Free time as an adult is often hard to find. Between work and appointments, with all the responsibilities constantly demanding your time and energy, it can feel like months have passed since you were able to stop and catch your breath. And if you do get the chance to pause and take a deep breath, it’s not long before the phone starts ringing or emails begin to flood in. Being busy has become the norm, and when you do have some free time it doesn’t last long because it gets filled before you even realize it.
We find ourselves increasingly busy but losing productivity as we go. This happens because you can be busy without being productive. Filling every moment of your day with things just because you have time doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the right thing to do. You can spend an entire day being busy but accomplish nothing meaningful or important, nothing that adds value to your day or enriches you.
Rejuvenating and re-energizing the body is important, and it doesn’t happen if we’re constantly busy. That’s why spending quality free time is so important.
Taking a day to focus solely on yourself, your loved ones, and the passions that make you happy is a great way to spend time productively. Rather than using free time to lounge on the couch all day (though sometimes that’s definitely necessary too!), you can fill it with some ideas and suggestions we want to share here, to prevent your days and free time from becoming too hectic, yet still productive, enjoyable, and enriching for mind and body.
If you’re currently in a phase of life where you find yourself with too much free time, for whatever reason, you can use this list to fill it with productive activities that will help you use it more fruitfully, happily, and healthily.
Make Your Free Time Work for You
There are days when you just need to sit on the couch and relax, rest. There’s nothing wrong with that. But if you find you have enough free time, it’s a good idea to use it to do something productive during your day.
As we said, just filling your free time with something to do isn’t enough: you can be busy without being productive.
Now let’s get concrete with 8 tips for truly quality free time for those who really want to manage their days well: after all, you only live once!
8 Easy and Productive Things to Do in Your Free Time
Read a Book
Whether you have 5 minutes or an hour, picking up a good book and spending some time reading it is a great way to spend your free time productively. If your whole family has some free time, instead of sitting down to watch TV, challenge everyone to pick a book and spend a set amount of time reading it.
Not convinced that reading is productive? Reading reduces stress, stimulates the brain, provides knowledge, improves memory, helps enhance attention and concentration, builds better writing skills, and of course, offers free entertainment for as long as you choose.
For example, it shouldn’t surprise you to know that most successful people spend much of their free time reading books and listening to podcasts. They stay updated on the latest developments in various fields and are constantly hungry for new information.
Try to find an author or podcast host you like, and dive down the rabbit hole to discover unexplored depths of new content. Get inspired by seeking recommendations and advice on new content or books from people you respect and admire.
Play a Sport or Exercise
Exercising, even if it’s just a brisk 10-20 minute walk, is a fantastic way to use your free time. After exercising, you feel much more energetic, healthy, and ready to tackle the rest of the day, rather than sitting on the couch in front of the TV and ending up feeling sluggish and lazy for the rest of the day.
Not only will physical activity help you use your free time in a healthy and productive way, but you’ll also reap the many, many benefits that come with exercise, including:
- Feeling happier
- Staying fit
- Boosting energy
- Sleeping better at night
- Improving overall nervous system health
- Fighting aging
If that’s not enough to get you out the door for a walk, try doing it with a group: find nature walks or activities like yoga or kayaking to do with others who, like you, are looking for ways to make the most of their free time.
Exercise is also a perfect opportunity to socialize. The best part is there are countless ways to do it. Running, walking, cycling, biking, lifting weights, joining a fitness class: what you do isn’t important, but that you’re doing it.
Spending time improving your health and fitness is never a waste. Better fitness often leads to better thinking and greater productivity: it also cultivates self-discipline.
Learn Something New
Maybe you’ve always wanted to learn to knit but never found the time, or perhaps you’ve always wanted to learn salsa dancing, or pottery, or how to make sushi. How long has it been since you did something just for yourself, purely for the joy of doing it? Give yourself permission to do that thing now.
Do something crafty by picking up a paintbrush, pencil, or sewing needle and simply spend some time doing something you enjoy. In short, use a few hours of your week to find a new hobby: go ahead and do that thing you’ve always wanted to do.
Don’t feel guilty for taking some time for yourself! You’ve been busy with work and responsibilities; you deserve some time for you.
It might just be a hobby, or maybe it’s something you’ve just learned that sparked your interest. Take a handful of hours to research, find books at the library, online articles, or better yet, finally sign up for that course you’ve been wanting.
Many studies confirm that engaging in creative and stimulating activities can improve brain function and increase creative thinking ability.
Never stop learning. This can mean always being eager to know the latest news related to your field and keeping up with broader trends, but also learning something new about other topics and expanding your skills.
This will lead you to meet new interesting people similar to you. And there’s nothing better than spending your free time with those who inspire you, entertain you, or share an interest or new passion with you.
Build Relationships
Do you also have that person in your life you always say, “We should really go out for lunch sometime!” but never actually do?
Or have you met someone new this week and thought you’d like to get to know them better; what better time than now to reach out?
You don’t have to invite them for coffee right away if you want to use your free time to relax, but you can use this time to call them and set up a coffee date for a couple of days later.
A great way to use your free time is to dedicate it to building meaningful friendships and relationships. You can achieve much more and be much happier with a network of loved ones who support you.
Socializing is vital for our mental and emotional health. Without it, even the most independent people can suffer from loneliness and depression. Socializing is also a gateway to networking and meeting new people who can help you in countless ways.
So dive into discovering new ways to socialize: explore all the activities in your area, from happy hours to cultural visits, and start meeting interesting new people!
Do Some Home Organization
Even if you only have 10 minutes, you can still use that small amount of time to quickly tidy up your home: fold those clothes waiting for you, clear out the junk from the closet, do seasonal wardrobe changes. These are all tasks we struggle to keep up with, caught up as we are in daily commitments, but they will certainly improve the quality of our lives.
A great way to use free time, for example, is cooking: getting ahead with meal prep is always convenient, so you don’t end up ordering lunch last minute or just to be sure you follow a healthy diet.
Whatever time of day it is, if you’re wondering what to do with those two hours after work, starting to prepare dinner is always a good answer. Prepare everything you can now – cook the meat, chop the vegetables, or make the salad. When dinner time comes, all you have to do is throw it all together and heat it up.
Meditate
The benefits of meditation are now well documented by many official studies.
Even 15 minutes a day focusing on the present moment and clearing your mind can bring introspection, inner peace, and clearer thinking, as well as improve our concentration skills.
Incorporate meditation into your daily routine: you’ll start benefiting immediately.
Plan Your Next Vacation
Traveling to see new places and try new foods and experiences isn’t just fun; it’s a fantastic way to expand your mind and recharge from burnout. Traveling to different places that make you happy will facilitate new connections and create memories that last a lifetime.
Taking vacations and truly relaxing with new friends and loved ones can relieve stress and set the stage for better focus and clarity in the future.
Spend your free time doing something you enjoy, whether it’s a weekend at a spa or your next ski trip!
Start planning a great trip now!
Volunteer
Finally, dedicating time to volunteering is something that will create value both for you and others.
Volunteering is a perfect way to give back to the community, as well as a great opportunity to meet like-minded people. Depending on where and how you volunteer, for example at a stray dog shelter or with an organization that cleans beaches, you can spend time outdoors and get exercise at the same time.
What If I Can't Find the Time?
Would you like to do at least one of these activities but feel like you don’t have the time? How do people who work and are overloaded with family responsibilities find free hours? There are some tricks, or rather, some tips that can help you optimize your days to make room for productive activities. Here are a few:
Wake Up Early
The most successful people, who manage to balance free time, family, and work, usually start their day early. Many agree it’s the best time to work. There are hardly any distractions, and for many people, productivity is usually at its peak during the early hours of the day.
Use Technology
One of the easiest ways to do this is by using tools or apps that boost productivity: find the right apps that simplify your life, facilitate your connections, and make the day less burdensome.
Prioritize Tasks
Choose carefully which of the tasks you’re doing has priority. What are the most urgent tasks? Try making a list of what you need to do, in order of importance: could you delegate the non-essential ones?
Now that we’ve given you some advice, which activity will you start with for free time that makes you happier and improves your quality of life?