Make the Most of Your Time
What are you doing in your spare time?
Before the coronavirus lockdown, I am sure there were many of you who wished for a four-day work week or that you could work from home. Well, your wishes have come true as most of you are working remotely! This period has provided extra time for you—although you are technically working. So, how is that going for you? What are you doing in your spare time?
“Necessity is the mother of invention,” according to Plato, and we are certainly seeing this play out. Some people have become experts at innovation as they used the spare time to experiment and bring their ideas and dreams into reality. I have seen many people baking, gardening, sewing, completing home projects, and doing things that they have never done before. However, others are not in this zone. If the lockdown has left you drained and off-kilter, here are a few tips for you:
Vent for 10 minutes about what’s not going right in your life.
Have a drink to take the edge off.
Eat a hearty meal.
Go for a walk, run, ride, or other exercise.
Watch a comedic movie.
Have an uplifting three-way phone conversation.
Move around outside and observe nature as you feel the sunlight or cool breeze on your face.
Watch the sun rise or set and the stars at night.
Do whatever makes your heart sing.
Whisper a prayer as you take several deep breaths.
Be still.
Sometimes we wish for things and when we do get them, they don’t measure up the way we thought they would. You may have been excited at the beginning as you anticipated spending time at home. However, as the weeks stretched into months, the excitement ebbed, and you fell into a dull routine. One way to get your groove back is by incorporating a few of the suggestions above into your day. Do not wait or put off the things you can do now but take advantage of this or any period in your life by making the most of your time.
Previously, I had canceled or postponed going places and being involved in activities that are now unavailable. So, I made a conscious effort not to let this moment idly pass me by. I engage daily in many of the activities above and have even amped up my exercise sessions hoping that by now I would have a well-toned bod…alas no, as I am eating as heartily as ever! As you reflect on this time in the years ahead, I hope you will identify it as one of growth and not regret.
