Leisure Monitor 2026: Everyday leisure between digital availability and conscious deceleration
The BAT Foundation for Future Issues will present its latest "Leisure Monitor 2026" at an online press conference on August 25, 2026. For this study, which has been conducted regularly since 1986, over 3,000 representative German citizens aged 18 and over were surveyed in July and August 2026 on more than 100 different leisure activities, as well as on the special topic "How much leisure time do German citizens have on a weekday?".
40 years of leisure research
Since 1986, the Foundation for Future Studies has been surveying German citizens about their leisure time, thus possessing the longest continuous observation of leisure activities in Germany. To mark its 40th anniversary, four activities illustrate the changes and continuities in a time-lapse format:
- Television was the undisputed leisure medium in 1986, with 80 percent of viewers. It reached its peak of 98 percent in 2004 and, after declines since 2019, is now almost back to the level of 1986. Television thus remains influential, but has lost its former monopoly.
- The internet was first accessed in 1998 and at that time was used by only three percent of German citizens at least once a week. Today, that figure is 97 percent. A single dominant medium has thus been replaced by a digital infrastructure that is available at all times.
- Sport has also gained considerable importance: in 1986, less than one in five people (18%) participated in sports once a week, while today more than half the population is regularly physically active (53%). Sport thus represents a shift towards greater activity, self-care, and physical balance.
- Socializing has developed differently: meeting friends was and remains the most important social leisure activity, but its significance has declined. In 1986, 37 percent regularly went out with friends, in 2003 even 41 percent, today only 19 percent. Traditional socializing is thus losing ground, while social contacts are increasingly shifting to individually planned and digital forms.
Professor Dr. Ulrich Reinhardt summarizes the change
„"Four decades of leisure research reveal that it is not the needs of citizens that have fundamentally changed, but rather the ways in which they find recreation, activity and community."“
Between media consumption, relaxation and active leisure
Currently, the most regularly pursued leisure activities are primarily media-related. Internet use, television, listening to music, and smartphone use dominate daily life. The appeal of these activities lies in their flexibility: they integrate seamlessly into daily routines and satisfy the desire for autonomy and convenience.
Nevertheless, leisure time is far more than just media time. For the majority of citizens, reflecting on their own thoughts, conversations about important matters, spending time with their partner, and simply relaxing are all integral parts of their weekly routine. Walks, time spent in nature, and physical activity also have their place. The leisure time of German citizens thus exists within the tension between three poles: firstly, the constant availability of media; secondly, the need for rest and relaxation; and thirdly, active pursuits and personal development.
Professor Dr. Ulrich Reinhardt, Scientific Director of the Foundation, summarizes: „"The driving forces behind leisure time are convenience, individualization, and constant availability. At the same time, however, it remains an important place for relaxation, closeness, and physical balance."“
Winners and losers in a ten-year comparison
A direct comparison of the years 2016 and 2026 reveals several shifts in the leisure activities of German citizens. In the media sector, those offerings that can be used regardless of location and time (on-demand) are experiencing the most significant growth, while classic, linear formats are losing reach.
Changes are also evident in regenerative forms of recreation. Simple, low-effort forms of relaxation such as lounging or chilling are practiced more frequently (+15 percentage points), while more time-consuming activities such as self-care are less common (-25 percentage points).
A similar shift is taking place in the cultural sector. Although cultural activities are generally less frequent than media consumption, experience-oriented offerings are experiencing growth. Currently, more Germans visit an amusement park (+15 percentage points), a museum or art exhibition (+15 percentage points), a zoo or wildlife park (+13 percentage points), or concerts and festivals (+13 percentage points) at least once a year than ten years ago. Conversely, visits to nightclubs (-11 percentage points) and folk festivals (-5 percentage points) are declining. Reinhardt explains this decline with a changing nightlife culture: "People are primarily looking for leisure activities that allow for relaxed, spontaneous, and short-term use, rather than being tied to fixed events, long evenings, and communal socializing."„
Leisure resources: Consistency over the decades
Despite digital transformations and societal upheavals of the past four decades, the available leisure time of German citizens on a typical weekday has changed little. Since 1988, the amount of time available has fluctuated within a narrow range of just 28 minutes.
Reinhardt categorizes this development as follows: „This consistency is by no means a given. After all, we have experienced a digital revolution during this period, which promised us countless efficiency gains. Household appliances became faster, communication more immediate, and work processes automated. But the time gained as a result seems to have disappeared elsewhere. The boundaries between work and leisure are blurring, constant availability is taking its toll, and new forms of employment are filling the niches that technology actually created.“
Outlook: Continuity or Change
The central question for the coming years is whether the relatively constant amount of free time available to German citizens will remain stable. Societal and economic debates about new working time models – from the four-day week to radical flexibilization of working hours and even calls for longer working hours – point to possible structural changes.
Regardless of how the purely quantitative time budget develops, the qualitative design of leisure time will remain crucial in the future. A continuing challenge for the population will be to consciously preserve spaces for relaxation, balance, and personal development amidst the tension between constant sensory overload, professional demands, and private obligations.
