So how do we find this free time?
Some ideas might include:
1) Change your perspective about free time: If you just spent 30 minutes browsing social media, realize that probably was your free time. However, what you thought was going to be free time might be eaten up by a game of Candy Land. If you are taking a break and enjoying the moment, chalk that up to free time for you in that moment and relax. However, reserve the right to limit how many games of Hungry, Hungry Hippo you play.
2) Free time does not always happen in large chunks of time. It may be 5 minutes here and 10 minutes hours later. And sometimes you may find yourself able to carve out larger moments. Last week I sent my grumpy 4-year-old to her room to lie on her bed for "just a few minutes". I sat on the couch with a book since I figured I would be interrupted in no time. When I realized that I had read a few chapters and no sound was coming from the room, I went to investigate. Naturally she was passed out on her floor. I guess she didn't actually want to be on her bed, but that worked for me! I got to read and felt refreshed when the rest of the kids came home needing my help. Those moments feel few and far between, but I was glad I didn't use that time to do some other task.
3) You MUST plan for free time. No one is going to clear this time for you. You must be willing to do this yourself. A walk, a book, creating - anything that refuels you and clears your head is worth fighting for. Very frequently the things I want to do in my free time are on my task list. There is no way I can always get to those things, but because I have them written down, I do make them a priority and find ways to carve out that time.
How will you make time for your "free time" today?
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