Take Leisure Time Seriously
By Tana M. Mann Easton, Lead Efficiency Engineer
We all know there are 24 hours in a day. If I sleep 8 hours and work 8-10 hours, I am left with 6-8 hours a day when I’m awake and get to decide how to fill that time. Of course duties like house maintenance, caring for children, and other life management activities are fit into this remaining 6-8 hours, but in my life there still tends to be some time left over in each of my days for leisure time. If I’m not mindful, there are instances when I find myself defaulting into leisure activities rather than actively deciding though. If I don’t take a minute to do a quick gut check and ask myself, “What would I most enjoy doing right now?”, then I’ll often default to the easiest pastimes, which often take the form of mindlessly scrolling apps on my phone or streaming something I’ve probably already watched before on Netflix. Nothing is necessarily wrong with scrolling or streaming, unless there are things that I would rather do that I’m not doing.
A few of my favorite pursuits for leisure time are inspirational or educational podcasts and audio or hard copy books. Podcasts and audiobooks are mind-enriching ventures that I can access on my phone, so they’re easily transportable. They can also fill random spaces that present themselves throughout a day, like if I’m waiting to pick someone up or between meetings. Whenever I hear about a podcast or book that sounds interesting, I add those titles to wish lists. Once I finish a podcast or book, I always have ideas for new ones ready to go. I’ve never regretted time I’ve spent on podcasts or books.
Other times, when I ask myself what I most want to do with my leisure time, I want to go for a walk, meditate, learn something new, photograph nature, write a poem, organize a drawer, mail a thoughtful card, call a friend or family member, focus on the people around me and give them my best wishes, etc.
What would you most like to do with your leisure time? Try a new recipe? Put a puzzle together? Plant a seed? Brainstorm that book you’ve always wanted to write? Download Duolingo or Babbel to start learning that new language? Paint a picture? Practice an instrument?
Most of us almost always have some leisure time during the day, and by taking it seriously (not just defaulting to the easiest activity but instead mindfully choosing what would we most want to do), we can add true value to our lives.
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Mindfully Yours,
Focus to Evolve Team