According to a recent survey by the BAT Leisure Research Institute, the sweeping generalization that Germans don't know what to do with their free time is beginning to crumble. Leisure researchers believe that the population is increasingly recognizing that leisure time is not just for killing time. It is no longer merely accepted but is taken seriously and planned more consciously. Time off work has become more valuable.

While in 1976 47% of the population believed that most citizens didn't know what to do with their free time, this figure has changed significantly; only 27% hold the same opinion today as they did six years ago. At the same time, the perception of "proper use" of free time has increased from 16% to 27% (1982).

In a representative survey conducted by the BAT Leisure Research Institute, 2,000 people over the age of 14 were asked: "Based on your observations, do you think that most people make good use of their free time, or would you say that most don't really know what to do with it?" The answers varied depending on age and the size of the place of residence. For example, 30% of those aged 20-29 had a more negative view of how Germans spend their free time, while 24% of those over 60 saw it as less problematic.

People in rural areas and small towns have the most positive attitude: 29% believe that most people use their leisure time effectively. It's reasonable to assume that this group includes themselves in this assessment, even though some of the attractive leisure activities found in cities are lacking in rural areas.

The positive assessment of residents of medium-sized cities with up to 100,000 inhabitants is remarkably low, with only one in five (19 %) believing they are able to do something with their free time.

According to the subjective assessment of the population, the number of German citizens who "don't know what to do with their free time" has declined significantly: from 47 percent in 1976 to 27 percent in 1982, according to a recent survey by the BAT Leisure Research Institute. Today, 27 percent demonstrate that they are making good use of their free time, 11 percent more than in 1976. Remarkably high (38 percent) is the number of those who are still undecided about what to do with their free time.

This leads to the realization that leisure time is not just for killing time – it means valuable time for living.