How many times have you told yourself that you're going to work out today, only for it to never happen? You often say that you'll set aside an hour to exercise, but when the time comes, you'd rather be on your phone.
But don't worry, it's not just you. We're all doing it.
A new study done by the RAND corporation gathered information about how Americans spent every minute of their day. These included tasks such as brushing their teeth, shopping, and cooking meals. Their study concluded by saying that Americans, on average, have about five hours of free time every day. They just spend this time watching TV, using their laptop, or scrolling through their phone.
In fact, no gender or economic group is devoting more than 7 percent of their free time to exercise or overall physical fitness.
Despite the vast differences in socioeconomic class, race, and gender, researchers found that no group reported any less than 4.5 hours of free time every day. Men reported that they had half an hour more of extra free time than women.
Dr. Devorah Cohen, the study's co-author and a physician-researcher at RAND, stated that "There is a general perception among the public and even public health professionals that lack of leisure time is a major reason Americans do not get enough physical activity. But we found no evidence for those beliefs."
But how many people actually spent their free time doing any form of physical exercise? According to the study (which has already been published in the journal Preventing Chronic Disease), men spent just 6.6 percent of their free time exercising, while women only spent 5 percent. People who had higher incomes did spend more time on exercise and less time on screens than those with a lower income.
Knowing how you can utilize your time is imperative to being productive and staying healthy. It's okay to unwind and relax while you have free time, but staying on your phone for over three hours is unhealthy. Dr. Cohen recommends that Americans should at least try to devote 20 or 30 minutes each day to physical activity if feasible. Keeping an active lifestyle will not only help your physical health but also your mental health.
