Maximising your free time

New Straits Times
04-17-2011
Maximising your free time
Edition: New Sunday Times
Section: 1Klassifieds

Life is full of changes that can open sudden voids of free time in your life: retirement; career changes, having your kids leave the nest; graduating from school. Or just taking time out to find yourself. Here are some ways to maximise your free time:

1 Keep a journal about your life and how you'd like it to be. Be sure to describe the activities you are trying out in your free time so you can evaluate whether or not they are worth continuing to do. One way to appreciate life more is at the end of the day, before you go to sleep, write five things from that day which you are grateful. It may be hard to think of 5 things at first, but it is OK to repeat things from previous days, and you will find yourself looking for good things throughout the day to write down at night. This will improve your outlook on life. Try it!
2 Get yourself in top physical shape. Consult with your doctor about starting an exercise programme. A good starting point would be to walk for 30 minutes each day around your neighborhood for three days each week.

3 Join (or return to) a church or place of worship. This is a safe way to meet interesting people and get involved in your community. You don't even have to be all that religious.

4 Volunteer your time and expertise. Search the internet or the Yellow Pages for volunteer organisations in your area. Anyone, however inexperienced, can contribute something useful. You can work as little or as much as you want to.

5 Take up a hobby. Remember what brought you the most fun in childhood and try some acceptable variation on it. Some kids liked caring for animals, some liked tinkering with tools, some liked playing board games. You get the idea. There's a hobby for everyone.

6 Turn off the TV and read more books. Describe in a book journal what you've read, and what your reactions were. Join a book club.

7 Get a pet from the local animal shelter. You will save a life and become the center of the little critter's world.

8 Try gardening. Cacti are amazing, grow gorgeous flowers, and are almost impossible to kill. Or you could try herbs which are easir to grow, fun to use (in cooking or in crafts).

9 Declutter your home. This could take months, but it is essential to clear space for your new life. Get rid of anything you haven't used in more than a year: have a garage sale, donate to charity, or just recycle/ pitch it.

10 Go back to school either for fun or to broaden your skill base or both. Continuing-education courses at your local community college can be low-priced.

11 Try painting or something crafty. Some types of painting are acrylics, enamel, encaustic (wax), frescos, gouache, inks, oils, heat-set oils, water miscible oils, pastels and dry pastels, oil pastels, pastel pencils, spray paint (graffiti), tempera, watercolor and sketching.

12 Pull out a cookbook and try some new recipes. Look into your fridge and cupboards, then Google a recipe using those ingredients (for example, search for "broccoli pineapple jalapeno recipes").

13 Learn to meditate. Sit quietly for 20 minutes and breathe naturally. Count your breaths up to 10, then start over again. The idea is to have something on which to focus, so that you stay present and don't drift off mentally. After several weeks, you may begin to notice positive results in your life: more calmness, better concentration, more focus, more understanding of how negative the usual mental chatter can be.

Take your time trying stuff out. Something that initially seems hard may start to grow on you. Remember it isyour life, so make the most of it!

How to keep a diary and stick to it

Keeping a diary or journal is a great way to express your emotions on paper and treasure your experiences. Twenty years from now, you will wonder what you were doing then. At the end, it is a barometer of your personal and emotional growth.

* STEPS:

* Pick out a nice journal or notebook that reflects your personality.

* Write some information about yourself on the first page. Include a "reward if found" note, just in case it gets lost.

* Start your first entry by labeling the top with the weekday and date, the time, and possibly the place you are writing from.

* Take your diary wherever you go, and write an entry at least once a day. Write about everyday things.

* Start again if you have a break. Read your old entries and see what you think now in comparison to then.

* If it is a personal diary, make sure you keep it in a safe place.

(Copyright 2011)
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