Do you have any free time? (3/23/25)
I find myself pondering the question of how to find some "free time." There is a general perception that we are all so "busy." As a result, I find myself wishing for more spare time.
What is spare time? I define "spare time" as having the ability to do whatever one would want to do. Perhaps people wish that they had spare time to simply do nothing.
The perception of time is quite variable upon our emotional state. We measure time in units, we have body rhythms that allow us to wake up without an alarm clock, we spend a certain number of hours at work, and so it would seem that time is exact or precise. How time passes is very subjective. A day rarely goes by without my saying or thinking "the day went by so fast!" This is because I enjoy my work and my teaching, and so time speeds along because I am immersed in what I am doing. This has been proven by psychology researchers. I can spend many hours doing what I do because it provides me with professional satisfaction and happiness. I am truly fortunate.
How we spend our time is a matter of choice. While we may feel that the demands on our time are consumed by work, family obligations, outside pursuits, and other responsibilities, we are all faced with choices. While we may feel that preparing our income tax return is a burden, time consuming, and a headache, we can change our mindset. We can be happy that we can make the time to meet this obligation. We can also appreciate that we have income and so we must report it. People who do not earn enough, and people who work two jobs do not have as much time to do these tasks. Each individual can look at how they spend their time, and work on their mindset. It is possible for us to find an element of gratitude that will improve our mental health. If we can realize that our choice in how we spend our time is ours to make, we might better realize that our control of our time is really discretionary. When we spend time driving our children from activity to activity, we can realize the good fortune that we have time to do this for our children. We can also realize that our children have the good fortune to be involved in meaningful activities that make them happy.
Realizing that we are making choices and that we could change them, allows us to feel more freedom. Looking at how we spend our time, and looking for elements that help us perceive our good fortune can also allow us to feel gratitude. When this occurs, it also increases positive mental health.
Adults spend a lot of time in the workplace. By definition, that might indicate the lack of freedom and the feeling of time pressures. If one does not have a desirable work environment, time will feel slow. In our speedy internet and technological world, one might appreciate these moments when time is slow. However, most people would prefer to be happy in their workplace. By looking at one's position and the mission or goals of the company one works for, we can change the perception of burden to one of belonging and contributing to a greater good. Being able to understand that one's work has a purpose within a greater context can lead to greater satisfaction and contentment.
Ultimately the biggest tool we have to understand our freedom to make choices is the ability to say "no." Being able to turn down opportunities is the hardest choice to make. We allow our children to engage in many activities that we might reconsider by choosing more discriminately. By reducing choices, one allows the ability to prioritize. We can teach each other how to place different values on the use of our time.If we want to value education and the value of music education, we must have the time to do so. Allowing us to prioritize and to feel the freedom of our choices, will give us the feeling of a fulfilled life, not one that is being pulled in multiple directions with stress and a lack of time.
If we believe that we have the freedom of choice in many of our daily activities, the feeling of the lack of free time goes away. We can realize that our use of our discretionary time is already a good use of our free time. We can be happy.