Free Time Free self development

Free time Free Self Development

For many the state of the economy has become a drain on the resources. We’ve had to become more aware of how we spend our money. We haven’t however become any more vigilant about how we spend our more valuable resource time. Self development costs nothing. Free time is at a premium. We all have finite time on the planet and should be using it to the  max. Once you’ve realised this your time is filled with opportunity. Every day becomes an opportunity for self development. Opportunity to find and add more value to your life. If you’re sitting with too much free time, you have a problem. You haven’t realised the urgency of your self development . You haven’t realised that real growth can’t really wait for the tomorrow you hope you have.

Real Re-Creation in your free time

What I’m talking about is free time. Idle time. Since the start of the global recession it’s been a lot harder to fill our time. Trips to movies, buying DVD’s, even the internet and eating out have become luxuries and as a result we’ve had to find new (or should I say old ways) to amuse ourselves. Interestingly for many this shift and this global tragedy could be the best thing to ever happen to you. If you allow it to be. Simply put this enforced lifestyle change is the best opportunity we will ever have to disengage from the commercial trap and start adding real recreation to our free time.

Thief of time Thief of energy

One thing I’ve found, is how baseless a lot of the luxuries  we indulge in are. In large they are designed to fill the time. Satellite television, Cinema, shopping even the  internet are deceptive luxuries. They require input from you, your attention and normally money. Also There is a place for these kinds of activities but in the long run this aimless recreation is a drain on your time, money and life. Taking you from making real connections with people, adding useful skills or giving your mind a real break from it’s stress filled life.

Ten ways to add quality to your free time:

1. Play some Sudoku  your brain will thank you for the exercise
2. Learn a Musical Instruments preferably something like the Guitar which you can pick quite cheap second hand. Learning to play and instrument is ridiculously good value for money if you consider the amount time you’ll spend learning to play and comparing it to what you paid.
3. Go for a walk and enjoy nature for a change
4. Learn to Cook get some nutritious recipes and cook for your family, if you have kids involve them too
5. Start exercising, a walk around the block or playing some football with the kids in the park it won’t cost you a cent
6. Writewhether you’re a closet poet, novelist or blogger. Go dig your computer out and start pounding out some quality content now.
7. Read, go forth and raid the 2nd hand book shops and flea markets, fiction or non-fiction reading is great exercise for the mind and with a library card and some imagination the sky is the limit to the skills you can start acquiring (I learnt hypnosis from a library book, look deep into my blog you’re getting sleeeeeeeeeepy)
8. Support local kids sports teams (maybe  you’ve got some experience and you’d like to help out coaching), they need fans too this can also be a great opportunity to network.
9. Learn to draw, go out now and get The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards it’s an amazing book and will have you drawing in absolutely no time.
10. . Start planning, researching and establishing your own business if you’ve already planned it go start it, if not the internet is a treasure trove of information make use of it and free yourself from the rat race.

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