Free Time vs Focus Time
Right now, we’re mixing how we spend our time, and it’s killing both our productivity AND our relationships...
To get on the same page, let’s use these two terms:
‘Free Time’ and ‘Focus Time’
Free Time is the time we spend doing the things that we love or are passionate about that would not be considered ‘work.’
Focus Time is the time spent doing things that we could consider calling ‘work.’
Focus Time could be education/school/studying, not just ‘work that makes money’ directly.
But, because of our addictive and poorly managed use of smartphones, and this ALWAYS ON culture we seem to be ok tolerating, we end up neither in Free Time or Focus Time.
Instead, we’re with our friends or family, but on our phones checking email or the news.
Instead, we’re at work, in a meeting, but checking to see how many ‘Likes’ our last Facebook post got.
Instead, we’re on a sales call, but responding to text messages from people not in the meeting.
We’re neither Free nor Focused.
I’ve been guilty of all of the above.
The studies are out and the truth is:
Single-tasking Free Time and Focus Time makes one more productive, happier, less stressed, and leads to better relationships.
And those are all goals many of us can get behind.
How to Guarantee you don’t miss out…
There is a guaranteed way to make Free Time for ourselves amidst all our ‘busy-ness’...
Schedule it.
So often, we schedule work and kid’s activities.
But that’s where many of us stop.
Yet, there are more important things to us in our lives.
And, for some reason, many of us don’t schedule them in - myself included.
Free Time isn’t just something to fill in the blank space between work appointments.
Free Time is a crucial component to living a full and healthy life.
And the most important aspects of our lives often happen during this time.
But, many of us are leaving this time happening to chance.
So, are these things scheduled in your calendar?
Exercise
Eating Healthy (not just ‘Eating’ or ‘Lunch’)
Free Time with our Loves Ones (Not an activity (like the kid’s sports)
‘Date Nights’
Time to Think, and Dream
Time to Read a Book (or watch a movie)
Charitable Giving Time
Time with Friends
There’s one guaranteed way to make sure that ‘Free Time’ makes its way into your calendar:
Schedule it.
And Schedule it first.
