 1,765 hours, and they spend the remaining time having fun and being with the people they hold close.

Norway

Scandinavians have been known to love leisure activities. Living in an area that gets the brunt of the cold climate, Norwegians spend on average 368 minutes a day engaging in leisure activities. Some popular activities include skiing, hiking, and canoeing. When the winter gets severe most people chose to stay indoors.

Greece

Despite the slump that hit the Greek economy some few years back, Greeks value the time they spend from their work. They spend on average 353 minutes a day pursuing relaxing and unwinding. Some of the activities Greeks spend their leisure time on include walking, sailing, fishing, exercising, and dancing.

Germany

Germans spend 331 minutes a day engaging in activities that are not related to work. Some hobbies that they are known for, apart from drinking their world famous Bavarian beer, include jogging, walking, and a host of others outdoor ventures. Leisure activities are such a boom in Germany that on average, every household spends about $330 a month just for leisure.

Finland

Another Scandinavian nation that values leisure is Finland. On average, the Finnish spend 331 minutes a day for leisure; and just like most of their neighbors, they use that time to take advantage of the icy conditions by skiing and hiking.

Denmark

The Danish spend on average 329 minutes in a day on activities related to leisure. Some hobbies they engage in include swimming, cycling, and walking. For some, spending time reading and visiting the many cultural places that dot the country from end to end is also another form of leisure.

Italy

On average Italians spend 323 minutes in a day on leisurely engagements that range from rafting, hiking, mountain climbing and the one thing they are best known for, food. Cooking is more than just a means to an end to the Italians, and they do it when they get time to relax. Italian food interests people from other parts of the world who even travel to Italy just to experience the cuisine.

Spain

Spanish people spend on average 316 minutes a day exploring their hobbies and other interests not related to their day jobs. Some activities they engage in include taking part in some of the many annual festivals and sunbathing in their warm beaches. Visiting historical sites and centers that sprawl from one end of the country to another is also another form of leisure activity.

Others Countries

Other members OECD that rank high in the time spent on leisure activities include Ireland, Slovenia, Estonia, Sweden, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Netherlands, and France among others.