How can I Find More Time for the Things I Love to do?

Many of us lead very busy lives, and we may feel torn in many different directions by our responsibilities. Some people are students, employees, parents and volunteers all at once, while others may spend a lot of time in one or two different life roles. Whatever your lifestyle, you need to find time for what you love to do because it is part of who you are. Finding time to do these things often means scheduling time to focus on them; prioritizing those activities over other, less important tasks that you do by habit rather than out of interest; and recognizing how the time you do spend doing what you love benefits everything else that you do in life.

Vacations are one time when many of us do find time for our hobbies and interests. We read those novels we want to read or even do a little drawing or solve puzzles while we relax. Saving those activities for once or twice a year may not be enough, however. Find time in your regular weekly schedule to do what you love and set aside specific blocks of time to focus on it.

Even an extra hour that you can squeeze in a few times a week or every weekend — or even every day if possible — can still give you time to read some of your novel or do some sketches or puzzles. Even short breaks of time can give you something to look forward to when you're swamped in your daily chores. Setting aside part of your lunch hour on one day in the middle of the week might be enough to renew your spirit before you head back to your regular responsibilities.

If you love sports, for example, look for a team you can join that has a minimum time commitment. You can count these activities as your workout time for those days. If you love art, you might look for a weekly, evening art class or set aside an hour or two one night to work on your own art projects at home.

Instead of spending time watching television for a few hours after work, think about how much more fulfilled you'd be if you spent that time engaging in activities you really love. Many people have TV shows that they love and follow closely, but most people also turn on the TV for company or noise, and don't really engage in what they are seeing. When you find yourself not really paying attention, turn off the TV and pick up that book or project that interests you and spend the time doing what you love.

The thing to realize is that, no matter how busy your life is, you can and should find time for what you love to do. It's not how much time you spend on pursuing your passions that counts in the long run, but rather that you are pursing those passions regularly by doing what you love to do. Think about what activities make you happy and feel true to yourself. If you find time for what you love to do on a regular basis, you’re giving yourself a gift that will likely make you feel more fulfilled and better able to cope with the rest of your life.