By MAXIMIZE YOUR TIME AND ENJOY LIFE
By Aaron Anderson
In one way or another, we all experience it. That horrible thought at the end of the week in which you can’t remember any time you had for yourself. Personal time is everything. It’s a huge factor that dictates our perpetual happiness. It allows us to leverage our own time against the stresses of work and everyday life. Could you imagine a life with it gone completely?
Unfortunately, there are many who can. Not only are there emotional and psychological benefits of having time to enjoy life (for yourself in particular) but there’s a long list of medical ones too. Living to work without having time to enjoy yourself is unhealthy, debilitating, and quite simply the antithesis of a productive and healthy life.
That said, here are five tips to improve the time you have ‘for yourself.’
Wake Up Earlier
Yes, I know. It sounds mundane. Yet the benefits are endless. There have been so many studies done about being an early riser that it’s hard to choose one to quote. As a whole, rising early serves as a staple for the rest of your day. It allows your brain to come to before work (or whatever you have in the day) and sort out your tasks, priorities, and goals for the week. Once it’s part of your normal cycle, it allows for more energy during the day. That then allows you to complete your tasks quicker than you otherwise would. Rising early is also said to assist greatly with deeper sleep schedules – being that your mind is now accustomed to rising with “earth’s” time.
Shut Down Your Computer
We’re all guilty of it. We’re done with work and heading home, the day is supposed to be over. But it isn’t really, is it? We open our computer, pour that glass of wine, and then hit those emails. Or worse, and we navigate the trenches of social media until we look up and realize we’ve wasted two hours staring at other people’s lives. As amazing of a thing as computers are, they can truly eat up our time if we don’t manage ourselves in their wake. Think about it – those two hours spent staring at your screen could’ve been used to exercise, cook a meal, read, go out for a drink with friends, and whatever it is that fills your bucket.
Exercise
A healthy routine of exercise not only forces you to make time for yourself, but it’s also incredibly beneficial for your ongoing health. It provides you with more energy, the endorphins help fight any form of anxiety or depression, and it helps you concentrate. If you keep at it, the gym won’t feel like a thing you need to do, but something you want to do. Something you enjoy doing and something that you actually make time for. Not only does it allow you to have some time for yourself (put your headphones in, zone-out, escape your stresses a bit) but it’s also incredibly important for a happier you and a healthier future.
Travel
Traveling is the easiest way to maximize relaxation, enjoy your 9-5, and continue to see the world. Travel can be as easy as a weekender to a nearby destination or as elaborate as a location on your bucket list. If you’re really feeling distressed about the amount of time you’re spending at work, or other required duties, get out of your daily grind by taking a vacation. Even a short one can be the stress reliever you need.
Sell Your Home
This is a big one and one not to take lightly, but if you’re a homeowner that feels suffocated by a piece of property, it could be time to downsize your life, put some money in the bank, and create some more self-serving priorities. If you downsize your home, it allows you some wiggle room (and gives you money to enjoy yourself, especially in this seller’s market!) to enjoy yourself. I know, selling a home seems a daunting task – but there are alternatives to the traditional routes. Companies like Frontier Properties use their professionals to evaluate homes, draft an offer in a matter of days, and then pay for the home without any additional fees (brokerage being a big one that’s absent here). Really. Think about it. Do you need that big home? Do you need all that space? It might be worth your while to downsize and open up some flexibility in other areas of your life.
A happier you is a better, more productive you.
Learn to manage your schedule so that you have time for yourself.
Time to relax, breathe, and focus on the essentials.
Hopefully, these tips at least help you brainstorm so moving forward you can find time to start enjoying life more.
