In a world getting busier by the minute, everyone and everything is in the fast lane. As a result, most folks no longer have time for entertainment and other activities. They usually resort to scheduling everything, even the intimate moments with a partner.
According to Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business research, scheduling an activity increases the likelihood of getting it done. But it is a different ball game overall when it comes to leisure activities or your free time.
Tips on Enjoying Your Free Time
Schedule for Slack Time
As unbelievable as it may sound, penciling in some downtime for a few minutes of fun between activities is perhaps as healthy as a five-minute jog. Your mind needs it.
You can do several things, such as listening to a podcast or engaging in a dopamine-pumping activity like using the parimatch app.
Experts advise not to add too many activities that reduce or affect your free time. Instead, consider buffers of up to 30 minutes or more for spontaneity. This benefits your day and makes it more productive than it’d have been if you spent the whole of it concentrated on a task.
To enjoy your free time, prioritize the activities that bring you joy, such as traveling. Read a book if you must and savor that well-cooked dish. It is these small decisions that determine whether you’re happy or not. Choose happiness.
Allow Some Flexibility with Timing
Research shows that scheduling squeezes the fun out of leisure activities. This is by interrupting their free-flowing characteristic.
But if no other alternative to scheduling exists, researchers advise keeping it as loose as possible. For example, you can talk about going to the gym after class, rather than at 7 PM.
Squeezing in as much fun as possible within a particular time subconsciously affects its enjoyment. Researchers relate this phenomenon with people’s tendency to overestimate how much they can fit into a block of time.
The remedy is to let the moment unfold without your help to maximize your free time. Don’t look at your watch.
Focusing on One Activity at a Time
Having an upcoming activity at the back of the mind can also affect the enjoyment of the free time. Perhaps this is because it divides your attention, and you can’t wait for the activity to be over so that you can start the next. Don’t over-plan. Instead, focus on the current moment.
Don’t Wait to Earn More Money to Enjoy Your Free Time
Most people think that earning more money leads to more happiness and therefore invest too much time toiling to make a sack of bucksHowever, research shows that people with more free time are happier than those with a lot to do and make more money.
Too much work and insufficient time to relax can make you feel time-poor and stressed from the weight of too much to do. Minimize the activities that eat into your time, such as the time spent washing dishes and laundry. Reduce your time on social media and instead focus on the offline activities that make you feel alive.
Use Your Vacation Days
More extended rest periods are beneficial to your health, but unfortunately, millions of vacation days go unused. Most people choose to work instead. Vacations are a time to recharge and refocus.
Employees that take vacations feel more energized, happy, and engaged to take on the next challenge at their place of work.
There are, however, things that you should do to enjoy your vacation, such as:
- Turning off your notifications
- Not checking your work emails
Switching off your mobile phone
Reviewed by admin
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June 05, 2022
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