Calling Aunt Bee: We've Gone Fishing

It's official: our leisure time is shrinking. The Harris Poll, tracking leisure since 1973, reports that in 2008, leisure hours dropped by 20%--to an all-time low of 16 hours/week. (vs. 1973: 26 hours).

Last year, Americans increased the work week by one hour. As our economy crashed, more reported spending time "just checking in" online. Looking at the top leisure activities, computer activities are reported as equal to fishing. There's an interesting theory that computer time is a netherland--perceived neither as work nor leisure.

Top Leisure Activities in 2008
#1 Reading (30%)
#2 TV (24%)
#3 Time with family (17%)
#4 Exercise (8%)
#5 Computer activity (7%)
#6 Fishing (7%)
#7 Going to movies (6%)
#8 Golf (6%)
#9 Walking (5%)
#10 Gardening (5%)