What do collecting old editions of Dungeons & Dragons monster manuals, securing the same tailgate spot for over 20 years and mastering yoga postures have in common? They are all forms of “serious leisure.”
These pursuits differ from casual hobbies in several ways, requiring participation over longer periods, which makes people more skilled and connected to the activity over time. While casual leisure is driven by fun, a pursuit can become more serious when participants focus on accomplishment and skill improvement.
I study leisure pursuits and various contexts for serious leisure, with a focus on the tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. I also work in recreational therapy, which helps people recover and return to their pursuits after injury or illness, an approach that can also benefit those starting a new hobby.
The concept of serious leisure was coined in 1982 by sociologist Robert Stebbins, who described the unique characteristics of more structured leisure pursuits. Understanding why people engage in activities can help them benefit more fully from those pursuits, even those considered niche, like D&D.
Why So Serious?
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People often associate leisure with ease and freedom. However, serious leisure involves long-term commitment and developing the skills and knowledge to excel. Participants must overcome barriers and setbacks to stay engaged and make progress.
Over time, participants identify with the activity and become part of a subculture with its own norms and values. In my work, this sometimes means developing elaborate characters capable of battling beasts, dragons and giants.
Dungeons & Dragons, developed in 1974, is a long-form game played over multiple sessions lasting weeks, months, or years. A Dungeon Master moderates the game, assuming the roles of all monsters and non-player characters.
The Dungeon Master narrates an adventure, aided by a Dungeon Master’s Guide and Monster Manual. Players create characters with specific traits and qualities, and the outcomes of battles, decisions, and interactions are determined by dice rolls.
My study included convening focus groups with regular D&D players to determine whether their experiences represented serious leisure, as opposed to casual leisure associated with traditional board games.
Players described developing their characters for years and acquiring knowledge and skills, learning how magical items and weapons worked, making calculations, and researching character sheets—all attributes of a uniquely D&D subculture.
Participants also described the benefits of playing the game, including a sense of community and a safe, welcoming space for those who might feel excluded by traditional leisure pursuits like sports.
From Yoga to Tailgating
Prior studies have identified many other activities that can qualify as serious leisure, depending on the level of engagement. These include in-person physical activities like yoga, sport clubs, and rock climbing. Others include online pursuits like multiplayer online games and a virtual Harry Potter running club where members share running stories keyed to Harry Potter-themed discussion topics, such as logging miles in virtual races for their specific Hogwarts houses.
Studies have also explored game-based pursuits like tournament bridge, and even the social art of tailgating among serious football fans. In each case, researchers found that participants experienced hallmarks of serious leisure, such as prolonged immersion in the activity, systematic training, and scheduled family events around a shared passion.
In all cases, participants became increasingly involved over time, acquired knowledge and skills, and often forged shared identities and social connections.
Are You Serious?
How do you know if your favorite leisure pursuit has become serious? One indication is spending significant time on it and expanding related knowledge or skills. You may also personally identify with the activity and its associated norms or subculture, and increasingly spend time with other participants, even using shared lingo.
Ideally, your serious leisure pursuit will give you pride and a sense of accomplishment. Belonging to a shared subculture can make it easier to express yourself, which promotes social interaction and a feeling of belonging.
These benefits aren’t trivial. Studies show that Americans’ social networks are getting smaller and that people are spending more time alone. These trends are associated with increased risks for premature death, heart disease and stroke, anxiety and depression, and dementia. In 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued an advisory on the loneliness epidemic that called for a national strategy to advance social connection.
Leisure pursuits are a way to develop shared interests and social contacts. Dedicated bridge players describe a social world unique to champion-level players that involves hierarchies and relationships spanning decades. Serious participants in multiplayer online games describe feeling like part of a team, working together to share materials, skills, and knowledge to win challenges. And serious football fans describe rites of passage associated with fandom, such as a solo performance of the team fight song on the tailgate of a truck.
How to Start
Serious leisure doesn’t happen instantly, and not every practice needs to reach this level of commitment. Casual leisure has benefits too, so there is value in just getting started. But when a beginner gets obsessed with a new pursuit, it may start to take on the qualities of serious leisure over time.
Starting a new hobby can be nerve-racking, especially outside familiar environments. Start small, go easy, and match the level of challenge with your skill. You just may find yourself getting serious about it.
