What they do
The first item deserves a closer look. Many astronauts describe a special feeling when viewing Earth from space: a sense of the planet's fragility and the insignificance of borders. This experience has its own name and is studied in its own right.
The fourth item is not technically leisure. Psychologists consider contact with family part of maintaining the crew's well-being, and time for it is scheduled just like work.
The second tile often comes as a surprise. Two hours a day on exercise machines is mandatory, because without it, bones and muscles lose their strength. Many call it the hardest part of the routine.
How it differs from life on Earth
The main difference is the impossibility of being alone. A cabin is the size of a phone booth, the same few people are around you for months, and there is nowhere to go. So personal time is valued differently than on Earth.
The second difference is that weekends are only loosely defined. The day is scheduled minute by minute, including breaks, and Saturdays usually include station cleaning. A completely free day is rare and planned in advance.
Eating together is another tradition. Crew dinners are considered important for relationships in a confined group, and something special is sent from Earth for holidays, sometimes even fresh fruit aboard a cargo ship.
There are also personal habits people bring with them. Some read, some keep a journal, and some answer letters from schoolchildren. All of this is allowed and scheduled as part of personal time.
Finish reading in the Miqo app
1 more minute, then a quiz at the end. Find it under “Space → Astronauts”
Point your phone camera here to open the App Store or Google Play.
Sources
- Crew members identify observing Earth from the viewing module as their main free-time activity
- the schedule allows about 2 hours of personal time and the same amount of mandatory physical exercise each day