Fitting it all in
Do you get time to do all the things that you love? Or time to see the people you want to see?
Going to work can take up a lot of time. If you add to that the time you spend sleeping, eating, travelling and getting household jobs done, there’s not a whole lot left over. And let’s be honest, what little time that is left over is so easily spent staring at a flickering screen; and Glee Season 1 ending is not going to fix this problem in the long term.
So how do we prevent the busy-ness of work and life’s many distractions from slowly engulfing the delicate ecosystem that is our free time like an oil spill? How can we make sure that we get round to doing the things that we really want to do, the things that make life worthwhile?
One way is to be intentional with our plans. Here are three ways to make sure you fit the good stuff in:
Prioritise
What things are important to you? Think about all the things that you would really like to do if time was unrestricted.
On my CV under ‘hobbies’ I’ve listed painting. I can’t remember the last time I actually did any painting, and yet it’s there on my CV in black and white as one of the things I like to do in my spare time. I also like going to the cinema, but I’ve only managed it twice this year. These are just two things I would love to do more often… if only I had more time.
Next, think about the people that you would like to see more frequently. Do you have friends and family that live away that you would like to visit? Perhaps there is a work colleague that you’ve been meaning to invite for dinner, or maybe you don’t have enough quality time with the people closest to you.
Write a list of activities and the people that matter to you.
Plan ahead
Once you have your list, get a diary or calendar and plan ahead. Set dates and times for the activities and people that matter most. Be specific. If there’s someone you want to see, suggest a time. Don’t just say, “We’ll have to go for a drink soon,” say, “Shall we go for a drink next Friday at 8?”
If you’re thinking it would be great to have a group outing to the beach, set a date for it and invite people. Don’t just expect things to happen when you have free time, make them happen!
Often it’s the people closest to us who suffer when we’re busy. If you’re in a relationship, make an effort to keep time aside each week for a ‘date night’ activity. If you have children, make plans to spend quality time with them individually.
Stick to it
Now you’ve set time aside to do something, make sure you actually do it! If the calendar says that Saturday morning is for going to the gym, then get up early and go. If Thursday night means leaving work on time to take your wife out for a meal, then make sure you stick to it.
I have a friend who plans out weekend visits at the beginning of each year and marks out dates to meet up with people months in advance. I used to think she took the organisational thing too far, but it just means that we always get to see each other when we say we will. Having plans written down means that you don’t end up double booking, and it makes it harder to change your mind and cancel at the last minute.
Life is always going to be busy, but if we learn to be intentional with the free time that we have, it means that we’re able to do the things that we really enjoy and see the people that really matter. If we aren’t careful, something else will ooze in to take their place.
If you find work is taking over, why not read our article "All work and no play" here
Written by Lindsey Sisk. Posted on 25th June.
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