Leisure under Lock: Cognitive Activation and Motivation Erosion as Mechanisms Undermining Experiential Quality of Leisure Time

Most people switch between work and nonwork roles daily. Past research shows that work stressors can impair micro-role transitions from work to nonwork by activating work-related cognitions.

However, motivational processes may be equally important for understanding why psychologically transitioning into nonwork roles fails. Therefore, we examine motivation erosion (i.e. reduced leisure-related self-efficacy) alongside cognitive activation (i.e. increased negative work prospection) as parallel processes interfering with successful transitioning from the work role to nonwork roles. Accordingly, in a preregistered 14- day diary study with morning and after-work measurements, we examined the effects of daily unfinished tasks and anticipated workload on evening experiential quality of leisure time (i.e. the extent to which free time is pleasurable, meaningful, and engaging) via increased negative work prospection and diminished leisure-related self-efficacy.