I have always found work to be one of the most deceptive words in the English language.  Especially when coupled with the concepts of leisure time and time off.

Depending on your perspective, work is either an activity in which one exerts strength or uses one’s faculties to do or perform something: or activities that a person engages in regularly to earn a livelihood.

Poor Description

Earning a livelihood or exerting yourself to do stuff that will result in the achievement of something are actually very different things.  Of course, the do compliment each other and have similarities but at the core, the meaning is very different.

My challenge is that both leisure and time-off activities are in fact work, just work for a different purpose.  This is my pet peeve.  Many consider leisure time more pleasurable than “work” because you have freedom.

My argument is work is work whether you choose it freely or are directed to it by others or even just your own sense of accountability.

Focus Differentiation

I could be working in my garden during my leisure time (although why I would freely choose this type of activity to do this is beyond me).

Gardening is work, most likely my spouse directed (requested) me to it so while it’s not work focused on making a living it is work with a purpose – to keep the peace.

Constantly Working

Ultimately we are all constantly working on something (maybe as simple as just breathing).  The objective and value of the work clearly varies but is very contextual.  Often it will have nothing to do with earning a living.