synonyms - What is a word for an activity without a concrete goal?


I'm developing a time management application.


The architecture considers, that all the user does/plans can be separated in "areas" / parts of life (like "health", "job", "family", "self-development" etc. -- the concrete list depends on the user).


The second hierarchy level are the "activities". Actually nearly always that's "projects" like "building a website", "getting a certificated developer", "getting a driver's license". But some activities are things, that the user might just want to do without a special goal * (s. below), e.g. "doing sports" or "reading books".


What is an adequate word for such activities?


Maybe "doings"?


types of activities



  • project: A finite activity with a defined goal and usually restricted by the time and other factors.

  • doing: An activity without any goal; here "the path is the goal". (Btw.: can the word "doing" be used in this context in singular?) Or maybe occupation?



Just to round the concept up:


The third level are "actions" (or maybe "tickets"? or maybe "tasks"?), e.g. "read the manual" or "lunch with colleagues at 1 p.m.".


The fourth and last level (that's optional) are "tasks" (or maybe "sub-tasks"?) like "call the colleagues to make an appointment" or "by cinema tickets".



* To the meaning of "goal" in this context:


A goal is something, we want to reach through an activity. And: After (or in the moment), when it's reached, the activity becomes obsolete / is finished. A goal should be concrete enough to be (in principle) reachable and verifiable. Short, it should be SMART.




  • "I do sports to win the world championship." The "win on the world championship" is a goal.




  • "I do sports to become fit." Here there is no goal (in this meaning), because "becoming fit" is not concrete and so absolutely not measurable and achievable. Sure, this activity has a purpose/sense. But no goal.




  • "I do sports to be/stay fit." That might be even a much better example of an activity without a goal. Here there is no concrete, measurable, etc. goal. And more than this, it's also not achievable for the following reason: If I define it like this, I am already fit. So I cannot achieve it, at least because it's already achieved. Also here: This activity of course has a purpose/sense. But no goal.






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