How to spend your free time. How to organize your time: effective methods, methods and recommendations

Every person, regardless of employment, has free time. In fact, it matters a lot what you use your free time from work, school or daily activities for. Successful people do interesting and useful things that bring them pleasure.

Most people often ask themselves what to do with themselves or how to spend their free time. Many people prefer to just watch TV or talk on the phone. But is this beneficial or only takes away that precious time that you can spend not only for yourself, but also learn something new?

Scientists argue that a person cannot be tired of the work that satisfies him, and a change of activity is the best rest. Therefore, one cannot live without rest, of course, but, according to scientists, rest should be effective and useful. For example, if you are physically working, then spend your free time with benefits for the brain and engage in mental work, and vice versa.

First, you need to decide on what you would really like, what attracts you and what interests you. Make a list, and then start formulating a plan to achieve your goals. Now, when you have a clear and clear plan of your goals and objectives for their achievement, it remains only to act in the right direction.

In addition to this plan, create a daily schedule that allows you to use your time efficiently. When you have a schedule of things to do, it will become clear to you when and how to spend your free time. For example, you have a window in the afternoon, and you have long wanted to start reading a book, perhaps now is the time for this, and not for social networks and surfing the Internet.

Remember that in your free time you should do what brings you pleasure, makes you joyful and happy. You don't have to force yourself to do anything, just find something you like to do.

Walk

Organize for yourself a walk in the park, along the embankment, more often be in the fresh air. You can also go rollerblading or cycling.

Foreign language

Learn a foreign language, devote 30 minutes daily to it. This is a small burden, but what benefit it will bring to you. You will not only gain new knowledge, but also expand your capabilities.

Garden

Plant flowers, houseplants and care for them. Let you have your own small but own garden.

Significant other

When you have a soul mate, the question of free time, in principle, should not arise. Spend time together, look for new experiences, find a common cause that will unite you.

House

In your free time, take care of your home, clean the closets, empty the shelves of unnecessary rubbish. Disassemble your workplace and put things in order in your documents, papers, plans and lists.

Skills

Develop your skills. For example, learn to paint or play a musical instrument, learn a new dance, learn to embroider or knit.

Our smaller brothers. Get yourself a pet. Taking care of him, taking care of him, walking. For example, when you have a kitten, you will find things to do in your free time.

Self-development. Engage in self-development, read books, listen in audio format, browse. Try something new, like reading about making money online.

Friends

Organize a themed party, gather with friends for a picnic, maybe they also don't know how to spend their free time.

Sleep

The sleep of a modern person can hardly be called complete, and if you sleep less than seven hours a day or your body does not have enough strength, then lie down and rest. Use your free time to sleep.

You choose the activities you like, which you enjoy and make your life better. The main thing is that you value your time, even if it is free and spend it to your advantage.

Every week we look forward to the weekend, every day we want to carve out some time free from worries. But now the weekend is over, we are back in business and at work, but we did not manage to rest. And nothing useful has been done. Does this sound familiar to you?

For many people, the real challenge is making the most of your time. How to use every minute of your free time to your advantage? Our new article will tell you about this.

Let's think about what it means - spend time to your advantage? First of all, we should spend our time on what interests us. If you have not yet fully decided on the range of your interests and hobbies, we advise you to try yourself in different activities. After all, in every business you can find something interesting and entertaining.

Here are some tips on how how to spend time with benefit:

Work for pleasure

Work takes up a lot of our time. In order for working hours to be beneficial to us, we need to work for ourselves. This does not mean that you need to start your own business. It is enough to choose a job that will be truly interesting to you.

Business time

It is necessary to plan not only work tasks, but also household chores. During the work week, write down a list of things to do on the weekend. For example, take your shoes in for repair, fix a tap, pay utility bills.

And the fun is an hour!

Be sure to write down what you would like to do in your free time: take a walk in the park, go to the movies, get a manicure, soak in the bathroom, cook your favorite meal, or go shopping.

In transport

Some people spend half their lives on the road. Travel time can also be used profitably. Listen to music - it will charge you with vital energy and will not let you get bored. Read an interesting magazine or book that you never really got your hands on. Train your brain with crosswords, sudoku or logic puzzles.

Do you speak English?

Learning a foreign language is a necessary and useful activity. Take 30-60 minutes a day for this, and the result will not be long in coming. To make your study interesting and comfortable, you can watch TV shows in a foreign language, meet and communicate on the Internet with native speakers or listen to audio courses.

Communicate

Among the worries and important matters, we often do not have enough time for family and friends. As soon as there is a free minute, call your parents, write an SMS to your friend with a proposal to chat over a cup of coffee, remember the upcoming name days or birthdays, so as not to forget to congratulate anyone.

Order in everything

There is no perfect order, but you can try to create one. When everything around you is clean and tidy, there is nothing superfluous on the desktop, and all things are in their places, then exactly the same order comes in your head. In your free time, it will also be very useful to get rid of old and unnecessary things, go through your wardrobe and throw out what you have not worn for a long time.

Sport

We spend most of the time sitting, dreaming to buy a gym membership every month, or at least start doing exercises in the morning on Monday. Take some time for your body - exercise. It doesn't matter where: at work, at home or on the street, because in motion - life!

Broaden your horizons

Make it a rule to learn something new every day. Explore the capitals of the countries, find out more information about your favorite dog breed, read about the history of the city you dream to travel to. There are still many interesting things in the world that we do not know about.

New hobby

Find a new and interesting hobby for yourself that you will do in your free time. You can go dancing, learn how to draw beautifully, do vocals and much more. Indeed, at present there are a huge number of circles and courses that each of us can discover for ourselves. It is important to interest yourself in new activities, which in the future may well become an additional source of income.

Appearance

Pay special attention to your appearance: maybe it's time to make an appointment with a hairdresser, or maybe get a manicure? In winter, it is especially important to take care of the skin of your hands and face - you can read dozens of useful self-care recipes on the Internet, while saving money on a trip to the salon.

Each of us has free time. For some it is several hours a day, while for others it is even less. Even in a short period of time, you can do several useful things. The main thing is that it brought you pleasure and joy.

And to have more free time - entrust your worries.

Hearing the phrase "rest time", many automatically think that it is time to sit back and do nothing. Yes, resting at your leisure is completely normal, but only sometimes. Free time also provides an excellent opportunity to finish unfinished business or improve yourself personally or professionally. Spend your leisure time productively - engage in self-development, communicate on social networks and improve your health.

Steps

Engage in self-development

1. Review your goals and set new ones. Use your free time as a reflection period. Think back to the goals you have set, decide if you are making progress in achieving them, and determine if you need to amend them or better define new goals.

   • For example, if last month you set yourself a goal of “saving $ 10,000,” check your savings to see how well you did the task. If all goes well, move on to the next goal. However, if you are behind in terms of time, it may be worth lowering the bar (say, to “$ 5,000”), or come up with a strategy that will help you stay on schedule (for example, find a part-time job).

2. Determine what you would like to study. Time free from work, school, or household chores can be spent productively as a chance to learn something new. New skills can help you advance your career or simply challenge you creatively.

   • List a few new skills that you would like to master. It could include activities such as learning a new language, deepening computer knowledge, or learning to ride horses.
   • To maintain balance in life, choose a few skills related to personal or professional development, as well as a couple of activities that you want to do purely out of curiosity.

3. Optimize your to-do list. Perhaps your to-do list is full of overwhelming tasks that you struggle to complete day after day. Such tasks are frustrating and rarely completed, and if they are, it is only at the very last minute. Get things in order, arrange them, and do them.

   • Write down the most important tasks for the next week on paper. Then determine if you can complete the task all at once or in stages. Instead of “finish your history essay,” break the task down into several steps, such as “find history sources,” “plan,” and “draft a draft.”
   • It is against the one-step items that you are more likely to check the box at the end of the day.

4. Earn extra money. If you need additional funds, you can spend your free time from work or school, earning money or choosing a creative way to make money. Find a second job that you can do in the evenings or on weekends. Monetize your passion for jewelry making by creating a store on Etsy (or similar). Sell ​​old books or clothing stored in your attic or closet.

   Build social connections

   1. Expand your professional contact base. In addition to the 9am-5pm schedule, there are a number of networking events you can attend. Saturday breakfast or evening cocktail parties can be a great backdrop to promote a new idea or exchange business cards.

      • Look for similar events in your area, or probe the waters at work or the union to find out about events after work.

   2. Invite friends or family over to visit. Having a strong support group will make you more stress-resilient and even boost your self-esteem. If you usually pay little attention to loved ones because of school or work, use your free time to go out with friends and "nourish" friendships.

      • Plan a movie night, game night, or ice cream parlor. Call in a few friends or family members that you can't seem to meet and invite them to join in the fun. Chatting with loved ones is a great way to spend your free time.

   3. Start a community service on a volunteer basis. Helping in your local community will give you the opportunity to connect with those around you, do something meaningful, and even improve your resume. Think about how you can help your city and find out how you can do it.

      • You can help plan a community event, work at a homeless shelter, or collect trash after the annual festival.

   4. Perform random acts of kindness. If you're looking for fun ways to fill your spare time, do something nice for someone else. Occasional acts of kindness will show those around you that you care and also give you a reason to be proud of yourself.

      Take care of your health

      1. Find healthy recipes you'd like to try. If you have a little free time, cooking is a great way to use it. Planning and preparing food ahead of time can help avoid unhealthy and unhealthy foods. Search Pinterest for interesting recipes and create a grocery list to take with you to the store.

         • Ask a neighbor, partner, or children to help you. This will help you complete the task faster. Plus, it's more fun together.

Useful Tips

In the modern world, a person feels like a squirrel in a wheel. Many people live by stereotypes and habits that have become established in society.

However, be that as it may, even the busiest person has a little free time during the day.

Have you ever thought about how many interesting things you could do if you used your free time to good use?

Here 10 great ways to spend your free time.

Do nothing

It certainly sounds strange, but why not? Each person is free to decide what to do and how to spend your free time... However, many of us devote too much time to work, which negatively affects our health and the pace of life in general.

But the human body needs time to recuperate after physical or mental stress... He cannot constantly work to wear and tear.

Therefore, allow yourself at least sometimes the so-called "doing nothing", enjoy the feeling of complete physical and mental relaxation... Try not to think about anything. Know that being completely lightheaded has a healing effect.

Remember! It's okay to do nothing when you have free time during the day.

Get enough sleep

Healthy and fulfilling sleep- this is the most useful condition that a person needs. Therefore, approximately 30% of a person's entire life is in this state. As numerous studies have shown, namely most diseases occur due to lack of sleep.

Therefore, for the normal functioning of the body, it is extremely necessary to get a good sleep, which is what you need to do in your free time from work. In this case, the duration of a night's sleep should be at least 8 hours. Do not forget about the healing daytime sleep.

Sleep benefits:

• Recuperation
• Restoration of cells of the nervous system
• Prevention of diseases such as apathy, depression, chronic fatigue
• Strengthening immunity
• Accelerating the healing process.

Meditate

Even short meditation during the day, cleansing thoughts and consciousness can go a long way. After all, it helps to look at the problem from the other side, and, therefore, more competently and solve this or that issue.

It is better to indulge in reflections in a calm and relaxing environment, and not, for example, while driving a car, since in such a situation you need to fully concentrate on the process of driving a car (although if you are a passenger, then you have a great opportunity immerse yourself in the power of fantasy).

Take a short break from work to focus on some pleasant illusion.

Feel the warmth in your body. Imagine how the oxygen you breathe restores every cell in the body, improving the functioning of the muscular and nervous systems. These thoughts will help restore mental and physical balance.

It should also be noted that positive thinking attracts into our life favorable events and changes.

Listen to your favorite music

Music is the best way to pass the time and feel a surge of pleasant emotions... Today, electronic technology allows you to listen to music almost anywhere and anytime. If you are one of the passionate music lovers, then do not deprive yourself of pleasure. listen to your favorite music.

Such a pastime can inspire and motivate a person to work productively.

Each song or melody carries a certain sign, experience or information. Try listening to the positive vibrations of live music.

By the way, it has long been proven that soft classical music can have a great healing effect on the human mind and body.

Read good books

Reading of books has always been a sensible and rewarding way to spend your free time. The human brain is like a theater, as it is full of numerous thoughts and images. With the help of the book, you can plunge into the world that is described in the story or story. You will be able to feel the atmosphere of the era described in the book.

Besides, reading is a great way to develop your mind, about which all successful people know, in whose life, despite the lack of time, there is always a place to read your favorite book. If you still think that reading is an old-fashioned way of self-development, then you are seriously mistaken.

And do not think that books are too bulky and inconvenient to use, because now almost all phones support applications with which you can read any book, not to mention an e-book, which is extremely convenient for reading and storing many books in electronic form. ...

Go in for sports

There is always a free minute for a few simple exercises. This is the best thing to do for your body.

There are quite a few types of gymnastics. One day can be set aside time for breathing exercises, in the other - gymnastics for the eyes This is especially true for office workers who spend all day at the computer.

Know that exercise increases blood flow to muscles and organs. Even five minutes of exercise will make you feel better and lift your spirits.

Clean at home

Sometimes very it is useful to get rid of everything old and unnecessary, but each of us has a lot of such things.

Putting things in order Is a great way to deal with negative emotions and even depression, which is proven by numerous studies. Yes, yes, it is the usual housework that helps to distract from obsessive thoughts.

Psychologists say that by parting with old things that remind us of some event (even a joyful and bright one), we say goodbye to the past and thereby open the way to a new bright future.

Meet friends

If you want not only to spend time with benefit, but also to get a charge of positive energy, then be sure to organize meet friends... A joint walk in the park, playing volleyball or just a friendly get-together in a cafe will definitely do you good.

Pay attention to yourself

It so happened that in the pursuit of wealth and social status, we often forget about ourselves and those little joys that make life more interesting and fulfilling. But in vain!

Usual going to the hairdresser or spa- a great option to relax after a hard week of work. Men will not give up baths or saunas.

Recently, psychologists have noted an increased amount of stress among the population. No wonder, because in cities there is a high pace of life, and, trying to be in time everywhere, a person receives a strong overstrain. Therefore, it is important for everyone to be able and know how to organize their time with maximum benefit for themselves. As a result, this will allow not only to keep up with everything, but also to find opportunities for personal affairs and recreation. This skill is needed not only for adults, but also for children. After all, it is from an early age that it is most effective to learn something.

Why do you need the ability to organize time?

Some people find it odd to learn to plan their time. Someone thinks this is the lot of nerds. Most likely, everyone is familiar with a personality type that is always and everywhere late? It is unlikely that it can cause pleasant sensations. But competent planning not only saves you from being late, but also allows you not to live with the feeling "again the day was wasted." So, the advantages of organizing time:

• The constant haste will be gone.
• Absent-mindedness goes away.
• There is time for hobbies and meeting friends.
• There is no feeling that the days are "wasted".
• Creation of working days and days off.
• Lack of processing.

As you can see, it is obvious that knowing how to effectively organize time is useful for every adult. The main benefit in this is that in this way a person is saved from nervous strain, excitement and subsequent stress. In other words, by wisely distributing your time, you can preserve your health.

Ways to organize your time

Over the years, there have been many ways to organize your time. There is no single correct type, since you need to choose them based on the individual characteristics of the psyche. For example, each category has its own time management principles. It is clear that organizing the time of a student is easier than the time of an employee in a significant position.

Basics for planning

First things first, get yourself a diary. What it will be - you decide. Some people prefer a date-lined notebook, others prefer weekly divisions, and still others prefer pure white sheets. In any case, you need something to write down your schedule. Don't try to find the most expensive or cheapest option. Choose what you like. The main thing is that it is convenient for you to use it.

An option for advanced ones is electronic diaries. There are many different kinds of programs that you can customize to your taste. Also, most of them have synchronization with a smartphone or tablet.

Key point: the diary must always be kept in front of your eyes and quickly make changes to it.

Before starting work

If you have not tried to organize your time before, then you will have to go through many difficulties. Therefore, immediately remember the phrase "The best is the enemy of the good" and try not to worry. When a person learns something, he does not do everything well at once, and this is normal.

You always need to strive for the ideal, but not everything will turn out right on the way, and this is normal, since organizing your time is not so easy, not knowing how to do it. So be persistent.

Decide on a life concept

In any business, it is important to be aware of your goals. To do this, in time management (the so-called branch of science on how to organize your time), it is customary to distinguish three types of goals. These are long term goals, medium term goals, and short term goals. In general, the only difference is at what stage you decide to implement them.

Therefore, an important rule is to write down your goals. Be sure to do this on paper. This is the only way you can fulfill them. Why is this needed? When you write down a goal, you accept it and materialize. When you see the list of goals, then you see your business plan. This is how you separate the wheat from the chaff, the secondary from the main. After all, before deciding how best to organize your time, you need to decide why you need it.

Set clear deadlines for achieving goals. Why is this needed? Blurred deadlines - vague goals, as a result, an unrealizable achievement. And by clearly limiting yourself to a time frame, you take on certain obligations.

The Trick for Planning Goals

For those who are just learning how to organize their time, it is difficult to separate meaningful goals from secondary ones. This is especially difficult in terms of long-term goals. Do a simple exercise: take blank sheets of paper and write down absolutely every desire, from the simple to the incredible. Everything, everything that just comes to mind. Then put the lists aside and return to them after a couple of days. After that, write out from what has been written only what is meaningful to you. This will give you your list of long-term goals.

Feature of medium-term goals

You need to have a three or five year plan in front of your eyes. In other words, something global. You need to divide it into a large number of small goals, broken down by monthly blocks. These are small steps towards their great achievements. It is important to consider areas such as health, recreation, sports, education, entertainment.

Always keep the resulting list in front of your eyes, as over time you can make adjustments to it.

How to organize your time correctly?

Having bought a diary, get into the habit of writing in it every day. Get in the habit of making a plan for the day the night before. This approach will save you several hours. What are the advantages of this approach?

• Priority of doing things.
• Drawing up a route of movement.
• In a dream, the subconscious mind assimilates information better.
• Daily plan and long-term goals allow you to rank deals.
• Additional motivation.
• Visibility of active and completed goals.

In other words, planning every day is a useful thing. It also allows you to correctly This will allow you to immediately mark ineffective cases.

Consider your biological cycles. For each person, there are individual periods of activity and its decline. Therefore, it is logical to plan your affairs with their account in mind. For example, labor-intensive tasks with a high concentration of attention should be carried out during a period of activity. This will allow you to work efficiently.

Be sure to categorize all goals. This makes it easier for you to isolate the micro-goals within them and complete them. For example, what do you do most of the day? Let's say it's work, home, self-care, free time, and sleep. Already for these categories, form a list of goals.

Ask for help? - Yes!

Many people find it strange to shift their affairs to others. In fact, it needs to be done. As much as you would like, your time and your personal opportunities are limited, so feel free to delegate some of the responsibilities. Decide on goals and objectives, find those who can accomplish this, and delegate them. Discuss milestones and due dates. Do not forget to reward the performers at the end of the case.

How to organize and teach your child's time?

Modern parents note that children have become inactive. Give them free rein, they will sit at the computer all day. In fact, today you can find two diametrically different concepts of behavior: completely forget the children, not let them breathe from school and the section. In this matter, it is important to keep the golden mean.

How to organize a student's time so that he has enough of it for studies and hobbies, sections, circles, etc.? Teach him to plan the day from elementary school. Talk with your child about what he might have to do. For example, school, lunch, coming home, resting, preparing homework, helping around the house, and personal time. Do not press on him, only help with leading questions. Help your child follow the action plan at first. Over time, he will be completely independent in this regard.

Paradoxically, those children whose day is most busy with school and clubs are best able to manage their time. The fact is that they know how much they need to do, and therefore they try. At first, you need to clearly control the child's trips there or there, but over time you will no longer have this need.

How to organize your child's free time? - Remember that parents are the best example for children. Therefore, if you know how to plan time, manage it and make effective lists of goals, then the child can easily take this system from you.

Either way, remember that learning effective time management takes a lot of time, as it should become a habit of yours. And it takes a very long time to form a habit. Do not be discouraged if you fail to fulfill something or you forget to write something down, everything comes with experience.

Another useful trick is to learn to introspect. This will help you determine which activities are ineffective for the day and which are effective.