Wishful thinking. If we had 25 hours in the day instead of 24 - and that hour was just for YOU.
I was thinking this weekend…why does it seem like I have so little time to do “extras”??? I swear I talk to people at work or see on FB that they have so much time on their hands…watching hours of tv in the morning or at night. Having a weekend entirely free with no idea how to fill it. I’m not saying I envy not having things to do…I’m glad I am busy…but I envy TIME!
So I took a minute and examined the hours I have in a week: 24 hours x 7 days - 168 hours.
I subtracted staples in my week that need to or should happen:
Sleep (based on average of 7 hours/per night)
Work (plus drive time)
Twice a day dog walks
Meal Prep
Eating time
Self care (showers, getting ready for the day)
Exercise (average 45 mins 6 times a week)
Visit my mom
Yard/Garden work
Family phone calls (the kids!)
Household tasks (laundry, clean bathrooms, etc.)
Food shopping/Errands
Television (dvr’d shows - 1-1.5 hours per night)
Surely I’m not thinking of all the to-do’s. Like the hours I spent this weekend on a home project (painting). What am I left with after these tasks above of that 168 hours??? 16 hours. Woo! An average of 2 hours/day for extras. And I didn’t even count computer time after work…
Clearly, I could get rid of tv time…but not much else. I don’t have a budget that allows me to hire help for house tasks. (and not really interested).
Things that I DO think I do that many people don’t (at least people in my life)…
Exercise regularly
Cook meals (take ingredients and MAKE food!)
So what would I do with that 25th hour? Would I waste it? Dedicate it to a new hobby. Extend something above?
How about you? Do you feel your week melting away with “to-do’s”??? Tips for making the most out of what you have in terms of hours in a week?
(just realizing that I didn’t include my nightly “before bed, in bed” reading time - very enjoyable! About 20 minutes a night or until I wake up with my eyes closed and book on chest…)
I would spend the extra hour either reading or working out because that’s what I like to do. As it is I manage to find time for both, but the fact that I watch virtually NO television helps. Not knocking anyone who watches tv but it is annoying when people make comments about how I have SO much free time that I am able to read.
@abasket: You are doing extras. You just don’t realize it. You’re doing all this:
Twice a day dog walks
Exercise (average 45 mins 6 times a week)
Visit my mom
Yard/Garden work
Family phone calls (the kids!)
Television (dvr’d shows - 1-1.5 hours per night)
Cook meals
Nightly “before bed, in bed” reading time
Those are all delightful, enjoyable activities, as far as I’m concerned. It seems to me that the only thing in that list that you must do is walk the dogs, but for me, it’s more of a pleasure than a chore. Maybe you don’t need a 25th hour – just an attitude adjustment!
DH and I are recently retired (less than six months), so time is ours now. I have to say that I’m still catching up on sleep. Those who say you can’t catch up on sleep haven’t tried it.
We have always cooked together, so we’re having a blast in the kitchen and have upped our artisanal breadmaking game (no machines), we’ve reconnected with our alumni club, joined a couple of clubs in our community, started on our book lists in earnest, working out more, and I’m crocheting again. And I still have time left to daydream. We’re loving this phase of life but still getting used to it.
Well I’m not saying visiting my mom is a chore, but that is an event that I try to plan/enjoy regularly and since she is not in town has to be scheduled out.
Cooking meals is a responsibility in my house - and imo a necessity for better nutrition.
And you’re right, I do enjoy most of those things… maybe what I’m looking for is a chunk of time.
I thankful for time in general - I just want more of it to get more life wishes accomplished!
True - though I’m pretty good at juggling that - like now while waiting for a meeting to start and in the evening doing online stuff when I’m watching tv - but for sure, it eats up some time!
I have a really hellacious commute, which means that there is very little downtime in our lives. In the last few months, we have started doing the online grocery shopping thing, which has cut about 3 hours off our weekend chore list. Now we actually have a block of time on Saturday to do thing or sleep, or whatever. It’s such a small thing but has had huge implications for my husband’s and my enjoyment of life.
LOL, I think I’d just use that extra hour to sleep. I mean, maybe then I could get a full 8 hours on a regular basis. (I’d note that we do get an extra hour once a year, with the switch from daylight to standard time… and that’s what I’ve always done with that particular hour.)
I’m not working much anymore (just work prn in an OR), so I have all the time I need to do anything I want to do. That’s mostly really nice, but sometimes I have too much time on my hands. I need to find a volunteer opportunity I’d enjoy.
I’ve thought a lot about what I posted here today.
I meant it…I do get frustrated to not have more time to do more…BUT all of the things are important to me (even the housework - I don’t like it, but I like a clean uncluttered house!) and I just want MORE time to do all the things I like.
So…the extra hour - I’d take it…but given much worse things in the world, I’ll be satisfied with what I have. I DO think I wish that some others in my life (looking at your H who retired about 9 months ago!) would really appreciate the free time they have - and use it well. But that’s ME - I realize I’m a do-er and always have a big list of things I want to accomplish - some others aren’t so motivated or have that need.
I do like to stop and smell the roses…I just want to do it while running or while gardening or while cutting the grass…
I’d like to have more time. If I did, here are things I’d like to do: volunteer regularly; read more; watch movies with full attention (i.e., not multitask); nothing (I’d like to have more time during which I don’t do anything).
I heard an article on NPR last month on this issue. People who paid for some help around the house/yard ended up enjoying the down time more than if they had taken that $50/whatever and went out for dinner/shopped/etc. So spend money to get more quality time!
If we had 25 hours in the day instead of 24 - and that hour was just for YOU.
