5 Things To Make More Time For
Let's make time for the things that bring us joy and calm. Here are 5 ways how.
By Erin O’Connor
Do you ever get that feeling that your days are flying past, but you feel like there’s not enough time in the day to do all that you want or need? Sometimes we let our to-do lists and expectations of others take over, and we end up focusing too much on the grand goals of the future than the simplicity of the present moment and all it can offer us.
Here are 5 things to make more time for each day
1. Get an early night
It is something that is widely talked about in the wellbeing world, but sleep is so important - it has a whole host of benefits, but inversely has far reaching consequences if we don’t get enough. Make sure you take more time to charge your proverbial batteries, as it can have a powerful part to play in setting you up for a day of calm ahead.
2. Do something fun
When was the last time you let yourself laugh? Like a proper, hearty, belly laugh? I don’t know about you, but these feel so good but it doesn’t happen often enough. Let’s lean into feeling good, being silly and having a good old giggle. Why not watch a silly movie you haven’t seen since you were a kid, or dance around carelessly - let go of needing to be good and have fun instead.
3. Explore the unknown
Borders may be shut at the moment, and travelling far and wide may be the stuff of dreams for the meantime, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t adventure to be had. I have lived in the same part of London for the past 5 years or so, but it was only during lockdown did I really, truly appreciate what I had on my doorstep. Prior to the past 6 months I had been more interested in tubing and busing to other parts of the city and the country, thinking adventure was further afield.
With the extra time to go on long walks and ramblings around East London, I have come to deeply appreciate the canals, street art, and local artisanal shops closer to home. I think it’s fair to say that taking time to explore your local surroundings can help to bring a deeper appreciation for what you have in life, rather than on what we don’t have.
4. Talk to someone you like
We all have things to do, jobs to get on with, lives to manage. However, when we are so focused on our own stuff we forget that there’s so much joy to be had by connecting with others. It can be so easy to stay in our own bubbles of comfort, but reaching out to a relative, friend or neighbour might just be the thing they need right now. This could be as simple as a phone call to someone you haven’t spoken to in a while, or a walk in the park with a friend. When we show up for others and connect, it can bring more perspective and might even be a good break away from the desk.
5. Do one thing really well
We say that we’re great at multitasking, like it’s a badge of honour to be able to juggle a million and one things whilst trying to keep a shred of calm about us. However, when we divide our attention to try and achieve more, more often than not we don’t do each of those tasks any real justice.
But how often do you really focus on one thing, and one thing only? For me, this is the key to quality and the key to maintaining calm - when we slow down and let our minds focus on just one thing, not only is it more valuable in the outcome, but it means that we don’t exhaust ourselves unnecessarily.
So there we have it, my five simple things that could be the difference between an okay day and a great day, and my little reminder to not forget how much an early night or a phone call with a friend can mean. Give it a go, and see what happens.
ERIN O’CONNOR
Erin is a writer based in London. When’s she’s not attending a space rave, or attempting to make her own face scrub she is writing about anything and everything to do with wellbeing and mindfulness.
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