The default when one is lumped with extra time is generally to get comfy on the sofa and switch on Netflix. After several hours of screen time, regret can sometimes set in and you’re left thinking what else you should have done with your free time. In this day and age, of being busy more often than not, for the most part, free time is a precious commodity and should be treated as such. Don’t waste it. Use it wisely. There are several things you could get done – those matters that you have been meaning to get around to but just haven’t had the time. Well, you might have the time now, so it’s a good time to act.
Tackle the mess
Procrastination can be a real battle. But almost everyone has one – a room, cupboard, garage or other part of your home that has just run away with itself and is in a bit of a state. Analysis paralysis might cause you to not want to start the decluttering process at all, but you can do this, and probably just need to take a bit of time to think what is going to go where and how before just jumping straight in.
Write a letter of appreciation
Indeed, stay away from the computer and keyboard and instead get out the old pen and paper. Give of yourself and your heart by writing a few pargraphs of appreciation for someone you reckon might really need it. This could mean the world to them and it won’t take up too much of your time. You might find that you really take to writing letters and would want to do more of them in the future instead of just ‘vegging’ in front of the television.
Teach yourself a new recipe
Cooking isn’t necessarily eveyone’s thing, but if you are into the culinary arts, then learning a new recipe can be a real treat. Perhaps you have just come back from a holiday in, say, Thailand or Italy. Check out Youtube and other reputable pages on the internet for some of the best recipes for your favourite cuisine from those countries you travelled to. Then, get cooking – trial and error is fine. Taste, test and try again. Share the meal with your friends and family – let them be the objective judges of your passion.
Get your books in order
Taxes, reciepts, manuals, etc – paper in all shapes and sizes piles up around the house if you don’t stay on top of it. If you work for yourself, and don’t necessarily have a practitioner doing some of the leg work for you, then you need to pay special attention to your paperwork. Just think how satisfied the feeling will be if you spend an hour doing this instead of watching an hour of Gossip Girl or Suits.
